How to make an Impact at a Trade Show Convention

Here at 777Sign many of our clients come to us for their display needs at Las Vegas’ biggest and best trade conventions including the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB). We are often asked what our clients should do to stand out at the convention that year and what has been successful in the past. Also, some of our clients are exhibiting for the first time and want to look extremely professional about their presentations.

Let’s start with the basics.

If you're attending a trade show like CES or NAB or the myriad of other Las Vegas conventions (or trade shows and cons anywhere for that matter), the types of signs you should bring will depend on your goals and what you want to achieve at the show. Here are some items to consider:

Company branding signs: Signs that feature your company name, logo, and tagline can help increase brand recognition and make it easier for potential customers to find you at the show.
Product signs: Signs that showcase your products or services and their key features can help attract the attention of attendees who are interested in what you have to offer.
Promotional signs: Signs that promote any show-specific promotions, discounts, or deals can help drive traffic to your booth and encourage attendees to engage with you.
Interactive signs: Signs that are interactive or incorporate technology can help create a memorable and engaging experience for attendees.
Directional signs: Signs that provide clear directions to your booth can help attendees navigate the busy trade show floor and find you more easily.
Testimonial signs: Signs that feature positive reviews or testimonials from happy customers can help build trust and credibility with potential customers.

Remember to keep your signs simple, eye-catching, and easy to read from a distance. Make sure they accurately represent your brand and messaging, and consider adding unique touches that will make your booth stand out from the rest and remember, copying another exhibition setup too closely can make your product appear as a tacky knockoff or lead to some awkward confusion during the show as visitors mistake your display for something else.

This leads us to our next discussion point. What can you do to stand out and be unique among the thousands of exhibitors?

There are virtually endless possibilities and the limits are essentially just the breadth of creativity within your personnel and marketing teams or, and probably most commonly, the limits of your budget for the exhibitions (of course!).

Some of the possibilities beyond an eye-catching display are: product and promotional giveaways, contests and prizes, interactive elements, FREE FOOD(!), technologically immersive experiences, and free workshops or educational sessions.

But we at 777Sign are a printing company at heart and our interests and expertise is in the realm of signage and visual attraction. Let’s talk then specifically about how to make your signs pop. These are some things we discuss with our clients as part of our trade show preparation checklist.

Use eye-catching graphics and colors: Make sure your signs have bold graphics and colors that will grab people's attention from across the room.
Keep your message simple and clear: Your signs should communicate your message in a concise and easy-to-understand way. Use large, legible fonts and avoid cluttering the sign with too much information.
Use lighting: If possible, compliment your signs with good/interesting/professional lighting to draw attention to your signs. Spotlights or LED lights can make your signs stand out even in dimly-lit exhibition halls.
Add movement: If appropriate, consider adding movement to your signs. This could be anything from a spinning logo to a scrolling message.
Use high-quality materials: Invest in high-quality materials for your signs, such as vinyl or fabric banners, to ensure they look professional and last for the duration of the trade show.
Position your signs strategically: Obviously, some physical locations on the trade show floors are better than others and competition for those spaces drives up the cost to exhibit there but regardless of where you are in the tradeshow there are things you can do to strategically place your signage for maximum effect.

Place your signs where they will be most visible and easily seen.
Make sure they are at eye level and not blocked by any other displays or obstacles.
Place the signs facing the directions of natural approach to your station. Visitors should be able to begin reading your signs from a comfortable distance, not stumble upon the signs (or miss them) as they pass by.

In future posts we will delve into more details about sign placement at tradeshows and in high congestion areas, but for now we hope the above will help you prepare to make a big impact at the next show, or have you looking like a trade show pro, even if it’s your first one!

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