Trade Show Sign Design: Data Driven Tips From Houston, TX Sign Experts
In today’s digital world, trade shows can seem like an outdated marketing tool. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, trade shows are more valuable than ever, giving owners the chance to showcase their brand in person, put teams face to face with target audiences, and assess consumer responses to new products or services in real time.
Digital marketing is still an important piece of the puzzle, but personal interactions at trade shows are more engaging, more memorable, and more likely to convert. They also provide excellent opportunities to study the competition and network with important industry players.
Don’t take our word for it—the International Journal of Sales, Retailing & Marketing says trade shows are “an irreplaceable communication and marketing tool for small and medium enterprises” (Garvic, 2018), and the Journal of Tourism Research calls them “powerful new growth engines” (Kim et al., 2020).
Of course, if you want these “growth engines” to take you places, you need to get your trade show display in shape. That means creating signs that stand out from the crowd, draw people in, and convey your brand’s quality at a glance. Easier said than done, but with The Custom Sign & Graphics Haus by your side, it’s as easy as asking.
Read on to learn some simple design strategies to help your booth stand out, or call (936)-539-4200 to speak directly with Houston, TX sign experts.
Trade Show Sign Design: 3 Tips From Houston, TX Sign Experts
In a 2017 report for the Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing, researchers Bloch et al. observed that trade shows attendees’ willingness to enter booths was affected by “specific aesthetic design elements.” Incorporating these same elements into your booth design could give your signs a competitive edge.
So what design features worked best? Across multiple experiments, study participants showed a preference for booths with:
- Visual complexity, with signs containing a combination of text and images consistently outperforming those with only one of these two elements, and booths with multi sign systems consistently attracting more visitors than their single sign competitors.
Accordingly, your trade show signs should incorporate multiple signs and multiple design elements. But don’t get carried away—we want enough complexity to draw the eye, but not enough to create “cognitive burden.” If you need help finding the balance, ask our Houston, TX sign experts.
- “Spaceless” signs, with more “breathable” booths being associated with more dwell time, impulse buying, and visitor satisfaction, whereas a sense of “spatial crowding” lowered total booth visits. For the best of both worlds—strong messaging without spatial crowding—consider some spaceless options, like wall graphics, table throws, and hanging signs.
- Warm colors, such as yellow, orange, and red. Even if your brand uses cooler colors, you should consider mixing in some warmer tones for contrast, whether you do so on your primary messaging, on accent signs or on promotional swag.
Build A Trade Show Display: Contact Houston, TX Sign Experts
The Custom Sign & Graphics Haus is your one stop shop for trade show marketing solutions in Houston, TX. We carry a wide range of products, including banners, graphics, freestanding signs, back drops, pop up tents, retractable banners, feather flags and promotional products, all of which is completely customizable and manufactured at the highest quality, and our experts are here to guide you through every step of the design process.
To learn more and get a free quote on any trade show signage, you can:
● Call (936)-539-4200
● Email Hello@CustomSignHaus.com
● Fill out our quick contact form to book your consultation online
References
Bloch, P. H., Gopalakrishna, S., Crecelius, A. T., & Scatolin Murarolli, M. (2017). Exploring booth design as a determinant of trade show success. Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing, 24(4), 237-256.
Gavrić, T. (2018). SALES EFFECTIVENESS OF DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE SHOWS-FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF FURNITURE MANUFACTURERS IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA. International Journal of Sales, Retailing & Marketing, 7(2).
Kim, B. S., Kim, K. B., Park, C., & Lee, J. (2020). Effects of Exhibitors’ Trade Show Participation on market performance: longitudinal research. Journal of Tourism Research, 25(12), 1343-1358.
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