Archive for the ‘Articles’ category

Great Graphics Draw Trade Show Attendees

January 24th, 2011


I was at the ad:tech show this week. Good buzz and vibe – clearly, dollars are flowing back into the online ad market. When we go to these shows we get good tips on what’s working and what’s tired in displays. This is an image driven show – lots of splash, iconic logos (think Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc) and branding.

It got me thinking – what makes a great graphic? Is it content? Is it color? Image? Typeface? The answer obviously depends on your company and its identity. If you’re lucky and everyone knows your company, the name alone (writ large) will do. But if your company is not so well known, what do you use to get the attendees interested?

Sue me for the unscientific nature of this survey, but specific information comes in a distant 3rd to image and color when it comes to attracting attention. We are visual before we are contextual. We respond to vivid colors, exciting, unusual or attractive imagery. I saw a lot of displays that not only had great imagery, but incorporated the imagery into the design of their display. For example, Plenty of Fish (www.plentyoffish.com) had a cool flowing oceanic theme on a 10×20 serpentine pop up display. It was very compelling for a basic display. And it had (pretty much) zero product/service information. Which made me walk up and ask “what exactly do you folks do?”

This is not to say you should not have informationally rich graphics – in some situations these graphics work best. But think about the attendee – what are they likely to be attracted by? How informed and knowledgeable are they? Can you make them more informed by putting information on a graphic? Or do you need a visually stimulating image to create an interaction. In general, I find companies working too hard to “make the sale” before the attendee is in the booth, which is just not going to be effective.

In order of preference, this is what I think get’s attention:

1. Color
2. Simplicity (of image)
3. Size
4. Action or connotation of action
5. Information

Try it out for your company – think about what you want to use to bring people in to ask “what do you folks do?”

By: Ted S Ridgway

About the Author:
Impact Displays offers a broad range of graphics and display solutions to make people want to work with your company.



About Trade Show Exhibits

January 24th, 2011


When you are designing your trade show exhibit you want to make sure you use the right displays and accessories to stand out from the rest. There are many types of displays available and you can also get custom designed displays to fit your needs. The type of display that will work for your trade show exhibit will depend on the size of your exhibit space. Trade show displays come in many sizes and can accommodate all types of trade show booths or exhibits.

Pop up displays are a popular choice because they are lightweight, portable and can be easily assembled and taken down. Pop up displays are good choices for smaller trade shows and can be used in larger trade shows with other displays. You can get pop up displays in either floor or tabletop models. Pop up displays are easy to transport and can be assembled quickly.

Banner stands are a great addition to your exhibit and can display additional information or graphics. You can use banner stands to attract attention to your product or to highlight a new product. You can get retractable banner stand displays which are very popular. Retractable banner stand displays make setting up and breaking down your trade show exhibit a breeze. These types of stands come in a variety of shapes and styles. You can get banner stands that are made of fabric or vinyl.

Your displays are the key to attracting attention to your products and services and using high impact graphics are essential. You want to have well designed, vibrant graphics to attract visitors to your exhibit.

You want your trade show graphics to be simple and clean looking. You want to try and avoid graphics with a lot of text and bullet points. You need to convey a message that can be understood in a matter of seconds. You only have about three seconds while a trade show attendee passes by your exhibit.

Bold colors are a great way to attract attention to your products and services. You want the color that is most vibrant in your company’s logo to stand out on your displays. You want your design to have visual impact and to convey your message at the same time. One thing to remember is that more is less. One large dramatic image is much more effective than a lot of smaller images or a lot of words.

The types of displays you use and the graphics that you put on them is the key to having a successful trade show. You want to send a bold message that will stop a trade show visitor and make them want to learn more about your product or services. Your displays are the key to bringing in new prospects and to getting your brand recognized.

When you are planning your trade shows exhibit you want to make sure that you make purchasing high quality graphics as part of your budget. You can have beautiful displays but without the proper graphics your message will not be heard.

By: Mat Kelly

About the Author:
Mat Kelly is the president of ExhibitDEAL, a leading provider of trade show displays, banner stands, literature racks, and other trade show accessories and displays. ExhibitDEAL can be found online at: ExhibitDEAL.com .



Innovative Flooring at Trade Show Booths Attract Visitors

January 23rd, 2011


When you plan the design of your trade show display, it is important to think of your trade show booth floor as your fifth wall. The flooring of your trade show booth should always complement– and enhance– the environment of your trade show display. In fact, your choice of flooring can add a third dimension to your trade show booth.

When the city of Chicago used full-color digitally printed footprints- in- the sand on their trade show carpet, it was the starting point of a “follow me” tour of the Chicago area that made their booth 3 dimensional.

Their realistic footprints-in-sand carpet graphics enticed visitors to follow the footprints leading up to Lake Michigan shown graphically on the trade show booth wall. It was a clever way to explore the terrain of the city of Chicago and its environs. Imaginative trade show flooring can create 3 dimensional trade show booths with flooring that uses footprints, railroad tracks, and other devices that stimulate a “follow me” look.

Using creative flooring graphics can enhance the look of your trade show booth. By merely adding imaginative carpeting concepts to your trade show exhibit, you will be able to successfully update the look of your existing trade show booth. Also, compelling floor designs can act as a beacon inviting visitors to view featured products perched on top of attention-getting floor destinations.

Contemporary flooring uses materials that are now easier to use and ship. New lightweight and durable flooring materials can easily roll up like carpet. Interlocking floors are extremely portable and can handle the demands of small and large trade show exhibitors. With new 10′ wide carpet panels, flex floor panels, pre-measured padding and carpet bags with wheels, trade show flooring assembles faster, and is easier to dismantle and less costly to ship.

Today’s trade show booth flooring concepts offer a greater variety of choices than ever before– from carpets in solid or specifically dyed colors, inlays and logos, to flex floors that look like stone, metal, fabric or hardwoods. Consider the addition of a corporate logo or brand name to exhibit flooring to make and reinforce your brand impression. The application of border designs, custom inlays and carpet sculpting can significantly add a quality look to your trade show booth d