Trade Show Booth

We have all been to a trade show and have seen trade show displays that were extraordinary and those that were just plain dull and lackluster. Nine times out of ten, the company that has an eye-catching display will attract more people than the one that is plain. People are very visual and when at a trade show, businesses thrive on attracting customers by aesthetically pleasing trade show displays.

Trade events and shows have been around for years, but exhibitors and manufacturers are constantly coming up with new and innovative ideas to keep attendees’ attention but with the rise in cut throat competition between organizations one has only three seconds to attract the attention of a passerby, thus a trade show display should invariably appeal to the target audience’s interests. The trade show booth must effectively communicate who you are, what you do and how your company can help the people.

Managed effectively, trade show exhibits enable companies to showcase and demonstrate new products and services, reach target audiences, generate membership interest and gauge the acceptance for new business services and products. Exhibitions bring buyers and sellers together in one specific place, providing a one-of-a-kind opportunity that cannot be replicated in any other setting. An environment such as this allows the customer to feel comfortable, providing a unique form of human interaction.

The trade show displays create an emotional connection between the product and the consumer, which is something that customers cannot receive through websites, phone conversations, commercials or any other form of marketing. Exhibitors also have the opportunity to have complete face-to-face customer interaction, building relationships and interacting with potential customers or clients. This personal interaction provides the company with an opportunity to accelerate their business into new markets as well as create new business leads.

The trade show exhibits and accessories including the products, graphics, collateral materials and promotional products are visual elements that stimulate the audience’s senses and create the buying need. Especially during a tough economic climate, attending a trade show can significantly increase a company’s sales against their competitors.

Why are companies joining the trade show bandwagon? One of the major reasons for the continuing trade show popularity is the personal contact opportunity to observe innovations in business products and services. In an era of impersonal electronic communication, trade shows offer face- to- face meetings that are critical for companies to compete in an ever-changing marketplace.

The size of the trade show display industry is impressive and it is growing.

According to Trade Show Exhibitors Association (TSEA), 51 million people attended trade shows last year in the United States. There were more than 13,000 trade shows in the nation with 1.2 million companies exhibiting. This is a testimony to the tremendous value in networking and being able to touch and demonstrate new products. Trade shows connect buyer to seller and people to people in a way that virtual marketing can never achieve.

Here are five compelling reasons why trade show displays across the U.S. are successful:

Networking with the right people at the trade show. You get to see and be seen. You meet your clients and client prospects face -to- face and get instant feedback. This is certainly good news since there has been a dramatic business shift to online marketing, home offices, smaller field sales forces and the depersonalization of the sales function. With e-commerce dominating the business process, cell phones, email communications and Web commerce, there are fewer opportunities for face-to-face business development. The realization that relationships drive commerce has forced companies to view trade shows as a key opportunity for personal encounters. And, research shows that two or three days of dealing directly with decision makers in a trade show exhibit environment can cut the cost and time of closing deals by as much as 50 percent.

Showcases company’s new products and innovations. Trade shows draw massive attention to new products seen by the right people. At the trade show, your booth staff can help educate attendees on your company’s array of products and services as well as walking prospects through the decision-making process. People need to see and feel new products as this helps build their business relationships.

Expanding business by reaching the people who make purchasing decisions for their businesses at the trade show. Trade shows attract decision-makers, influence purchasing decisions, provide a point of contact for new customers, and make lasting impressions.

Brand exposure and identity enhancement in a big trade show arena environment. Exhibitors think of trade show displays as the grand launch of their most valued new product or business service. An excellent opportunity to give customer prospects your best most memorable and consistent look to increase brand exposure.

Great place to learn about the new trends in your industry. You can bet that you will learn what the “buzz” is in your own industry and watch what attracts prospects’ interest. E.g., in the latest fancy food industry’s winter trade show the trend is toward organic and natural products.

The trade show exhibit industry continues to grow and the added value of this personal prospecting environment suggests continued growth for 2006 and beyond.

