Okay, so you’ve taken the plunge. You’ve signed your company up for your next big trade show. Perhaps this is the first trade show that you’ve ever attended and you want to make sure that you knock it out of the park, or maybe you’re a seasoned veteran with a staff of professional trade show exhibitors. Great. Either way, when it’s time to upgrade or purchase your first trade show exhibit, you will want to make sure that you ask a few key questions about the exhibition design in order to get the right display that will fit your company’s needs like a glove.
Trade show exhibits are one of the most visible representations of your brand that you will ever have to handle. Because of this, you will want to make sure that the exhibition design that you decide on will best portray your company in the ways that you want it perceived. In order to ensure this make sure that you have a solid idea of your brand image and messaging when you sit down with designers to discuss trade show exhibits and design.
One of the first things you will want to do is describe to your design firm what exactly you hope to get out of trade shows. You will then want to describe your brand identity and messaging to the designers and ask this key question: “What design elements do you think will best portray our brand identity in the way we desire?” This question will force designers to not only deliver exhibition design that is aesthetically appealing, but that fits with your company’s brand.
The next question to ask about exhibition design is a more pragmatic one. You will want to find out what trade show exhibits will be the best fit for your company from a standpoint of physical space, layout and price point. This will ensure that your exhibit designers are considering not just your branding needs, but your logistical needs as well. Everything from exhibit fabrication to design to staffing should be dictated by these two equally important concerns. You want to make sure that your exhibition design firm is on the same page with you, not just from a marketing standpoint but also from a financial and logistical standpoint as well.
A few other questions you may want to ask could revolve around options such as booth rental or the possibility of a used display (depending on your budget). You may also want to inquire about exhibit fabrication techniques that could save you money or time, and also ask about modular design and what it can offer you.
There are a number of questions that you will want to pose to your exhibition design firm, but these will be a good starting point to make sure you find out the most important things that you will need to know in order to make an informed decision when you’re shopping for your next trade show exhibit design.