Though there is a tremendous boom in the online marketing world, a trade show is a manifestation that traditional marketing is not yet in extinction. Trade show booths remain one of the best ways to showcase your products and services. So how would you get the attention of potential customers to your booth during a trade show? You will surely catch their attention if you have the most aesthetically-pleasing booth. Read on and let’s find out seven simple steps to nail your next (or perhaps) first trade show booth design.

 

7 Steps in Trade Show Booth Design-Making

 

1. Know the theme of the trade show

Trade shows are mostly held to commemorate a specific happening and this is the reason why you need to know the theme of the event. As a company, you need to know how you will connect your brand to the overall theme of the trade show. 

Will this be something targeted to the consumers or the industry? Does the event focus more on sustainability? The theme of the trade show will have a tremendous impact on how should you present your brand to potential customers.

 

2. Determine your booth’s space and height during the show

The second step you need to take when it comes to trade show booth design is the physical location, in particular, the booth size and height. The floor size is important so that you’ll have the idea of which elements should be placed here and there. 

Apart from the floor size, it’s also important to think about the height of the booth. Height consideration isn’t a big deal when it comes to outdoor shows. However, for indoor events, you have to take it seriously. 

Common booth spaces are 10×10, 10×20, 20×20, 20×30, and 30×30. Remember, it’s not that big so you need to make the best out of your trade show design booth into that tight space.

 

3. Look at trends

Trends are there for a reason, right? This is why it’s important to consider these trends. So how’d you look for trends? Adobe, the creator of the famous design software Photoshop, is so in the know when it comes to trending designs. You may check their blog at https://theblog.adobe.com. 

Accordingly, trendy designs nowadays include minimalist, 3D designs, flat+realism, open compositions, and eclectic. On the other hand, Absolute Exhibits points out that augmented reality (AR) is also a newcomer when it comes to design trends.

The social media channels are also a great way of knowing what’s on-trend. You can also check reputable blogs on your industry for design trends.

Before being too bugged up with design trends, you need to remember your brand’s purpose and story. You don’t have to forcefully get into all of the trends on your preferred design but think of it as a way of having more ideas. 

 

4. Brainstorm ideas with colleagues

Two or more brains are always better than one, right? Once you gather all the necessary data on the trade show’s theme, the booth’s size and height, and the trends, you can now brainstorm these along with your team. 

During the brainstorming process, you need to think about the materials, colors, typography, lighting, and others. You can use different mood boards to determine the overall aesthetics of the designs. Mood boards will help you identify what type of vibe you would want your design would be. Moods can be amplified with colors and lighting. 

Speaking of lightning, this is important why you need to consider the height of the booth. Lighting can either be on the flooring or the ceiling. Top light plays a vital role in illuminating the whole booth. Moreover, typography also plays an important aspect in the booth design. Think of it more as an accent to the overall mood.  

Brainstorming would mean a plethora of design ideas. Be open to what everyone is contributing. At the end of the meeting, it’s best if you come up with at least three designs. If you’re a big team, you may divide your members into three.

 

5. Draft at least three trade show booth designs

After brainstorming, let each team present and discuss the designs they have come up with during brainstorming. New ideas may come up during this process and these ideas should point you to the final booth design. 

So think of it as getting the final design by looking into these three designs. You may choose the best among the three and get some more accented ideas from the other designs. 

You don’t have to come up with the decision alone. Run a poll and see listen to the voices of your members. Consider this as brainstorming 2.0. 

 

6. Test your designs 

Ever heard of 3D designs? It’s one of the trends now of using 3D presentations of your designs. Having a three-dimensional display of your trade show designs is a whole lot better than having it seen on flat prints, right? You can test your designs better with this trendy application. 

By this stage, make sure your overall aesthetic adheres to your brand and the theme of the trade show. Be open to some changes though, this is what these steps are here for. What are these changes? Mostly, these changes will be tightly being about the materials used. Three-dimensional designs will open your eyes to every edge and angle of the design. 

 

7. Finalize

Now, we’re almost coming to an end of the checklist, which is finalizing everything. This is the time you ask yourself these questions again. Is my design good to go? Did I get the theme? Did I get to tell my brand story through this trade booth designs? Did I not forget anything? 

Okay, so if you have not prepared a checklist on your designs, you better do that. Go back to the steps before this and come up with a comprehensive list. 

 

Wrap up

Trade shows are always one of the best things to do when it comes to getting prospects. However, this is also one of those events to expand your business networks. Always remember, your trade show booth design should resonate with your brand.