How to Maximize Brand Exposure With Your Trade Show Exhibit Design
Trade shows can be one of the most effective ways to position your brand at the top of consumers’ minds. The downside of such a powerful tool is that the formula for success can be very complex and difficult to master. The past two years have shown a massive change in the way that consumers engage with brands, and now brand strategy and audience engagement is more critical than ever before.
The power of networking in real time is constantly evolving. The tools and mediums used to communicate brand benefits are reliant upon carefully and strategically planned – and flawlessly executed – brand strategies. Raising brand awareness through a well-executed and meticulously researched plan is crucial for success.
Brand recognition should be part of a comprehensive marketing and/or communications strategy. Trade shows are a powerful way to promote brands and gain brand recognition. Keep reading to learn more about how to design a trade show exhibit that will maximize brand exposure and have the strongest effect on visitors.
Give Visitors a Compelling Reason to Stop By Your Exhibit
When it comes to trade show exhibits, maximizing brand exposure and creating eye-catching visual assets go hand-in-hand. With so many options given to trade exhibit visitors, each brand’s trade show exhibit must convey a compelling reason to stop by in the first place.
Brand engagement and recognition are part of a larger plan to showcase the best features of the brand and to highlight the unique things about your brand. Every sales and marketing team is faced with the dilemma of doing more with less. So, how can brands maximize their exposure and engage with audiences who convert to customers, and how can that be translated into an effective trade show exhibit design?
Read on.
First, when it comes to strategy, be sure your branding and overall messaging clearly communicate your brand’s unique selling propositions to ensure clarity. Constantly testing your brand’s messaging and how it is perceived by your target audience is the only way to know if your brand messaging is working or not.
Second, do not underestimate the importance of research when it comes to designing a trade show exhibit that maximizes brand exposure. Designing an exhibit with visually appealing displays and a strong call to action is an investment that you need to consider if you want to see overall brand success.
Third, invest in a longer-term, high-quality trade show exhibit design. The wrong design can lead to an overpriced and stressful experience because they’re costly to transport, exhaustive to assemble, and can often be incredibly frustrating to take down and properly store. Because of this, it is beneficial to take some time to learn which solutions suit the brand and the team’s travel needs best.
Using Your Trade Show Exhibit to Draw In Potential Customers
The following are some of the best ways to convey your brand’s messages to a highly targeted audience in a way that will convert visitors into customers..
Brand Consistency: As with all marketing campaigns, ensure the exhibit design aligns with the overall brand identity, including logo, colors, fonts, and messaging. Brand consistency creates a cohesive and professional look that reinforces the brand image and contributes to brand credibility.
Interactive Displays: Incorporate interactive elements into your exhibit design, such as touch screens, digital kiosks, or virtual reality (VR) experiences to engage visitors and create a memorable experience that showcases your products or services. If you’re overwhelmed with how to get started on this, Astound will help you create trade show displays that blend world class craftsmanship with digital displays for a powerful visual experience. Your trade show exhibit should be an immersive experience that strengthens your brand and drives results and Astound can help by blending sophisticated design and meticulous craft with state-of-the-art fabrication to help develop new and exciting experiences for your consumers.
Strategically Branded Backdrops: Consumers are subconsciously looking for logos and branding that will remain in their minds after the trade show ends. A large and memorable backdrop with your company's logo and branding serves as a visually appealing focal point that draws attention to your exhibit and reinforces brand identity.
Engaging Graphics and Messaging: Use eye-catching graphics, bold messaging, and clear calls-to-action to communicate your key marketing messages. Large format prints, banners and digital displays are key for conveying your brand story and value proposition. The key to success is merging physical and digital in pursuit of a human-centered experience.
Lighting and Ambiance: We recommend using creative lighting techniques, such as spotlights, uplights, or backlighting, to create a visually appealing and inviting ambiance that aligns with your brand image at your exhibit while also generating traffic.
Layout: Create an open and welcoming inviting layout that encourages visitors to enter and explore your exhibit. Avoid clutter and allow for ample space for visitors to move around comfortably and interact with your products or team.
Seating & Hospitality: Provide comfortable seating and hospitality areas for visitors to rest, relax, and have conversations with your team. You might consider offering hospitality, such as refreshments or giveaways in an effort to create a welcoming environment while also encouraging engagement. Make sure that the giveaway items involved are relevant to your core brand, so that you aren’t spending money on things that won’t be effective.*
*While it’s perfectly acceptable and downright accommodating for your guests to sit down, the same does not apply to you and your team. Do NOT sit down when representing your brand at a trade show! Being fully aware and eager to discover and engage is crucial for building a relationship with your audience. Read more about this in a future blog!
The Draw: The amount of options and stimuli presented at trade shows makes it easy for attendees to get overwhelmed and have a harder time making decisions. The following are questions you should keep in mind in order to foresee and cater to this possibility.
What problem or challenge will your brand and its products solve?
How will your brand streamline marketing procedures for maximum return on investment?
In a competitive environment, what is unique and special about your brand? If you have to think about that, that’s a sign of a bigger problem. (Astound can help with brand positioning and strategy!)
Attracting visitors to your trade show exhibit and collecting business cards and emails is only the beginning. From there, you need to convert those visitors into customers. Exhibiting at trade shows is one great way to connect with your customers and potential customers, but attending and engaging alone won’t be enough. To grow your business and convert more visitors to customers, you have to put effort into a clearly defined strategy that directly supports your sales goals.
