Exhibit Booth Lighting: Transforming the Experience
If your exhibit booth lighting doesn’t highlight your brand, then your selling points will fade in the background. Your exhibition booth should display everything you offer, and lighting is a key element of any successful trade booth.
How Exhibit Booth Lighting Impacts Your Trade Booth's Appearance
Light, in short, defines a given space. It illuminates areas, highlights key features, and provides a clear vision of the environment. Effective lighting elevates every element of your custom trade show booth, transforming the space into an inviting and engaging environment. Light can change how people perceive all other elements of your trade show booth, impacting vital design aspects such as:
Color
Good brands use color theory to define their image. Color theory takes all aspects of color into account. This includes saturation, hue, and brightness, to create impressions that encourage their audience to engage. In this case, lighting can either enhance or detract from those colors, emphasizing those colors to create the impression you want from your potential clients.
Intensity
The intensity of your space can easily impact your visitors’ experience. For instance, bright, cool-toned lights create a more intense, high-energy space, while warm, softer lights can create a moody, inviting area. Light intensity, when combined with color, can impact the overall mood, easily changing your visitors’ experience.
Movement
Light can also dictate where movement is felt and experienced. Depending on where and how the light fixtures are placed, they can create the impression of a static, uniform space or a high-energy, active type of engagement for your visitors.
Distribution
Where light is distributed depends on the booth’s size, location, and available working space. If your booth faces size restrictions, you must distribute lighting in areas where you want visitors to focus the most. When placed in areas that detract from your key features, your booth’s overall design scheme will be less effective.
You’ve most likely been asked questions about how you want your booth to appear. Warm or cool tones, modern or classic frameworks, rotating or stagnant objects – all design features need light to enhance their best qualities.
If your lighting design removes those qualities, your trade booth could suffer financial loss. Creating a custom trade show booth design from scratch can sometimes take months, so working with a trade show exhibit company is recommended before you even begin.
Highlight Your Best Features
Developing a custom trade show booth design takes exceptional artistic and technical skills to accomplish well. At Exhibit Company Inc., we offer designers and builders to create your brand experience at your next trade show so you can be successful in all your ventures. Our teams offer resources and design tools and can help handle all the logistics so you can reap the rewards and further excel.
If you want to learn more, complete our contact form and we can help design your dream trade show booth.
Key Elements of an Effective Trade Show Booth Design
If you’re planning on attending a trade show and want your booth to draw in passers-by, you need to consider many elements. The way your booth is designed can be the difference between success and failure, and it’s essential that it is distinctive enough to stand out from your competitors.
Trade Show Booth Simplicity
If your booth looks too cluttered, people may be put off from visiting it. Loud music and intense visuals can make it tougher for guests to comprehend what you are offering. You should also keep things simple when it comes to text, so make sure your copy is short and direct. It shouldn’t take people more than a few seconds to read, process, or comprehend your message.
Empty Space
An effective trade booth doesn’t need to be filled with large images and lots of copy. Limiting the amount of space that you use for your headings, copy, and graphics can bring better results than you might expect. In fact, many people keep around 40% of the available space blank to avoid overwhelming their guests.
Matching Your Marketing Objectives
It’s very important to consider your marketing objectives when designing a trade show booth. If you want people to visit and partake in long conversations with you, make sure they can sit somewhere comfortable. You’ll want to show off your products, so ensure you have enough space for demos. If you’re giving away free samples, you’ll also need to ensure there is somewhere to place them.
Staying On-brand
Make sure that you incorporate your branding into your trade show booth effectively. Opt for a theme that works well with your image and ensure that your color scheme is consistent with your branding. This will help you strengthen your brand identity and ensure that people easily recognize your branding in the future.
Effective Lighting
Lighting can be very effective when it comes to making booths stand out. Spotlights can highlight any products you want to promote, while backlit displays can be great for drawing attention to specific parts of the booth. Ambient lighting can create an incredibly welcoming atmosphere. By paying close attention to lighting, you can ensure your booth looks professional and draws in many attendees from across the venue.
Your Trade Show Booth & Social Media
When you integrate social media into the design of your booth, you can promote your business outside of the exhibition hall. Make sure your social media handles are prominently displayed so people can easily connect with you online. Consider using a hashtag related to the event to boost your reach.