Dick Wheeler is President of Professional Exhibits & Graphics, headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. The firm is a full-service premiere trade show exhibit, graphics and management services company. For addtional information, go to www.proexhibits.com.

© Copyright 1996-2006, Professional Exhibits & Graphics. All Rights Reserved

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In the world of trade show displays, it is important to stay up to date on the latest trends. First impressions are a big deal, and attendees will want to do business with a company that seems to be innovative and ahead of the curve over one that is stuck with the same exhibit they had 10 years ago, for instance. There are a variety of new materials, props, technology, display types, and exhibiting styles on the market that can help improve your company’s experience at these events.

New Materials And Lighting

As in nearly any field, it is important for those promoting their company through exhibiting to stay on top of the latest technology. In a large convention center filled wall to wall with trade show exhibits, staff and companies alike will want their booth to stand out from the crowd. How will you do that if you have the same old, tired, black curved wall display? Consider buying or renting a new display that is made out of newer materials, like fabric. Fabric is very versatile, lightweight, and costs less than most other materials. It can be used as a backdrop for the display or in banner stands.

Lighting is also being used more and more in trade show exhibits to create a mood for the space. Filtered or wash lights can drastically contrast with the harsh overhead lights of a convention hall. LED lighting is very energy efficient and can be used, along with filtered/wash lights, to bring attention to products you would like to highlight.

Registration Technology And Display Types

There are more modern ways of registering attendees at trade show exhibits these days. Smart cards, magnetic strips, and barcodes help speed along the registration process to save attendees and event sponsors time and work. This trend benefits everyone at the event because attendees have more time to visit booths. There is also newer technology for retrieving leads at trade exhibits. Attendees often swipe their barcode nametags in a machine which automatically inputs their demographic information into a computer system, a time-saving improvement from older methods like filling out index cards.

Many newer trade show displays are also on the market. Pop-up displays are unique, lightweight, flexible, and fun. They are usually made of aluminum, can be constructed in any shape, and help your exhibit stand out.

Experiential Exhibiting

With this type of trade show exhibit, booth employees generally steer away from the usual product pitches and instead serve more as soft-sell consultants. As an alternative for aggressive selling, exhibitors find they are often more effective by creating a strong, positive impression of their company through other methods. For example, testimonials can paint a positive picture of the business. The idea is to keep the attendee engaged and help them have a memorable experience at your trade show exhibit. To facilitate this, consider having a special feature or gimmick like a game, prize wheel, or something similar.

Through new materials, technology, and experiential exhibiting, staff at trade show displays can stay up to date on the latest trends and remain an influential force in the trade exhibit world.

A new customer for Interpretive Exhibits of Salem, Oregon – Earth Mama Angel Baby of Clackamas, Oregon – talks about the impact their new custom trade show booth has had. interpexhibits.com interpexhibits.com interpexhibits.com interpexhibits.com

Tradeshows and exhibitions are considered to be one of the best way by which you can reach out to your target consumers and allow them to know about the products and services provided by your brand. If you regularly participate in trade shows and exhibitions then you can make use of sustainable exhibits at your booth. These sustainable exhibits can be used multiple times and can be used over the years. This not only helps in saving money but also saves the natural resources.

Trade shows are considered to be one of the biggest sources of wastage. When you use these sustainable exhibits then you are able to avoid this wastage. Another way by which you can keep a tab on wastage and conserve environment is by making use of green banners or the eco friendly banners and displays that are made from recycled and renewable resources. These eco friendly displays not only conserve the resources but also enjoy a good life.

The eco friendly sustainable exhibits also show that the company cares about the environment and tries its best to conserve it. These exhibits catch everyone’s attention easily and help you to bring in more people to your stall in the exhibition. The exhibits such as the pop up displays, green banners, eco friendly banners and other displays, help in providing information about your brand and attracts people to it. The sustainable exhibits are light in weight and retractable due to which they occupy little space and be stored easily.

