This is one of the most frequently asked questions when companies are discussing ideas with trade show exhibit designers. ‘How can we get something that makes us truly ‘stand-out’? Well, the answer is that you need to be doing something that others aren’t. Or, you need to be doing something that other companies are also doing, but doing it in a fresh way or so much better than them that you are automatically set apart from the field.
What? That didn’t totally answer your question? Too vague? Well, this is where the design aspect of the whole thing comes into play. But, without going into a whole bunch of theory on design and boring 90% of the people reading this to tears, let’s just stick with the basic ways that you could set yourself apart at your next trade show.
There are always ways to stand out or set yourself apart from the crowd, even if all you have is a couple pop up displays with your logo or banner on them. You could hire a performer of some kind, or even just dress in some over-the-top clothing. You could have a contest or raffle with a very flash prize and plenty of pomp (plus a dash of circumstance). You could even hire Michael Jordan to come stand around your trade show exhibit all day, but that would probably be pretty expensive and I’m told that the underwear commercials have him pretty much booked up all the time these days.
So, back to realistic ways to actually separate your company’s booth from the rest of the floor. A great way to start would be to utilize a mobile exhibit design which could allow you to be exhibiting where others aren’t. In a crowded trade show floor, it takes a lot to stand out from the rest of the exhibitors. But, if you can find a way to get where you are the only exhibitor there (or at least one of a few) you could get a lot more attention (as long as the traffic is decent). A mobile exhibit lets you go where you need to and also makes it much easier to do set up and breakdown.
Another way to stand out is to save more money for additional attractions, by taking advantage of the money-saving aspect of display rentals. Those rentals can really allow you to stand out by changing up your setup and your exhibit design every time. Because you haven’t invested in purchasing a trade show exhibit, you won’t need to spend the extra dough customizing it all over again when you want to change your look. You simply need to rent a different display. This can keep your design fresh all the time and make you stand out just by always being different.