3 Booth Strategies to Make Your Customers Comfortable
When you’re creating a booth layout for a trade show, its natural to focus a lot of attention on the visual elements of the booth. After all, the design and graphics will play a large role in how your brand is represented. Curb appeal is hugely important, and the design helps to visually express your brand’s message.
With that being said, don't overlook how you plan to use your booth. The space needs to be planned out for how it will be used. How will people enter the booth? Where will you be positioned to answer questions? Where will you place information for easy access? Do you need space for storage?
Three common booth strategies to consider...
Booth Style #1: Meet and Greet
The purpose of this booth is brand awareness (to increase name recognition). You’re not pushing a specific product as much as introducing or re-establishing your brand. This booth style will have large, general graphics with an open layout for people to mingle comfortably. Usually you will have a smaller branded display like a counter in a front corner of the booth. This counter usually holds giveaways and off to the side to allow a wide opening for incoming traffic.
Booth Style #2: Coffee is for Closers
The purpose of this booth is to close sales or at least open leads at the event. These booths will typically have large graphics with a more sales focused approach. The booth itself will typically have seating areas or “stations” where sales reps can talk with potential clients in a somewhat private setting. Some of the larger booths will have meeting rooms built into the layout. Often times these booths will have monitors, iPad stands, or literature racks in the booth so they are easily accessible to your clients and sales team. Usually, a branded counter will be placed in the middle of the booth opening to help your team see and acknowledge everyone that is taking interest in your display.
Booth Style #3: Product Sales
The setup of this booth is a little different because you will need to find a balance of adequate merchandising and room for guest interaction. This is where your trade show display provider can really help by creating 3D renderings and offering layout advice. The back wall graphics can be large general graphics or more product oriented, especially if you are displaying multiple products. This is where branded merchandising displays can help showcase your brand, your products, and not interrupt the traffic flow in your booth. You will also want to use displays such as a branded counter that can double as storage space for additional merchandise, payment tools, and giveaways.
If your booth doesn't fit one of the above molds perfectly and your budget doesn't allow for numerous booths, that's fine. Most clients buy booths with the intention of being as versatile as possible. At one event you may need a “meet and greet” booth but the next event you will be showcasing your new product line. This usage is common and easily achievable. By planning out how you intend to use your booth, your trade show display producer should be able to help plan your graphics, accessories, and shipping materials so that you adjust your booth as needed.