Scores of businesses take part in trade shows every year, but only a small percentage of them end up with a positive return on their investment. It is important that you choose a trade show that will include lots of your target market, but it’s also important to have an effective trade show display.

It’s always wise to set your trade show goals, then create your trade show display based on the goals you have set. The main purpose of the display is to get them to stop, but after that you may want to make a sale, get an email address or get a survey filled out.

Choosing the right kind of display for the show you are at and for your target market is one step toward having an effective display. Your budget will determine the type of display you have to a certain degree, but things like the magnitude of your offering and how boldly you want to stand out will also be factors.

As an example, if you are premiering a new product or process and really want to make a splash, a tiny banner stand may not get the job done.

The lighting you use to illuminate your display is another factor that helps make an effective trade show display. You want your display ‘on display’ so to speak, but you don’t want any glare or shiny spots that take away from the rest of the display.

It’s wise to look at your display from several different angles, and position the lights at different angles so you can get the absolute best effect possible for people walking by.

The written information you have on your display may be the most important part of the whole thing. If you have the right display with great lighting, but have a message that your target market won’t relate to, the display won’t be effective.

Make sure that your message is relevant to the people you want to stop at your booth. And try to do it in as few words as possible, because you won’t have their attention for long.

If the message is the main element that will draw people to you at the trade show, then the colours are certainly an important complement. It’s easy to think that you’d want the brightest, boldest colours possible to attract attention, but that isn’t always the case.

Try to place your trade show display colours so they are appealing to the eye on their own, and they also help to highlight your message or copy.

A cluttered looking display is also one that will end up being ignored. Try not to include too many designs and patterns and words all jumbled together.

You can use some creativity in your design, but just remember that you want to make it possible for someone to take it all in at once, if necessary.

Since a trade show display is designed to grab attention, make sure you use some attention-grabbing words in your copy. Some good examples include:

Unique New Product Best Seller Special Price Benefits How-to

If you give people a good reason to stop, chances are they will, especially if you’ve chosen the right show. It’s a serious mistake to think that people will flock to your booth just because your product or service is that good. It might be, but no one else knows that, so they need a reason. Try things like:

Contests Referral Programs Free Giveaways Special Event Sign-Ups

http://www.northernproductions.com/Northern Productions Inc.

http://www.trade-show-advisor.com/TradeshowAdvisor.com

http://theentreprenettegazette.com/2010/07/14/make-your-booth-stand-out-at-a-trade-show/

The Entreprenette Gazette