Trade Show TalesBlog

Posts Tagged ‘Graphics’

Newer Entries »

The 10 Do’s and Don’ts of Trade Show Graphics

November 6th, 2013 Mel White 5 COMMENTS

VisionaryBlogBanner

You decided on your new trade show display . . . but you’re not done yet. Now, it’s time to design the graphics. Every day we see completed graphics, many of which we feature in Past 5 Days. Some amaze us. Others not so much. You want AMAZING!. Below are 10 tips to consider when designing your next trade show graphics.

1. Look Up. Think about what elements you want seen either 6 ft. away or across the show floor. Avoid putting important elements at floor level. Higher elements will draw your customer’s attention. Those should be the ones you emphasize.

2. Hire a Graphic Designer Who Understands Trade Show Graphic Design. Most don’t. Don’t spend thousands of dollars on a new display only to use lackluster, unprofessional graphics. It’s the equivalent of working out to build a 6 pack and then wearing a muumuu. A professional graphic designer will know how to source quality files, format them, design your graphics, and hit your deadline.

If you don’t know what resolution, PMS color, vector art and bleed are, trust me, you don’t want to be responsible for file preparation. Hire someone who knows what they’re doing. The graphics are as important as your physical display, if not more important, and they can make or break your display presentation.

3. Your Display isn’t a Paper Brochure. This is the single biggest mistake most exhibitors make. You want your messaging to be clear, concise, and to the point. Leave the details for the printed or electronic collateral. No one is going to read text heavy graphics so keep it simple and impactful. Get the help of a copywriter if you can. Avoid clichés and tired expressions like “innovative” and “unique.” Get to the root of the problem and state your solution. Strong messaging that can be digested in 15 seconds or less will make your display MUCH MORE effective.

4. Image Quality Counts. Photos should be high resolution or vector, especially for your logo. Always have native, clean artwork for projects. This is critical! Spend the extra money to get good quality stock photography. It’s not that expensive and can make a HUGE difference in your booth. This isn’t a billboard — people will be walking up and even touching your graphics. Nothing makes a graphic designer cringe more than being handed a business card and asked to pull a logo from it. If you worked with a designer to create an identity for your company, ask them for the native files. You may not be able to open them, but that doesn’t mean your designer won’t be able to. This is why you hired a professional in the first place, remember?

5. The Devil is in the Details. View your graphics rendered on the display. Sometimes elements of the physical booth really have an affect on the flow of your graphics. You won’t know until you see them so make sure that you view them before you print them. Be sure that you know where accessories like shelves and monitors are placed. Exact measurements are critical. Too many times the graphics arrive and they look amazing, vibrant, and perfect . . .  until you realize that the monitor cuts off half of your logo. Seeing the graphics rendered will help prevent mistakes and be worth the added time.

6. Create a Flow. Sometimes clients have a million ideas in all different directions. Just because your display has four different graphic surfaces that doesn’t mean that you should treat them as such. Make sure your graphics tell a coherent story. If your client wants each of their four products featured, one on each panel, that’s fine. Find a way to tie them together. Make sure that the color scheme and design as well as your copy works together. Don’t re-invent the wheel with each panel. You want the overall design to work together — not confuse.

7. Color is Your Friend . . . or Your Enemy. Reference specific Pantone swatches when color matching is critical. This goes back to working with a professional when possible. Trade shows are notorious for being tight turn projects. No one wants to have graphics shipped directly to the show only to find out that the nice mustard yellow they were expecting printed peach or pea green.

8. Don’t Font It Up. One or two fonts is enough. I promise. Three fonts is pushing it. Any more than that and you’ve got an identity crisis on your hands. Legibility is key with any graphic design but especially graphics that are being viewed from a distance. Look for clean, easy-to-read type and then if you want a little flare, add an accent font that is more unique, but don’t over use it. And please, I beg of you, don’t use a cursive or handwriting font in all caps. Just don’t. As a side note, avoid any fonts with names like Giddy-up.

9. Scale is Everything. You have the opportunity to create graphics of a larger than life magnitude. Seize the day! Go big or go home. Don’t waste your time designing 20 foot graphics that are only meant to be viewed from two feet away. Again, let them use your collateral for details and smaller views of things. Think about what you want people to see from three aisles over. Show them something that makes them want to visit you.

