Thursday, September 25, 2008

Tips for creating a great Trade Show display without the stress

By Frank Nathe


Summary: You're exhibiting at a major Orlando Trade Show! Don't squander your huge opportunity with a run-of-the-mill display. You need a booth with eye-catching graphics to grab attention. How do you do that?

Okay, you're booked into that huge industry trade show in a few months in Orlando Now all you need is an eye-catching trade show display with captivating wording and stunning graphics to attract people's attention and various printed matter to give out: brochures, manuals, handouts - and don't forget business cards! But where do you start?

Don't panic. The solution to your Orlando Trade Show worries is as easy as 1-2-3: 1 - decide on your display design and layout; 2 - figure out what kind of graphics you'll need 3 - find a professional printer who can handle your project - including any last - minute details that crop up

Layout & Design - How do you want your display to look? The Orlando/Orange County Convention Center is huge - and with hundreds of other exhibitors, how will you get noticed? You need the right wording for the panels of your trade-show booth.

But now isn't the time to get verbose! Think succinct. Get your message across in as few words as possible. Thousands of people will flow past your booth. How do you get them to stop? If your message has more than about 30 words, don't expect more than a handful of people (or a few dozen at best) to read it. Keep it brief, but big. People are more likely to read your message if the lettering is large enough to see easily from a distance.

Effective graphics grab attention! - Don't skimp on graphics. One tiny sign tacked onto your booth won't direct people to your display. Signage is huge! And it should be huge - literally. You need signs that will grab attention and pull people in. Try stringing a fifteen-foot banner across the top of the display area.

Then, to add motion, get one of those little fans and direct it at the banner. Why do that? Because studies show people's attention is attracted better to a moving object than a non-moving one - even if the stationary object is larger.

Plus, if you're going to have a giveaway (for people who deposit their business cards into your fishbowl), you'll need signage to tell people what the valuable prize will be. You'll also want to have signage to direct visitors to sign up for your online newsletter. And don't forget all the printed matter, like manuals, brochures, handouts and scads of business cards - all printed with the company name and logo.

Where do I find a printer? - Okay, now you've got all these ideas for your trade-show booth and you're ready to start putting it together except for one thing: a printer. As much as you don't want to hurt his feelings, you really don't think the brother-in-law of your cousin's best friend is up to handling the job. You need a printing professional with years of experience, someone who'll work along your schedule, with your timeline in mind, according to your needs.

And if you could get someone near the convention center, that would be a plus - it would certainly eliminate those sky-high overnight-freight expenses. But someone like that is bound to be expensive right? Not necessarily. NextGeneration Printing, Copying & Digital Communication is based two miles from the Orlando/Orange County Convention Center (close to the area's meeting-equipped hotels, too) - and their prices are extremely competitive. Visit them online at www.OrlandoPrinter.com and breeze through your Orlando-area trade show preparations.

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