10 Essential Rules For Trade Show Booth Graphics

Key Takeaways

1. The simpler the better when it comes to the most effective trade show exhibit signage
2. Use a professional trade show booth graphics designer to convey your quality product or service
3. Flooring and lighting can draw traffic to your booth, even at a busy show

Rules for the most effective graphics on your trade show booth

1. The cardinal rule: more images, less text
2. Use the brightest colors from your branding kit; color is the first thing the brain absorbs, even before form
3. Keep your images simple and uncluttered—don’t make someone work to figure out what YOUR product or service is. Test this: if you couldn’t read a single word of your copy, could you still discern what your product or service is just by looking at the image?
4. If you use copy, keep it extremely simple and avoid colloquialisms that non-English speakers may not understand.
5. Make sure you entire story can be told from a distance and is above your counter. Place your images higher on a panel; don’t let a counter or visitors to your booth hide your most important message. Make your text no smaller than 4′ high.
6. Use light to drive attention, either with a lightbox, puck lights, stem lights or track lights. The extra cost to run power to your booth is well worth it.
7. Don’t forget your flooring—brilliant custom designs cost no more than blah designs, and they are unique traffic drivers at even the busiest show
8. Be sure to use a professional graphic designer who is skilled at designing in 3D, specifically trade show stands
9. Use the highest quality graphics—a pixelated photo looks amateurish and tells your visitors your product may also be low-quality
10. Keep messaging specific to each show’s audience by swapping out graphics with PVC panels on your custom booth, or portable inserts.