10. Cut Your Losses. If your client wants to do something really dumb and you’ve tactfully advised them why they shouldn’t, then let them do it. They’ll learn. They can only smack their thumb so many times with a hammer before they eventually discover how to hit the nail. 😉

Need assistance with your trade show graphics? Let us know. Share your tips for AMAZING trade show graphics in the Comments section.

Glenna Martin
Graphic Design Manager

http://www.linkedin.com/in/glennamartin
glenna@classicexhibits.com

**********************************************

Based in Portland, Oregon, Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, and custom-hybrid exhibit solutions. Classic Exhibits products are represented by an extensive distributor network in North America and in select International markets. For more information, contact us at 866-652-2100 or www.classicexhibits.com.

[subscribe2]

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Glenna Martin, Trade Show Exhibit Tips | 5 Comments »

Pedestals and Workstations and Counters! Oh My!

January 5th, 2012 Mel White COMMENTS

The Debacle

MOD-1176 Trade Show Pedestal

MOD-1176 Pedestal

Do you remember last year’s trade show debacle? The booth staff complained about the lack of storage. The marketing manager wondered where and how to demo your company’s product. Especially embarrassing was the aimless wandering of potential clients.

This year is different. You included, at the suggestion of your exhibit designer, pedestals, workstations and a reception area. These are the unsung workhorses of any exhibit, easy to overlook during planning, but always missed during a show. And, like nearly every teenage romantic comedy, what seems practical and unexciting at first transforms into a something smart and endearing at the end.

Pedestals

Let’s make this easy. Picture the pedestal as the cup holder of your exhibit. There’s a reason modern cars have multiple cup holders. They’re necessary and convenient, not just for the driver, but for every other person in the vehicle. Even modest pedestals increase your storage capabilities by cubic feet. Never again will Barbara or Bill complain that there is no place for her purse or his European carryall (aka man purse). Plus, the front of the pedestal will serve as valuable graphic real estate for your brand.

Pedestals in an inline booth, such as a 10×10 or a 10×20, do triple duty. First, they offer locking storage. Secondly, the right pedestal delivers additional branding space. Lastly, whether in a 10×10 or a longer inline, a pedestal provides a focal point for your booth staff and client to meet, chat, and then explore opportunities.

Pedestals can be basic, like the LTE-1001 with a shelf and open storage, or more elaborate such as a MOD-1176 with multiple counter tops and locking storage. The key is to find the design that matches your exhibit marketing goals and budget.

Workstations/Kiosks

MOD-1227 Trade Show Workstation

MOD-1227 Workstation

Workstations have become indispensable to any display. For many of us, we wonder how we conducted business on the show floor before there were monitors, tablets, or the Internet. It’s where your booth staff ultimately rocks your bottom line. The workstation allows you to showcase your product, whether you’re dealing in widgets or software. This is where your staff, client, and product meet and the demonstration begins.

Consider your workstation carefully. Will the workstation be a conversation center highlighting your product?  Or, does it need to be constructed so your staff can conduct a semi-private conversation with your potential client?  Graphics, A.V., and lighting can enhance your workstations.

The perfect workstation can be both a practical and an aesthetic addition to your exhibit. Workstations can be simple and straightforward such as a MOD-1177 or double-sided with literature holders and storage such as MOD-1227. As monitors have gotten larger, workstations have evolved to accommodate them. It’s not uncommon for freestanding workstations to hold up to 42” monitors, with even larger monitors on the backwall.

Reception Counters

MOD-1143 Trade Show Reception Counter

MOD-1143 Reception Counter

Even in a well-designed island booth, clients can get lost on that larger stage. That’s where a reception counter comes in handy. The reception counter serves as a guide or central location for exhibit attendees, much like a receptionist counter in an office. At a minimum, this is where attendees get acquainted with your product or service, grab a piece of candy, or simply rest their feet for a few minutes on the padded carpeting.

The card reader typically is stationed at the reception counter. There’s more counter top space than with a pedestal and typically multiple locking doors and shelves for storage. All that storage makes it the ideal location for brochures, catalogs, or giveaways such as promotional pens, flashlights, or calculators. If the staff is engaged with other clients, the “receptionist” can provide general information until someone is available.

