Posted in Trade Show Displays Blogs

As an entrepreneur, I know that one critical channel of my marketing effort is trade shows display events. These are perfect opportunities to gain exposure, make new customers, build more clients and valued contacts, as well as reinforce my brand and make direct sales. I have had so many unexpected, positive, welcomed results from these shows. You just never know when you will meet someone who will become a large factor in your business life.

I have also learned by trial and error that the best returns on my trade show experience are directly related to the effectiveness of my trade show display. Through my involvement I have learned that my carefully planned goals, objectives and “display message” determine my display decisions, not necessarily my budget.

Making a sensible investment means realizing an expected return that justifies the investment cost. And as a rule I have consistently seen that slightly larger investments equal larger returns; this is the very nature of investing. And it certainly holds true with trade show equipment too!

Please understand that I am not suggesting that you open your wallet beyond what makes sense; I am simply stating that one should not allow budget to be the single controlling, deciding factor. It’s the actual return on your trade show display investment that is the deciding factor.

Your “display message” is the impact and impression that your tradeshow display makes within 3 seconds or less of being viewed. In general, those first few precious seconds are all you have to pull people in to your display booth…rarely are there any 2^nd chances.

So, this begs the question: How do I make my trade show display beat the 3-second rule?

First and foremost are the graphics used on my booth. No matter what type I select, if the graphics are ineffective, my show booth will be entirely unsuccessful. I must be certain that my goals and objectives – and my “message” – are reflected in my graphics. The graphics must be stunning.

Whether you create your graphics in-house or outsource this critical task, the resulting graphics – without exception – are the first thing people will see. It is vital that you choose a very trusted source for your graphic art work.

My next challenge is actually finding the right trade show display provider. Personally, I judge the ultimate value and sincerity of any business vendor by their customer service. It is the service that I get – right from the start – that is the major influence on my decision. I am not usually “sold” by big, slick websites and high-volume vendors; I am sold by the amount of personal attention I get. This means people that listen to my needs and objectives are most important when selecting a provider. Although any trade show vendor can provide a display, not just any company will help me to achieve the best return.