For attractive and stylish pop up displays and other natural banners and displays you can visit our website. The website has a range of different types of eco friendly and sustainable exhibits that are practical and are very efficient in promoting the brand. The company makes use of recycled material for these exhibits which ensures conservation of the natural resources. Some of the raw materials used in these exhibits include bamboo, recycled yarn, eco friendly printing, recycled PET plastic and other such material.

Here you can get different types of modular and customized exhibits that can styled as per your requirement. There are retractable displays that can be saved for later use and may be used in your exhibition and trade show. You can also get other accessories like furniture, audio visual products and other items that may be used in your booth in the trade show and can highlight the products and the services provided by your company.

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When it comes to tradeshow exhibits they follow suit with the famous Clint Eastwood movie “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly”. Some of them are good. Some of them are bad. And some of them are just plain old ugly.

If you are a member or owner of a business who is involved in tradeshows and similar events…where exhibits are your connection to the public (aka your customers)…than when it comes to these events you definitely want to be a part of the Good category in regards to your displays.

The Good.

The Good includes the best of the best. These are the exhibits that have a lot of traffic and a lot of Buzz. The reason they are in the good column is because they have put in some combination of the following elements: money, time, good organization, creativity, risk, and careful planning. But especially they have come up with a good exhibit design and have included eye grabbing elements like interactive displays, a good team of people, and interesting products or services to promote.

You have to earn your way into the good column when it comes to the tradeshow world. And once you are there it doesn’t end there. Once in the good column the key is to continue to do the same things that got you there. Such as trying new and fresh things in regards to promotion and exhibit design in order to stay on top of attracting customers to your booth.

Often those members of the good column take advantage of some of the great design tools out there. Such as the types of design technology that exists. Including and not limited to: including certain tradeshow design elements such as stretched fabric displays, pop up display units and hanging signs, portable flooring systems, podiums/pedestals/other accessories such as monitor/promotional material racks, etc. The list goes on and on and the main idea is to find which of these elements fit in best with your exhibit design dreams.

The main key is to be fresh and unique and to have something that allows your exhibit and therefore your company to stand out in peoples minds. This will surely get you into the good column.

The Bad.

These are those exhibits that are caught in the past. Using old tradeshow trends and “technology” can get you into the bad column and find your company standing out at the show but not because of your cool exhibit but rather because of your terrible exhibit. An old tablecloth thrown over your table with a few chairs and two older salesmen in suits standing in the booth does not scream “come over here and find out what we have to sell or what we are about.” No! Instead it screams “welcome to the most boring place on earth.”

If your company’s old exhibit that used to consistently draw them in doesn’t seem to be doing the trick anymore well there is probably a reason. But there is still hope…even if you don’t know the new trends or a good creative way for your company to turn it all around…as there are company’s out there that can help you figure this stuff out. Now is the time to make a change. What else do you have to risk you are already in the Bad column, things can’t get any worse. Give it a shot and get some help in regards to your next exhibit.

The Ugly.

The words speak for themselves…they are exhibits that are not visually or structurally pleasing to the eye. Even though they might be displays that have even tried to implement technology or they might even have a few cool design elements the truth is that in order for an exhibit to be truly successful it must be aesthetically pleasing.

Customers at tradeshow events are either turned on or off to exhibits based on what the exhibit looks like so if your exhibit is an ugly one (whether it is a terrible colour scheme, bad images, or shapes that are chosen) than you should not and better not expect too much traffic. And if you have experienced this where you think you have a pretty neat exhibit but no one seems to be stopping by your booth well maybe the truth is that it is just plain old ugly, and maybe you don’t see it. However, don’t fear and remember at least you are not in the bad column. A few minor changes (and therefore little dollars) could turn your failed exhibit attempt into a true exhibit of great domination; in turn generating a lot more traffic and hopefully more sales and publicity for your company and products/services. It is never too late to turn an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. Maybe it is just a colour change away.