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Getting The WOW
- 1. Getting the WOW - Building an exhibit to give you the Edge In our busy social media world, we are inundated with electronic messages and everyone buying for our time and attention. So the questions is - Is face-to-face marketing relative? And are tradeshows still an indispensable marketing tool for a company? We say Yes! Companies are increasingly recognizing that they can save both time and money by attending trade shows. Tradeshows are the only place, which bring together many companies under one roof and where face-to-face interactions with potential new clients can happen instantly. You can use these tips to set yourself apart on the crowded tradeshow floor allowing you get the WOW you need to give your company the Edge. Define your Objectives The first step in successful exhibiting is to clearly define the objectives. Why are you at the show in the first place? Is it for better brand recognition, to generate more leads, to facilitate a new product introduction, or just because you must be there as everyone else is? Whatever the objective, you need to have clear goals, so you can evaluate at the end of the show. How you design the space and create your graphics for the exhibit will help achieve your objectives. The main purpose in any exhibit design is to peak interest and to entice the audience to stop, and enter your booth space. In looking at the overall space, you can then understand the traffic flow into and out of your exhibit. How you will greet people, how you will demonstrate a product, show a video, close a sale, and after a thorough, yet quick 3- 5 min presentation, you will professionally guide them out of the space, with a parting gift, handshake and thank you. The interaction at a show is very fast, so the design of the space and graphics must capture the attention and hold them. Exhibit Design You need to do research on your shows, and how you want to look and feel or what atmosphere you want at the show to stand out. With this knowledge a design can be done, that will meet you criteria. First we need to look at a structure that will work the companys entire tradeshow program. Will the structures be easy to set up, by your own staff, therefore the choice can be a variety of portable products or will the structure be a modular or custom exhibit requiring installation service and a more robust tradeshow program. To more clearly define the structures, the portable systems are ones that will fold or roll up for easy set up. They can be pop ups, banners or the ever popular tension fabric system, and work for any size space. A custom or modular exhibit, is created using a variety of items, from laminated woods, aluminum supports, glass, acrylics, dye sub fabrics and more. These are uniquely designed to meet the criteria of the company and could be crated to what the program is. Custom exhibits are as individual as the designers imagination.
- 2. Graphic Design Now that a structure is chosen, graphics are designed to help you stop the traffic and offer a clear message. The structure is wrapped with a graphic treatment, that will enhance the company logo and marketing message by using high resolution imagery, corporate colours, and clear, concise and highly visible text. If you have an established brand, the familiar image you portray at a trade show can help you stand out among competitors and draw attention to your exhibit. If you are building your image, it is essential for you to take this opportunity to gain exposure. On the show floor, your exhibit creates a strong statement about who you are and what you do. Consistency in the image you project is vital. While we all have a tendency to cram as much information as possible into a limited amount of space, we must restrain ourselves from doing so in a trade show environment. In a cluttered exhibit hall, attendees will find a clean, simple and easily understood exhibit refreshing. Less is more. Keep in mind that people respond to images first and text second. Use big and bold images that accurately portray what you do and what you stand for, and limit the amount of text. Visitors need to be able to look at the words presented and instantly grasp what you are trying to say. There are only seconds that a client sees your exhibit and decides to walk past or come into your space. Give them the WOW, to give you the Edge.
- 4. Article Contributed by: Mary-Ann Makuch mmakuch@xibita.com Mary-Ann is a Senior Account Manager with Xibita,,working closely with her clients on their tradeshow program and reaching their objectives. Her passion for the tradeshow industry and her dynamic delivery has helped her achieve a status as a well sought after speaker in the tradeshow industry. Her creative presentations, are a show stopper.