Tips for Designing Trade Show Display Graphics

Professional graphic design is within your reach, just learn what you can from these tips and you will be well on your way.

Use Bold Colors That Match Your Company's Brand

Color choice will make a huge difference in the overall look and feel of your company's trade show exhibit. When designing a trade show display, I always recommend using the boldest color that is found within your company's logo as the primary color in the scheme of your booth. Bold colors are proven to be much more effective at trade shows than muted colors.

Keep It Simple

Clean, simple images work much better than busy images to attract attention. If you're trying to accomplish too much within your trade show booth, chances are good that you won't accomplish anything at all. Your trade show display is not there to explain every detail of your company's products and/or services, that is what your booth staffers are for. The primary purpose of your trade show display is to attract attention and be memorable for attendees and visitors.

Avoid Picture Collages

Aside from the fact that you want to avoid having your trade show exhibit look like a school science project, multiple pictures crowded into a small space on your trade show graphics will overwhelm the viewer and reduce the impact of the trade show display as a whole. Collages look horrible on trade show displays. Take some time and think of a better way to represent your photos if they absolutely must be in the image, and you will be happy that you spent the time.

Be Consistent with the Rest of your Marketing Material

No matter how great your graphics look, they won't accomplish your goals unless they are consistent with the rest of your branding package. If your trade show literature looks entirely different than your display graphics, you will be sending very mixed messages to potential clients which will take you further from the desired result. You want your potential clients to leave the trade show with a vivid image of your company's brand as well as the products and/or services you provide.

Hire the Professionals

If you're not sure that you can properly design your own trade show graphics, I would highly recommend contracting a professional graphic designer who has experience in the trade show industry. Many companies that sell trade show displays staff graphic designers, and the cost per hour usually runs between $75 and $200. A few companies offer graphic design packages to cut costs, and a few companies even offer free graphic design with the purchase of a trade show display. Finding an expert in trade show graphic design can solve all your problems.