There are plenty of articles out there telling you what to do and what not to do at your trade show and while you are working your trade show exhibit. But what about when you are first starting to shop for your trade show display? Here’s a quick checklist to help you remember what’s important when purchasing your trade show booth.
Trade Show Exhibit Purchasing Do’s
- Research and get recommendations for a full-service exhibit firm
- Work with a proven, reputable company
- Get to know your account executive
- Ask questions
- Determine how many shows you will be attending
- Find out what size booth you will need
- Consider rental as an option
- Remember to budget for shipping and storage costs
- Budget for install and dismantle for each show
- Pay attention to your color scheme
- Incorporate great graphics into your design
- Include proper lighting for your booth
- Decide what, if any, technology you will need for your display
- Recognize who your attendees will be and how you want to engage with them
- Think about traffic flow when designing your booth
- Plan for a private area to talk with clients
- Define your sales strategy and goals
- Leave enough time to organize and create your collateral materials
- Determine how you will define “success” at the show
- Plan to update your booth on a regular basis
Trade Show Exhibit Purchasing Don’ts
- Trust your trade show display to just anyone
- Discount the importance of a quality trade show exhibit
- Think you can’t afford “custom”
- Be afraid to ask questions
- Rush through the design discovery phase
- Be closed to new ideas and new designs
- Design your trade show to just look good (remember your goals)
- Forget about custom trade show flooring
- Ignore what needs to be accomplished at the show
- Overcrowd your booth with every product you have
- Depend on swag to bring people into your booth
- Create graphics that are difficult to read from a distance
- Disappear! Stay in contact with your account executive
- Rely on a passive display
- Depend on the conference’s internet connection
- Wait until the last minute to order marketing and display materials
- Think clients will automatically find you – make appointments in advance
- Put off your social media campaign until the trade show – start early
- Think you’re done after the show – follow up with people you met
- Forget how important it is to properly store your exhibit