The Effect That Trade Shows Have On A Potential Customer
People attend trade shows for dozens of reasons, such as discovering new products and services, learning about a particular industry, and engaging with the brands they love. Even with advances in internet technology, such as video conferencing and Facebook Live, trade shows remain an important part of the marketing mix.
When planning for your next trade show event, consider the many ways that your exhibit can impact potential customers.
Create Positive First Impressions
Brands are constantly vying for their customers’ attention, so people have no choice but to tune some of the noise out. When you’re at a trade show, however, people are there to learn about your products and services, so this is your time to shine.
You can create lasting impressions by designing an attractive exhibit with giveaways and branded swag. Try staffing your booth with your best employees who are prepared to answer questions and engage with potential customers. When people leave your booth, they’ll have a positive impression of who you are and what you have to offer.
Engage in Face-to-Face Marketing
Online marketing is incredibly convenient, but it lacks a very basic element: face-to-face interaction. Nothing competes with this level of communication because it’s personalized and convincing. Again, your booth staff should be carefully chosen because you want people who can turn on the charm and hold your prospects’ attention. The next time people hear about your brand, names and faces will come to mind.
Have a Higher Chance of Converting
By attending a trade show, you can provide your sales team with a higher quantity and quality of leads. It’s easier to convert leads at a trade show for a few reasons. First, the people attending the event are ready to learn about your products and services so it is important to remember that you are not interrupting them.
Second, face-to-face interaction makes it easier to keep people in the funnel. If there are hesitations, they can be addressed on the spot. Plus, people are often happier to convert at a trade show because their information can be taken down without having to deal with online forms.
Sell Products Directly to Consumers
Some people go to custom trade shows because they prefer direct sales opportunities. Rather than having to wait to get their hands on a product or go through a third party, they can sell a product from the main source. This is why it’s a good idea to always have something to sell at a trade show. You don’t need to have a lot of stock, but it’s important to have a few items for people to purchase from you.
In the end, a trade show can have an enormous impact on a potential customer. There are far less distractions getting in the way, plus you have the opportunity to build a long-term connection. All of these factors can turn a curious prospect into a lifelong customer.
Factors that Affect the Cost of Graphic Design
Graphics are a key part of your custom exhibit, but they can be some of the most expensive components. Fortunately there are ways to have amazing graphics for your booth while keeping costs to a minimum. To do this, work with a reputable exhibit design company that has a tried-and-true process. Experience is everything in this industry, as exhibit design firms know what types of features pay off and which ones can be skipped.
Let’s examine the most important factors that affect the cost of graphic design and how to make them more affordable.
Artwork and Production
How your artwork is developed and delivered has a big impact on price. The best way to reduce these costs is by having a clear vision of what you want. Every minute that graphic designers spend on your project costs money, so avoid giving vague instructions. Be ready to supply your designer with the sizes, colors, and file types you want. Additionally, give your graphic design professional enough time to complete the work, usually 4-6 weeks. This way, you have plenty of time to correct inconsistencies.
Types of Materials
Another factor that affects graphic design costs is material. Materials are important because they affect quality and appearance. Paying less for cheap materials won’t get you far in the long run if you have to replace them often or lose potential clients. At the same time, you don’t need to pay top dollar for premium materials. Here are a few suggestions for saving money without sacrificing quality.
- Ask to have the materials and their costs and benefits listed out to compare apples to apples.
- Inquire about generic brands, which can be just as good as name brands.
- Consider remnants from other exhibitors’ orders. If there are leftover materials that you can use, this reduces waste and cost.
Exhibit Size and Weight
A lightweight and compact exhibit is easier to handle than one that is big and awkward. Keeping the size and weight of your exhibit to a minimum is in your best interests, as it will be easier to store, transport, set up, and take down. While these extra costs may seem minimal for one or two shows, they add up over the year. Plus, a versatile weight and size makes it easy to reuse the materials for corporate events, business meetings, and more.
Your Long Term Vision
Without a long term vision, you can end up spending more in the long run. Many materials can be reused for future shows, group meetings and corporate events. By planning ahead, you can have these materials made at once. Also, knowing what you need allows you to request the sizes, colors, and designs upfront. This way, you don’t have to pay to have them done later.
