Walking into a trade show means walking into a crowded space filled with vendors trying to catch your eye. If you are one of those vendors, you must find a way to stand out in the crowd to grab the attention of trade show visitors.
How can you attract people to your trade show booth? The key is to create an exhibit that has the "wow" factor."
Understanding and Capturing the "Wow" Factor
What is the "wow" factor, and why is it essential to stand out from competitors at trade shows?
The "wow" factor in trade show booth design is a tactic that uses specific elements to draw the attention of event attendees so they stop and engage with you. What the "wow" factor is will depend on your booth, its goals, and your overall branding, but the result is a booth that grabs attention even in a crowded room.
Creating this "wow" factor requires several elements, including:
- Design: The design needs to be eye-catching and visually distinctive to draw attention in a crowded space.
- Color: Bold, eye-catching colors can draw attention to your booth.
- Interaction: Interactive elements help with drawing attention to your booth and getting people to stop and spend time at it.
- Storytelling: Weaving a story into your booth design will make people stop and engage.
- Innovation: Something that's unique that people haven't seen before at other trade shows will make your booth stand out from the crowd.
- Humor: If your booth makes people stop and chuckle for a minute, it is going to stand out.
Finding Your Brand's Unique "Wow" Factor
What makes capturing the "wow" factor for your trade show booth challenging is what works for your brand is going to be different from your competition. For example, if your brand is known for its approachable, friendly persona, and your "wow" factor goes for something elevated and posh, you will miss your marketing message. You must align the "wow" factor to your brand's identity and goals.
For example, Exhibit Options recently helped Mary Ruth's design a trade show booth highlighting their liquid vitamins. The brand's goal was to encourage people to think of their vitamins as part of their family's healthy living choices. To line with this brand, we created a "wow" factor design that looked like someone's home kitchen and living area, enhancing the feeling that the product belonged in the attendee's home.
In contrast, when Powersoft reached out for help designing their trade show booth, we knew a sleek, tech-savvy design would fit their branding. For their "wow" factor element, we hung a large overhead sign with their slogan that would instantly draw attention from anywhere in the trade show hall.
As you consider the factor that will draw attention to your trade show booth, ask yourself the following questions:
- What are my goals for the trade show?
- What do attendees need from me?
- What is the main brand message?
- How does the "wow" element align with that message or detract from it?
Scoping and Standing Out from the Competition
Another way you can learn what makes a good trade show booth is by checking out your competitors at other events. Scoping the competition does two things. First, it can show you examples of good "wow" factor elements you can tweak to fit your booth design. Second, it can help you choose an option that will differentiate your booth from your competitors.
At your next event, take some time to walk around and look at your competitor's booths. What draws your attention? What do other attendees seem to notice? Does the booth have anything that stands out from a distance? Analyze these to find ways you can stand out. Then, create a booth that will not only fit with your competition, but stand out from them by offering something new, unique, or innovative.
Sometimes, this process requires help. Exhibit Options helps our clients develop a competitive edge through custom designs that have that "wow" factor.
Design with the "Wow" Factor in Mind
Having a "wow" factor is important, but it's just one part of a successful trade show booth. You can amplify the "wow" factor by leveraging your social media pages or other marketing channels and tying them into the booth. In addition, the entire design must work with that factor to make a memorable impression on your event attendees and keep them excited and engaged. Working with an experienced design house will ensure all aspects of your booth weave together to meet your marketing goals.
Exhibit Options works directly with our clients to build trade show exhibits with a strong "wow" factor. In addition to the main element, we create build layouts and interactive features to impress visitors. We combine color theory with lighting to draw positive attention while aligning with your brand. Even the flow of the walkways within your trade show booth impacts its overall impressiveness.
Implementing a strong "wow" factor in your trade show booth design is essential to success, but it's not always easy. Partnering with an experienced exhibit house, like Exhibit Options, will give your booth the punch it needs to stand out from the competition at a trade show. Contact us today to learn more.
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