To build your brand and business at a trade show you need to stand out from the competition, but an affordable stand is also important as the booths, graphics and displays can eat into your marketing budget. Below we give you some tips on how to create an affordable and awesome stand that will make your next event memorable.
Book your space wisely.
When you book your stand make sure you study the space you actually need and don’t go for the biggest just because. A more compact and well-designed space can have just as much impact as a large area.
Do your research and invest in good quality equipment.
The stand apparatus is likely to be used over and over again so it needs to be robust and easy to carry. Browse around when choosing trade show equipment and negotiate with suppliers for the best prices. Display stands with straight lines rather than curves because they tend to be cheaper and easier to set up.
Don’t overcrowd the stand.
Don’t use every display stand, banner and graphic available or your stand will look too busy and messy. A few simple promotional pieces and good quality graphics are enough to present a professional image. You should aim to design your stand with 40% empty space, don’t forget to leave room for visitors to mingle.
Use your brand and clear copy to stand out.
Create an attractive tagline if you don’t have one already and use it along with your brand on a display banner. This is your headline and should be no more than 6 words long and in an easy to read font. It needs to draw people in.
Use the back wall effectively.
This is where visitors will focus when they step in. Don’t try and convey everything you do, this area should focus on your latest product, or something you are proud of that represents your business.
Use giveaways to capture interest.
Give away bags printed with your logo and web address that contain free printed t-shirts and marketing material. This will encourage visitors to contact you after the event.
Include inexpensive technology.
You should have some electricity points in the stand so why not offer visitors free phone charging? You can also use a single laptop to show power-point presentations, your website or social media pages. That will be cheaper than multi-media displays.
Keep to a simple color theme.
This will make your stand more affordable as only buying one color will save on printing costs. Use your company colors. Don’t go too crazy with large printed photographs and colorful banners as a simple logo and slogan are much more eye catching.
Avoid chairs and meeting tables.
They take up space, cost money, look too formal and encourage staff to sit down when they’re tired, which looks very unprofessional. If you really need to have a serious meeting take the visitor away from the stand for a coffee.