Graphic design can make or break your exhibit, so you don’t want to skimp in this area. By paying attention to the factors above, you can make the most of your budget while getting a great design for your custom trade show booth.
Money Talk: How to Get the Most Out of Your Exhibit Marketing Budget
Sticker shock happens in more places than you might imagine. Purchasing a home or new car will often leave you unpleasantly surprised, but the same feeling can arise when setting up for a trade show. With the premium price tags on exhibit properties, show services and travel accommodations, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the costs of marketing your brand.
Fortunately, there are ways to maximize your marketing budget. Below are the best ways to strategically spend your money and see the most marketing value from your next show.
Attend Worthwhile Shows
Instead of attending the same shows you always do, conduct an audit of your events and determine which ones are still pulling their weight. If you find that some shows are no longer productive, swap them out for different events where you’re likely to find your target audience.
Spend with Your Objectives
Before attending trade shows, determine your goals and how you plan on reaching them. Are you looking to increase qualified leads? Drive traffic to your website? Promote a new item? When you know what your objectives are, you can make smart spending decisions that will help you reach these goals.
Put Value Before Cost
Be careful about cutting corners, especially if you will have to sacrifice value for a cheaper price. A trade show is your opportunity to put your best foot forward in front of a large audience. Saving a few pennies here and there isn’t worth losing customers or your reputation.
Stick to Lightweight Materials
If you want to save money without compromising quality, opting for lightweight materials can make the difference. Lighter materials are less to lug around, which means cheaper shipping and drayage costs. Cost-effective, exhibit-friendly and lightweight options include tensioned fabric, interlocking cardboard, high density foam and inflatable structures.
Take Advantage of Early Bird Discounts
Pay attention to discount deadlines to reduce on-site costs. To keep organized, build out a calendar and give yourself extra time before the real dates. This way, you’re continuously taking advantage of the discounts without spreading your budget too thin.
Planning ahead, staying organized with exhibit dates and opting for lighter weight materials can help trim the fat from your programs. You can also save additional money by building a custom exhibit with The Exhibit Company, Inc. Choose cost-effective materials and reuse your booth as much as you’d like! Win win!
How to Engage Your Consumers by Humanizing Your Brand
Engaging today’s customers is more challenging than ever before. You need to know the specifics on your buyer persona, maintain an active online presence and be proactive about your customers’ needs. It’s a difficult role to maintain, but the end result is deeper, more meaningful relationships that extend beyond a simple transaction.
If you’re looking for more effective ways to engage your customers, think in terms of humanizing your brand. People prefer to do business with companies that they like and trust. When consumers are reminded that there are real people working behind the scenes to make things happen, it’s easier for them to trust you.
How can you humanize your brand to engage consumers? We’ve included a few tips below to get you started.
Create a Voice that is Personal
When people read your content, it should feel like you are talking directly to them. Even if your industry is about highly technical information, find a way to make it conversational. When content has a human element to it, people feel like you understand them. Therefore, they can trust you to fulfill their needs.
Build a Thriving Community
Staying active on social media allows you to build an online presence for your brand. Some of the best channels to use include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest. Use these channels to share fun posts, informational videos and other types of visual content. Don’t be afraid to show viewers what goes on behind the scenes. By doing this, you get people talking about your brand, ultimately bringing it to life.
Attend Trade Shows and Other Events
While there are many advantages to live streaming, nothing compares to face-to-face interaction. Don’t let technology stand in your way of attending trade shows and other events. It’s important to meet with customers, ask questions and demonstrate how your product works. In fact, consider working with a trade show booth manufacturer to create a custom exhibit.
Give Away Something of Value
Providing consumers with valuable information helps connect them to your brand. Think in terms of what potential customers would find helpful, not what your company finds interesting. If you sell B2B software, offering customers a free trial or demo of your product would be valuable. Simply talking about the software’s features wouldn’t be enough to help someone make an informed decision.
With competition high and consumers having to split their time between brands, it can be difficult to get noticed and develop meaningful relationships. Make sure that you are taking every step to humanize your brand and utilizing offline channels as well.
