In a perfect world, every qualified attendee at every trade show you attend would stop by your exhibit to have an in-depth conversation about how your products and services fit their needs. But, as I'm sure you've noticed, it's not a perfect world. Sometimes, you miss a prospect because your trade show booth staff is already engaged when they walk past. Sometimes, attendees are on their way to an appointment and don't have time to do more than glance into your booth. By telling your story or making your points non-verbally, you ensure that even those attendees who only glance into your booth intuitively understand what you want them to know. Five tactics to visually communicate your message:
1. Simulate or demonstrate the emotion of the user experience Emotion engages people, drives them to buy and builds brand loyalty. Therefore, an excellent way to connect with visitors and differentiate your company on the show floor is to craft a vignette or live demo that enables attendees to experience that emotion vicariously. Example: Budget and space constraints prevented GoPro from setting up a wave pool in its NAB exhibit, but that didn't stop the company from bringing the adrenaline rush of riding a wave to its exhibit. This static exhibit exuded a sense of action via a tilted mannequin riding an airborne surfboard across crashing waves. In just a glance, attendees felt a sort of action envy and found themselves imagining what it would feel like if they were the one out riding the waves with a GoPro on their wrist.
2. Employ a metaphor Select an object or image that represents a key product or brand attribute to bring a point home in a visually dynamic way.
Example: At NAB, Dell Computer wanted attendees to know that its storage products provide the massive storage capacity that the broadcasting industry (think HDTV) needs. Dell communicated this message metaphorically, housing its storage products in a repurposed shipping container—the type typically seen being loaded for cross-oceanic travel or on a railroad car. The result was exactly what Dell wanted—an exhibit environment that shouted "large storage capacity."
3. Humanize your message Companies often talk about their service and support capabilities. But without customer contact with the actual people behind these claims—the claims remain abstract concepts. This is easy to rectify if you bring your experts to your booth and allow attendees to interact with them. Net effect: you convey that you practice what you preach.
Example: At NAB, Cannon demonstrated the expertise of its product service and support team—and humanized the concept of its service department—by showcasing its service technicians in its booth. Visitors could watch the experts at work—or ask questions related to their own needs.
4. Create an extreme capability demonstration Showing trumps telling every time. So if there is a way to have attendees see for themselves that your product is stronger, faster or longer lasting—go for it. Not only will attendees watch—they'll remember.
Example: Rather than telling Infocomm attendees that its large screen plasma displays are rugged enough to withstand impact—Samsung showed them. By repeatedly dropping a mechanized hammer against the screen, Samsung stopped attendees in their tracks and wordlessly proved that when it says its screens are durable—it means it.
5. Visualize a piece of your story Every company has a story that differentiates it from the competition. This could be an origin story, a philosophy, or even a core belief. Using exhibit design to weave this story into your trade show presence helps articulate just what makes your company unique.
Example: Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day products were born when Thelma Meyer decided to make hard working cleaning products that smelled like her garden instead of "stinky chemicals." This origin story is an important part of the brand and the natural garden scents Mrs. Meyer's products are a fundamental product attribute. At Natural Products Expo West, Mrs. Meyers Clean Day visually connected with its roots by displaying its garden scented products alongside the garden plants that their scent extracts are derived from. With all the hustle and bustle at trade shows, it's important to think about the ways your brand communicates with attendees. A picture may paint a thousand words, but a three-dimensional articulation of your brand's attributes is the quickest and most memorable way to make lasting impression.
