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Please consider this free-reprint article written by:
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Article Title: Top Trade Show Exhibit Trends
Author: Matt Kelly
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Article URL: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=73788&ca=Marketing
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The traditional purpose of trade shows has been to serve as an
open platform for companies to �strut their stuff� and offer
insight into the latest trends and innovations for the products
and services in their industry. With a competitor only a few
booths away, the hard sell has been inevitable � until now.
Current trends are creating a different climate at trade shows
these days. With competition for the customer�s attention
stronger than ever, exhibitors are no longer fixated on
separating themselves from their competitors by focusing on a
particular product and simply talking about solutions and
benefits. Which leads us to the first, and probably most
profound, trend in trade show exhibiting.
Experiential Exhibits:
Product pitches and demos are �out� � at least they are no
longer the centerpiece of a trade show exhibit. Instead of the
literal, one-on-one, �we�re better because . . .� spiel, the
challenge has become creating an experience for the potential
customer that leaves them in awe, or at least makes a strong
enough impression that they forget about the competition. While
the trade show booth is a temporary fixture, the idea is to
create a space that has a feeling of permanence and keeps the
customer engaged. So engaged, in fact, that the customer has a
memorable experience, and associates that experience with your
product � eliminating the need for the hard sell, and creating
a smooth landing for the soft sell.
Each element of these �experiential exhibits� is crucial and
must be carefully selected to effectively execute a
cutting-edge, yet warm and inviting, space. Any sort of
�edutainment� feature anchored in technology, such as
interactive computer games that test knowledge or popular
television game shows as a template for a game featuring facts
and information about your company or industry, are a
must-have. Making this part of your trade show booth space
gives you an opportunity to make your booth more of an
interactive space.
Materials:
There are many different types of materials that can be used
and are used to make trade show displays. But because of it�s
versatility and low cost in comparison to other materials,
fabric is one of the trendiest materials to use for your booth.
Metal and wood are used less frequently because of their weight,
bulkiness and inflexibility.
You can use fabric in a subtle way, almost like a canvas, to
create a backdrop for the theme of your space. And often, the
light, airy nature of the fabrics used for today�s exhibits
create a light, airy feeling for your trade show display. But
more often, you will find fabric being used for the banner
stands, such as the Allure tensioned fabric banner displays
that have recently hit the market. These high-quality banners
are quickly set up (about two minutes with no tools needed) and
easy to put together, convenient to travel with (even on an
airplane,) economical to ship, and, shelves can be added to the
banners for a more sophisticated look. These advantages, along
with the long life and durability of the Allure banners, makes
them slightly more expensive than typical banner stands. But
the extra money is worth it - these banners create such a
strong presence that they can be used by themselves or combined
with a pop-up or custom booth to really make your space �pop.�
Lighting:
Whether you are going for a more traditional trade show booth
or the cutting-edge experiential, lighting is crucial in
creating the mood for your space. Because of this, custom
lighting is becoming more mainstream.
Using filtered or wash lights creates a mood that drastically
contrasts with a trade show display that uses spotlights. But
ambience is not the only reason custom lighting has become more
popular. You can also use lighting � however dramatic or subdued
� to bring attention to featured products.
The Final Touches
Today�s trade show visitors are limited on time and bombarded
with a flurry of sales and marketing gimmicks. To �stand out in
the crowd,� here are some additional trends that have emerged in
recent years.
Booth Details � Once you have gotten a visitor�s attention and
they have entered your space, you must give them a good reason
to stick around for more than a couple of seconds. This is the
time for you to immerse the customer with your brand. Visitors
want to see how your product or service will benefit them � so
show them. Testimonials are an easy way to achieve this, in
addition to marketing materials featuring people using your
product, as well as the standard product demonstration. And
because presentation is everything, additional pieces in your
booth, such as literature racks, are a good way to keep your
space organized while attractively displaying your marketing
materials without overwhelming prospects with too much
information.
Time is of the Essence � With the demands of today's busy work
schedules, most visitors do not have an entire day to spend at
a trade show. Their time at the event is valuable, so you must
be able to get their attention and quickly and easily explain
what your company offers. Some of these visitors will come to
the trade show as a team, and the team will include
decision-makers who evaluate you, in comparison with the
competition.
Get the Word Out � This is a trend that has been around for
awhile, but one that is often overlooked. Prior to the event,
let your clients and potential customers know that you are
participating in a trade show � use every promotional
opportunity to mention it, use direct mail, email and other
traditional marketing avenues to drive more traffic to your
exhibit.
Trade shows are an essential piece of an overall successful
marketing strategy. And implementing these trends for your
trade show space will help create that memorable experience for
clients and potential customers that will hopefully make
follow-up a breeze.
About The Author: Mat Kelly is the president of ExhibitDEAL,
the Original Exhibit Wholesaler specializing in trade show
exhibits from portable trade show displays to large custom
displays. On the Web at http://www.exhibitdeal.com/
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