How to Create Tradeshow Booths That Stand Out in the Hall
Tradeshow season is upon us, and we’re here to talk about how tech brands can create tradeshow booths that dominate with simplicity and clarity.
Tradeshows are one of the largest line items for marketing and sales budgets, and there is considerable pressure in “getting your money’s worth” as a vendor. In fact, 93% of exhibitors believe that quality of the leads is the most important outcome of events they attend (Freeeman). And what’s the first thing visitors usually see? Your tradeshow booth.
But tradeshow booths are often left out of the marketing and sales strategy discussion - seen almost as an afterthought – In effect, booth displays are notoriously cluttered, mismatched, confusing, and disengaging. In this article, we’ll provide recommendations to improve your tradeshow booth and stand out in the vendor hall. Let’s dive in.
Simplify Your Tradeshow Booth Display
One of the biggest mistakes tech companies make in their tradeshow strategy is placing too much information on their booth display. Too much text, too many bullet points, too many icons, and too many images create visual clutter and overwhelm your visitor’s eye. Recent studies from Yale and The National Eye Institute reveal that too many visual elements cause cognitive overload and reduce our working memory.
So why do so many companies overload their tradeshow collateral with information? FOMO.
There is a pervasive fear of “losing” potential booth visitors by not including enough details about your organization or products. Truth is, you’ll lose your visitors by cramming too much information into your display. You don’t have to showcase every product, service, or feature you offer. The most successful tradeshow designs are the ones that are brilliantly simple, obvious, and attention-grabbing.
By simplifying your booth messaging, you’ll have the opportunity to share your story and explain your products face to face, without visitors making assumptions based on text alone. You’ll also gain the full attention of the visitor because they won’t be distracted by reading all the text in your booth. Take a tip from the tradeshow booths of the most successful, buzzworthy company: they are all delightfully simple.
How to declutter your tradeshow booth display
Start by removing all bullet points from your tradeshow booth. Bullet points in tradeshow displays are an outdated concept and will make your brand look stale.
Lead with a single headline sentence, or at the most, one headline sentence and one sub header. Incorporate just one photo or image that supports your headline. You can even remove all imagery and place the focus on one big, bold message in front of a solid color background. If you have a secondary booth element, like two pull up banners or a tabletop, utilize this space to support your headline sentence with a sub header that expands on your headline, or a short quote that reinforces your headline.
Below is an example of a tradeshow booth we developed for Gemineye, a data analytics SaaS for banks and credit unions. We focused solely on the primary pain point/solution we discovered through market research, stripping away all product and feature elements. The result is a bold booth with just enough messaging to pique interest.
Be intentional about your decision-making and trust the facts behind simple booth messaging. Remember, there’s a reason why Apple’s branding is so beloved: It’s simple.
Craft a Clear, Compelling Headline for Your Tradeshow Booth Messaging
If you are vendor at a tradeshow, one thing is for certain - you are going to have competition. Vendor halls can be chaotic and overstimulating for both attendees and vendors. Unless you have the biggest budget at the show, you will inevitably have companies surrounding your booth with larger, flashier ones. We’ve seen booths with puppies and real tattoo stations.
You can cut through the noise with a powerful booth headline, also known as a value proposition. In our previous segment, we discussed the importance of ditching the visual clutter and focusing on a single headline sentence. The very best organizations focus on a headline that drives interest and gets visitors in front of the booth, which provides an opportunity for a conversation with the sales team. The rest is up to them.
How to write a powerful headline for your booth
Creating a clear, compelling headline which piques your visitor’s interest is easier said than done. Too abstract, and you confuse your audience. Too specific, and you are ruining the opportunity for a face-to-face conversation.
At 38th & Kip, we specialize in value propositions and situations where a little bit of text needs to go a long way (see our tutorial here and here). Below, we breakdown the formula we use to create tech value propositions that hit that sweet spot. While there is no hard and fast way to write a value proposition, the key is to include elements that weave a short story about who you serve, how you help, and what makes you different. Here are a few examples of our value proposition methodology:
[Solution] for [audience] that [solves pain point] without [catch]
A sales platform for startups that provides demographic insights with no contract.Transform/change [thing] client has] into [thing they want]
Transform your AI call center experience from stressful to streamlined.[Desirable outcome] from [undisputed company]
Reach your lending goals with a platform running on Fortune 50 technology.
Below is an example of a value proposition we wrote for restaurant technology SaaS Popmenu’s National Restaurant Association booth in 2023. “Marketing so easy, you can do it in your sleep.”
Check out a few other value propositions from tech leaders around the web.
We hope you found this article on creating tradeshow booth displays that are simple and clear helpful as you navigate tradeshow strategies. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive monthly tips on branding, design, and marketing strategy just like the ones in this article.