Reception counters can also provide another graphic opportunity generally much larger in area than the pedestals and workstations. And, unlike many pedestals or workstations, reception counters can be either modular or custom. It all depends on your visual requirements. Some examples include the modular LTK-1134 with storage and a monitor insert option or the MOD-1143 with a privacy shelf, storage, and graphic insert panels.

All that careful planning means you can breathe easier this year. You’ve signed the purchase order, chosen the appropriate pedestals, workstations, and counters, and your new exhibit will be built and delivered with plenty of time. You are trade show ready and trade show smarter. Good luck!

Mike Swartout, Design Director
Classic Exhibits Inc.
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/mike-swartout/8/7b7/246

*********************************

Based in Portland, Oregon, Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, and custom-hybrid exhibit solutions. Classic Exhibits products are represented by an extensive distributor network in North America and in select International markets. For more information, contact us at 866-652-2100 or www.classicexhibits.com.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Classic Exhibit Systems, Mike Swartout | No Comments »

How to Save Money on Your Next Trade Show Display

November 11th, 2010 Mel White COMMENTS

Tips to Save $ on Your Next Display

Buy Value – Not Price. Too often, we focus on the price rather than the value. It’s human nature, especially when budgets are constrained. However, we all know the difference between a good value for the price and a low price on a shoddy product. If you have ever bought a cheap screwdriver, you know. It lasts about three jobs and then the tip deforms and the handle twists. A trade show display has to accomplish three basic goals:  look professional, assemble easily, and be durable. If it fails any of these, then it’s not a good value.

Understand the Channels of Distribution. In nearly every case, you will purchase your display from a distributor who represents an exhibit manufacturer. Some distributors represent a single manufacturer. Others represent multiple manufacturers. Still others are sub-distributors who must purchase their products through multiple channels. Shorter distribution channels generally reduce the overall markup. It doesn’t matter whether you purchase online or from a bricks and mortar business. What matters is whether the distributor is an authorized representative and whether the distributor has a solid history representing the product.

Buy the Right Graphics.  No one ever tells you this . . . but there are high-quality graphics and there are cheap-a$$ graphics. You may not be able to tell the difference when you see them apart, but put them together and the difference is astonishing. Greater resolutions, higher contrast, deeper color intensity, truer color matches. The other lesson comes after you’ve used them several times. Cheaper graphics do not hold up to the wear and tear of trade show (ab)use. They de-laminate, they curl, they fade, they fray.

You need to use your smarts here and recognize that $250 graphics are not compatible with $750 graphics. If all you need are disposable graphics, then the inexpensive version is perfect. If the expensive ones are too expensive, then negotiate. No one is going to send you to the timeout corner for asking for a break on the price.

Don’t Buy More Than You Need.  The most overused term in the exhibits industry is “modular.” Buy this and you can re-configure it to this or you can add-on to the display when you upgrade to a larger exhibit. From my experience, customers rarely re-configure and rarely expand their existing display. Now you may be the exception and kudos to you, but don’t buy a 20 x 20 that re-configures to a 10 x 10 and 10 x 20 if you don’t need it. Or if you don’t want to spend hours sorting through packaging identifying the right components for the smaller displays or discover that re-configurability compromises the overall design.

I’m going to take some heat on this, particularly since I work for a company that designs and build modular displays, but so be it. Here’s my suggestion:  choose modularity because you want something that is easy to assembly, not because you wanted the adult version of a Transformer.

Rental Displays

Consider Combining Rentals with a Purchase. Frankly, this is so logical that I’m embarrassed to list it. Yet, almost no one does it. I don’t know why, except that so many of us have this primal need to own stuff. In some cases, display customers fall in love with a design, which is fine, but don’t realize that there is a rental solution available at 1/3 the cost. You have to ask. That’s the key. And if the display representative or exhibit house doesn’t have the right rental solution, then go somewhere else. Not everyone has embraced customized rentals. You need to find the company or companies that have.

That said, rentals are not for everyone. Your marketing requirements may dictate a unique structure and capabilities, or you may plan to use the same structure for more than four or five shows. At that point, purchasing is cheaper. But you need to remind yourself . . . you have the option of renting some of the structure and purchasing other parts. It’s not an either/or situation. For more tips about when to rent, please see this article.

Beware of Purchasing Magic Beans. Like any industry, the exhibit industry is not immune to charlatans who want to sell you “magic beans.” Their system will save you 50% or increase your leads by 200% at the first show. Aren’t numbers fun, when you don’t have to document the results?

