Designing Your Trade Show Booth

Booth design is a partnership between the client and the designer. Nobody knows your product, your market and your competition better than you do. The theme, content and budget should be initiated by the customer.

The designer’s strength is his/her knowledge of the trade show environment and his/her creative ability to express your image and message in a professional manner.

In an age where we are inundated with information, in the hands of a good designer your booth will stand out on the show floor by it’s clarity and lack of overbearing information. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself wanting to add things and the designer wanting to take them out.

A checklist of important elements and considerations of design:

Corporate identity:
  • Clear message
  • Graphics integrated with structural design
  • Aggressive versus conservative
Product presentation:
  • How many and where
  • Accessibility
  • Inter-relational placement
  • Static or operational
  • Clear identification of products and services
  • Method of featuring premier or new products, if any
  • Concise features and benefits text
Design elements:
  • Positive impact and appearance
  • Proper use of colour, light, shape, texture, typography and space
  • Allowance for effective traffic flow. Avoid barriers such as tables and chairs.
  • Use of the newest materials and design ideas
Activities in booth:
  • Live demos all on one level or on risers
  • Audio visual equipment requirements for demos
  • Size and housing of monitor for video
  • Size of audience
Literature:
  • Quantity requirements
  • Size
  • Locations of distribution
  • Storage
Conference areas:
  • Number required
  • Furnishings
  • Ability to show/demonstrate product
Cost of ownership:
  • Lightweight materials
  • Required labour and ease of construction
  • Durability
Booth space:
  • Size and type
  • Height limitations
  • Pillars and other restrictions
Locations of booth:
  • Direction of traffic flow
  • Location of entrance
Type of exhibit:
  • Custom
  • Modular
  • Portable
  • Combination
Exhibit function:
  • Product demonstration
  • Image enhancement
  • Graphic information or education
  • Market theme
  • Target market identification
Graphics:
  • Photographic and/or illustrative
  • To be developed, or based on existing material
Lighting:
  • Highlight or wash entire area
  • Spotlighted graphics or products
  • Wall washing
Exhibit Textures and Materials:
  • High Tech: polished, using chrome, plexiglass, gloss finish
  • Business Environment: office-like with ribbed carpeting
  • Down Home: rough textures and natural materials
Exhibit Colours:
  • To match existing corporate colours
  • Compatibility with product colours
Storage:
  • Literature
  • Spare product
  • Briefcases and coats
  • Giveaways
  • Shipping
  • Handling of delicate materials, graphics
  • Packing of equipment and product
  • Weight of exhibit materials