Linda Softley
You will often look at something and without realising you’ll be assessing how it looks and the emotions evoked by the appearance. This is the same principle when designing your exhibition stand. It needs to stand out and attract your targeted audience at the event.
Exhibition Industry News asked Linda Softley, Marketing Manager at Quantum Exhibitions, How can exhibitors ‘get it right’?
How can you get your stand design right?
Your stand is typically the first thing your visitors will see when they enter the exhibition along with hundreds of other stands, so how do you make yours really stand out?
The six second rule
You’ve got six seconds to attract visitors to your stand and many people who come to an exhibition won’t know who you are or what you do. The graphics and messages need to communicate quickly and clearly to help visitors identify if you are a company they want to speak to.
- Size really does matter in a crowded exhibition hall, make sure your logo is as high as possible and visible from a distance
- Bullet point your key services or products
- Ensure your strapline says exactly what it is you do
Impact with text
As people very rarely read any detailed text on an exhibition stand, messages need to be simple, large and clear – in fact on a regular 3m by 2m stand, you may only want about 20 words or fewer.
The following tips may help achieve an effective design and reduce word count.
- Show a consistent USP and benefit on all of your exhibition materials
- Avoid technical jargon
- Avoid text which goes over joins in graphics.
- Show your proposed exhibition designs to peers or friends who don’t know your company well then ask them what they think your company does. It might surprise you.
The look and feel
Keep your exhibition stand and materials within the same colour palette as your brand. Remember that information and promotional materials are as important as the exhibition stand itself so make sure all the design styles are kept the same – consistency is key. Asking printers to re-layout existing artwork often doesn’t yield the best results. You will also need to think about how and when you will re-use the stand – consider separating information onto different panels so if it changes, you only need to re-print one panel.
Your exhibition stand should work smart not just hard.
Be individual to stand out
Above all else, keep individuality at the forefront of your exhibition presence, but not at the expense of your objectives.
An effective stand design should express your brand seamlessly and aid in achieving your objectives.
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