How to Become the Main Attraction at Your Next Trade Show Event
When you take the time to participate in trade show events, it’s imperative that you make the most of your time there. Not only do you want to be the main attraction and generate lots of traffic, but also you want to attract people who are actually interested in what you have to offer. Let’s discuss some of the ways that you can steal the show at your next trade event and walk away with quality leads to connect with.
Do the Necessary Research
It doesn’t matter if you attend 20 shows in a year or two. You should always do your research so that you are well prepared and able to take charge of the event. For instance, who are the keynote speakers? What other businesses are attending? What types of facilities are available? With this information in your hands, you can be better prepared for the event and other exhibitors that will be there.
Opt for a Custom-Built Booth
If you’re complacent, you’ll end up looking like everyone else. Think of a way that you can make your booth stand out, such as by having a custom-built trade show exhibit or an interactive display. Consumers are more likely to remember a brand when they engage with it, such as by having to answer a question, put together a puzzle or play a short game.
Offer a Valuable Incentive
Anything that is free instantly piques attention from trade show attendees. However, you want to be careful about handing out products that are free just for the sake of it. Some people will take them because they are free, even though they have no interest in your product. A better use of your budget is to offer something of value for those who are truly interested, such as a free trial, free demo or a free training course.
Leave an Impression with Your Visuals
While it’s great to be prepared and have awesome incentives to give away, these things are only going to work if you have the traffic coming to you. Don’t forget that the backbone of any great exhibit is the visual look of it. Give attention to your color scheme, backdrop, logos and other types of marketing products. They should be strategic and align with your brand, but they also need to be visually appealing.
For your next trade show event, don’t be afraid to go outside your comfort zone with a custom-made exhibit. You can showcase your best products and offerings while leaving a lasting impression on visitors.
Should I Rent or Buy A Trade Booth?
As a trade show marketer, you have two main options when it comes to trade show booths: you can rent one or buy one. There is no one-fits-all solution, as it all depends on your company’s needs.
How many exhibits are you in each year? Does your company attend multiple events at one time? Would you be happy with the same booth each time, or do you want the flexibility of something different?
Let’s go over the pros to renting and buying a trade show booth, and why a third option – a Custom Rental – might be the best of both worlds.
What are the Pros to Renting a Trade Booth?
- Less Capital. Since you are just renting the booth, you don’t have to actually buy anything, which reduces the need to account for a large capital expense.
- No Storage Fees. When the event is over, you are not responsible for covering storage costs.
- No Maintenance. In most cases, you are not required to complete repairs or maintenance on the booth. This frees up your resources and time.
- Always Exclusive. By giving your booth a new look and feel for each event, you can stand out from the crowd. Rented booths offer the flexibility to make constant updates, including size and layout.
How About the Pros to Buying a Booth?
- More Control. When you make the investment in a booth, you have more control in the long run. You don’t have to worry about an exhibit not being available, and you can have your booth built specifically for you.
- Long Term Investment. If you attend a lot of shows and use your booth regularly, the cost of buying it upfront will be less than renting.
- Consistent Brand Recognition. With your own booth, you have complete control over how your brand is represented. The consistency will make your brand recognizable, building trust and credibility.
Are There Any Other Options to Consider?
It’s clear that there are benefits to renting and buying a trade show booth, which is why it’s difficult for businesses to make a decision! As a company that creates highly engaging custom trade show booths, we feel that our customers can benefit from another option known as the Custom Rental.
A Custom Rental is very similar to a standard lease or rental, but there are variances among clients. Essentially, you can build whatever booth you want for your event without being committed to buying it outright. It’s the best of both worlds. You get a highly specialized exhibit that represents your brand without having to own and maintain it.
The cost of a Custom Rental is based on several factors and influenced by our multi-use agreement. Some of these factors include the total cost of construction, the number of times the exhibit will be used and options to terminate the booth or buy it from us.
If a Custom Rental sounds like something you might be interested in, give The Exhibit Company, Inc. a call. We’ll be happy to discuss your options and determine if a Custom Rental will accommodate your needs and budget.
Connect With Us
The Exhibit Company, Inc.
239 Old New Brunswick Road
Piscataway, NJ 08854
Phone: (732) 465-1070
Email: info@exhibitcompanyinc.com
Fax: (732) 465-1071