Imagine you’re driving down the highway in an unfamiliar city.

After a hard day of traveling, you’re craving a big, juicy hamburger.  As you look at the billboards for the restaurants ahead, which sign will you remember first – the billboard with the word “hamburger” or a 10 foot tall image of burger, grilled to perfection?

Our brains process images 60,000 times faster than words. We’re wired to remember bold vivid images, and we remember the sights, sounds, and even smells that appeal to our senses.

So why not make your next trade show both a sense-sational memory for your visitors?

1. Use Bold Images

Your trade show banner is your billboard.  Use colorful, vivid images that attract customers to you and invite them to see your offerings.  Wide format printing, used for banners and signs is the perfect invitation for customers to find out more about you.

Stuck on what images to display? Check out what your industry leaders are using.  Are they going with the simplistic images (think Apple), or something bold and in-your-face?  Large format printing is a great opportunity to make a memorable impact.

2. Try Professional Lighting

Unless you’re planning a romantic night at your favorite restaurant, a dark corner is the last thing you want to have.  Professional lighting is inexpensive to purchase (about $125) and a quick You-tube video or two will teach you all about backlighting, up-lighting, and spot lights.  It’ll will literally put your products “in the best light” for all to see.

One key to a successfully lit display?  Assemble it in advance.  If you’re new to using professional lighting, the lights, stands, and attachments can be confusing.  Put your booth together before you get the trade show to work out the kinks.

3. Appeal to their Taste

After you’ve walked 2 miles through the expo center, you’re ready to stop at the next booth for a sugar boost.  Instead of the traditional pens, why not offer a giveaway like a piece of great chocolate, popcorn or fresh cookies?  The best way to a customer’s heart just might be through their stomach!

Go for something unusual that people will remember, or partner with a local vendor to offer locally-grown or packaged food.  Some joint venture advertising may do both of you a world of good at an affordable price.

4. Show them the way with Floor Graphics

Spark attention and literally drive traffic to your booth with a bold floor graphic.  Not only will they visually see the image, but physically get in the game by walking, pointing and talking.  Engage their time and attention with bigger-than-life images.  Recommendations for floor graphics include not only a bold image, but short text and colors that contrast with the environment where you’ll be displaying your wares.  If you’re short on ideas, visit Pinterest for some inspiration.

The more you engage your potential customers with all of their senses, the more they’ll remember you.  Get a chance to connect by talking, pointing, eating, and visualizing your product.  It’s time to entice your customers with more than a brochure and use all the sense-sational appeal you can offer!

In case you need help, Ironmark has an in-house large format and installation team that can help you with all your trade-show needs! Contact us today to learn how we can help you with your next project.

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Written by Lynne Kingsley

Lynne Kingsley oversees the digital marketing client services team as well as the marketing strategy division for the company. Since joining the company in 2016, she has increased Ironmark’s digital presence by over 700%, establishing a new lead generation mechanism for the sales team. A certified inbound marketing professional and HubSpot agency partner, Kingsley has been helping companies transform their marketing function into fully diverse and streamlined growth engines since 2003. With agency and client-side work under her belt, Kingsley’s strategic experience spans both the B2B and B2C sectors. Prior to joining the Ironmark team, she served as in-house marketing director for several non-profit organizations. Kingsley is an honors graduate of the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communication at Syracuse University.
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