Trade shows can be a highly effective way to generate buzz for your business, keep it in the public eye, and even take growth to the next level. However, sometimes budgets and space constraints can make your trade show booth rental seem cramped and hard to work with. Don’t despair; there are some proven ways to address the constraints of a small trade show booth and still achieve the impact you were hoping for. Here are 10 effective ways to make your trade show booth appear larger than life.
- Plan Your Booth Layout Wisely
With smaller available “real estate” in your trade show booth, you’ll have to plan ahead in order to achieve your objectives. Be selective in what you feature at a small booth. The last thing you want is for the booth to feel cluttered or constrained. Designate no more than three elements or areas in the booth and try not to have too much overlap. For example, the display table, product area and demo area.
- Be Selective with Trade Show Booth Designs
Being focused and selective with design elements such as fonts, shapes, graphics, photos and colors is crucial when designing signage for a small trade show booth. Keep your text and message to the point as well. Trade show attendees typically spend just a few seconds walking by and glancing at each booth. So punchy text and graphics are key for getting them to take notice and approach your booth.
- Use To-The-Point Graphics
Your banner display and graphics are some of the first elements that trade show attendees notice about trade show displays. Whether you will be using a banner display or a more elaborate pop up display, its layout and design is crucial to its effectiveness.
If you don’t have a natural sense or flair for graphic design on your own, partner with a professional who can zero in on your brand message and convey it in an ideal, streamlined and targeted way for your smaller trade show booth. Brevity is especially important in smaller trade show booth displays. But you shouldn’t sacrifice your brand message, either.
- Strategic Booth Color Selection
The right use of color can be highly beneficial to a small trade show booth space. Lighter colors tend to make spaces appear larger, so use this visual illusion to your advantage. That said, certain color juxtapositions can also benefit your smaller booth size. Light colored booth walls or sides next to a dark colored back can give the illusion that the booth recedes further back in space than it actually does. Play with color pairings and use the space-enhancing effects to your advantage. Your banner display, pop up displays or other trade show elements can all benefit from strategic color selection and placement.
- Be Bold with your Booth
Being bold and focused can help benefit both your booth size and your brand message. Remember that you can always get more detailed and in-depth in your marketing materials and other takeaways; there’s no need to overwhelm the viewer with a banner display that is too busy. Don’t be afraid to be bold and direct. Bright colors and heavier lines have the most impact; just be sure to use them wisely and sparingly.
- Use a Space-Conscious Banner Display
Trade show displays and designs should take their venue and size into consideration. While it generally shouldn’t be too busy or too sparse, designing for the space can take its look and feel into exciting new directions. Intelligent use of line, shape juxtaposition and color contrasts can help to create the illusion of a larger trade show booth space.
- Consider Compact Pop Up Displays
A pop up display is another possibility for your trade show booth even if it is rather compact. Pop up displays have an expansive effect, making even diminutive spaces appear larger than life. Use intelligent design and color decision making for this type of trade show display as well, and avoid designs that will seem “busy” or give too much visual input to the viewer all at once.
- Showcase Your Logo
When space is limited, sometimes the best approach is paring things down to the essentials. At a minimum, even the smallest trade show booth should display your company logo clearly and prominently. Your logo ideally embodies and encapsulates your brand identity, and having it front and center is always a smart idea. Trade show booths with a backdrop or banner display that showcases the company logo prominently behind the booth table will bring laser-like focus to the purpose and intention of your presence at the trade show.
- Embrace Minimalism
So, you have limited trade show space; why not embrace it? One of the issues many attendees have with large, busy or congested trade shows is feeling overwhelmed. Also finding difficulty in making decisions about where to go and what to buy. Embracing a sleek, simplified minimalist look can make your booth like breath of fresh air in an overcrowded trade show venue. Think just one to two colors (no more than three) and very sparing use of design and display elements. You just might find that attendees gravitate toward your booth in a sea of trade show displays that have too much going on. Many people feel overwhelmed at trade shows and will appreciate a smaller selection and less of a decision dilemma.
- Make Use of the Ideal Accessories
The perfect accessories can offer space-saving convenience along with stylish appeal. Make use of a banner stand for your banner display or backdrop, and invest in a compact literature holder. Do this to save precious real estate on your display table. These items will make your trade show exhibit look much more professional as well as visually larger and more spacious.
While extra space is nice, trade show booths don’t have to be large or expensive to have a positive effect. No matter what your budget, you can create a trade show exhibit that has a positive impact on all who see it. Use these 10 tips and tricks for making your small trade show booth look visually larger. By putting these simple ideas into practice, you can transform your display. Transform it into one that makes an impression that truly seems larger than life.
