Creating an exhibition stand at a conference or industry event is an enduringly effective way for businesses to get noticed and make sales. But with a raft of other companies in the same space competing for the attendee’s time, attention and spending power, standing out with great exhibition graphics is vital for ensuring a healthy return on investment.
There’s no denying that we live in a digital world, but while social media promotions and online pop-up advertising remains a boon to a huge variety of businesses, there is still great value to be found through more traditional marketing efforts.
Why Businesses Are Still Choosing Exhibitions
For many kinds of business, finding ways to foster face-to-face interactions still represents a competitive advantage in an era when there’s a temptation to rely solely on digital advertising. Exhibitions and trade shows are a compelling opportunity to raise your brand’s profile, gaining recognition not only amongst potential customers but also figures within your industry.
Some of the advantages to businesses attending expos include:
- Networking
- Meeting clients face-to-face
- Developing leads and closing sales
- Nurturing potential business partnerships
- Gaining insight into the competition and access to their clients
- Raising brand awareness
- Receiving real-time customer feedback
Now more than ever, businesses need to ensure they do not become disconnected from their potential customer or client base. It is still the case in many industries that people want to build a relationship with those they do business with – putting a face to the name and gaining an authentic insight which creates a sense of trust.
Perhaps most importantly, however, is that anyone who has procured tickets for or taken the time to travel to an expo has a clear interest in the services or products on offer there. This means brands are in the best position possible to engage with people who are receptive to what they have to offer, as well as get the jump on their competitors by presenting themselves in the most compelling way.
Why It’s Important to Get Your Exhibition Graphics Right
Similarly to a pop-up shop, putting the time and effort into making the most of your exhibition stand, booth or kiosk is the first step in drawing people to you and making conversations happen. After paying for floor space and pouring resources into setting up and manning your stand, the most disheartening outcome would be to find your brand bypassed and the information on offer ignored.
The thought of such an outcome would strike fear into the heart of any business stakeholder, but with the right planning and printmaking, your exhibition graphics can become a captivating extension of your brand and provoke a positive buzz within the event. Here’s a few tips for getting it right:
Think about what you want to achieve and focus your efforts
It is important to nail down exactly what you want to achieve from taking part in an expo or trade show and plan your exhibition graphics around these goals – which can be strikingly different depending on where you are in the business lifecycle.
For example, a start up may be more interested in making a mark in the minds of their target market than driving sales, while an established business may be looking to freshen up their brand image with an exciting new product.
While a brand’s presence at an expo can serve multiple purposes, in terms of design, it helps to stay consistent and focused on your primary aims, and ensure your stand pulls together thematically.
Consider the space and lighting
There are many clever ways to use print graphics to maximise space – even for small stands, booths and kiosks – and the way you light these graphics can be equally as effective in making your brand stand out.
Unless your space is exceptionally well designed and maximalism is part of your brand, less is usually more when it comes to exhibition stands. Within the general visual noise of an expo or trade show, having too many details in your display risks information overload – turning potential customers into disinterested passersby.
Rather than doing too much at once in an effort to make a splash, refer back to your stated goals and focus more on which design elements you can afford to lose, rather than those you might have enough room to squeeze in. Clarity (and in many cases, economy) is key to good design, and exhibition graphics are no exception.
Get creative and explore the possibilities
Just because exhibition graphics need to be (generally speaking) clear and straightforward in order to be as appealing as possible to attendees, that doesn’t mean that you can’t push the boat out creatively in order to make the most impact.
It goes without saying that any exhibition graphics should have the highest print quality possible in order to ensure they look great both at a distance and close up – but this isn’t the only way to stand out. Printing technology has come a long way, and while a simple banner can be highly effective, there are a huge array of options available to brands now.
These include printing on different substrates, such as mirror vinyl, contravision (a material designed for glass which you can view through from one side), foils and metallic materials. Combined with clever lighting and innovative ideas, the possibilities on offer with modern exhibition graphics are endless, and give you the chance to really use your imagination.
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In a world where it is easy to get lost in a sea of online advertising, industry events and trade shows offer brands the unique opportunity to capture the attention of an audience that is already engaged, interested and keen to be there.
While there are a variety of factors to consider in creating a great exhibition stand (including friendly staff and interesting product displays), fantastic print graphics can be the key ingredient that first entices people’s attention, and gets those sales-driving and brand-building conversations started.