Honestly, there are no magic beans. Some displays are better than others. Some are MUCH BETTER than others. But in the end, what matters is the quality of the display and how you prepare for your show. Your show will be a success based on your preparation before, during, and after the show. It’s that simple. Having the right display will assist in that effort and present the right image to potential customers, but a good display can’t overcome laziness, a lack of preparation, and procrastination. Not even a six-pack of Red Bull can do that.

Quality Matters.  Admittedly, this is sort of repeats the first one with a twist. I know you don’t want to hear it . . . but you get what you pay for. Here’s a metaphor for pop up displays, which many folks now consider a generic product (they’re not, but that’s OK). When is the last time you purchased blue jeans? There are budget, mainstream, and designer jeans. The bargain basement jeans are sold for around $14.99. Have you bought those? I have. They fit (kind of) and they wear like toilet tissue. They may resemble Levi’s, Wranglers, or Lee jeans but that’s about it.

Levi’s, Wranglers, and Lee jeans cost about double the price of the cheap pairs, but you’ll own them for years. They may not have decorative stitching or funky pockets or the cache of designer jeans, but they are functional and attractive.

Then there are designer jeans at double, triple, or quadruple the price of the Wranglers. They are well made and will also last for years. And, they may get you noticed a little more, which sometimes is a fair trade-off. But in the end (no pun intended), what gets noticed and admired is the package and not the packaging. Now take everything you just learned about jeans and quality and apply it to displays.

Consider the Packaging. One quick tip: Don’t assume the packaging is first rate. It’s usually not. Ask to see examples of how the manufacturer packs their displays. Excellent packaging is expensive and that’s where some manufacturers and custom houses cut corners. That’s too bad because the right packaging will save you lots of time before and after the show and ensure that the display arrives at its next destination in perfect shape.

Finally, don’t forget to review the setup instructions. You may decide to ignore them when you assemble the display, but Wanda in Human Resources won’t when she uses it at the Employment Fair. I don’t know about you, but I never want to make HR mad.

Let me know if you have any questions and I welcome your comments.

–Mel White
http://www.linkedin.com/in/melmwhite
mel@classicexhibits.com

See Also . . .

13 Common Trade Show Mistakes
What Smells? Top 10 Trade Show Odors
What Not to Wear (at a Trade Show)

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Mel White, Trade Show Exhibit Tips | No Comments »

What You Should Know as a First-Time Exhibit Buyer

September 20th, 2009 Mel White COMMENTS
Visionary Design VK-1073 Hybrid Exhibit

Visionary Design VK-1073 Hybrid Exhibit

  • Don’t let the trade show exhibit buying experience intimidate you
  • Your marketing objectives and strategy should dictate your exhibit marketing needs
  • Be prepared for sticker shock. Exhibits can be expensive
  • Where to buy depends on your goals. Do you need a large custom exhibit? Or do you need a portable, modular, or hybrid exhibit?
  • Plan ahead. You’ll save money and make smarter decisions

How to Get Started

For the sake of simplicity, let’s assume that exhibit marketing is a new experience. Exhibit marketing is certainly not rocket science. You don’t need a marketing degree to be successful at exhibit marketing. However, it helps to get advice so you make the right decisions.

Buying your first exhibit can, at first, raise more questions than answers. There are different types of exhibits and different types of exhibiting. The best fit will depend on how you plan to use the exhibit, the image you want to project, and the budget you have to work with.

Chances are you’ll purchase your exhibit from a local exhibit company. Exhibit companies have been around for decades and understand exhibits and trade shows. Originally, exhibits were custom-crafted. Then exhibit systems evolved as an alternative to the high cost of custom craftsmanship. Now, there are multiple exhibit categories. Exhibit systems, which includes portable, modular, and hybrid exhibits, are evolving towards custom-crafted exhibits, and custom-crafted exhibits are evolving towards exhibit systems. Both have distinct advantages and exhibit companies work hard to carve out distinct niches along the custom to portable spectrum. The exhibit (or exhibits) that best fits your company’s exhibit marketing strategy will slot in somewhere along this spectrum. This is where an exhibit consultant can be very useful. Ultimately, an exhibit consultant wants to help you maximize your exhibit marketing potential.
(more…)

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Mel White, Trade Show Exhibit Tips | No Comments »

Newer Entries »