You registered for the trade show. Your product packaging is on point. Your sell sheet is organized and you’re prepared to sell, sell, sell. You are trade show ready–but is your booth?
The first impression of your brand and product when a buyer greets you at a trade show is your booth, so it needs to stand out and reflect your brand.
Each year, we are impressed by the booths that From The Ground Up Trade Show (FTGU) exhibitors create. We saw some incredible ones in 2023, from Truffula Nut Creamery transporting us to island life with their wooden gazebo style booth to Hazel’s Ice Cream cart crafting sweet nostalgia in a well-branded, engaging way.
FTGU exhibitors have inspired us, and this year, we’re excited to add to the trade show awards with a new Best Booth award!
Let’s talk about what makes an exceptional booth:
- Booth Design
Your booth design needs to have strong, consistent branding with the name and logo easily visible. It should be clear what your brand and product are as attendees walk up. The colours and specifics are up to you, but make it eye-catching and reflective of your brand. - Product Display
Build it high and watch it fly–show abundance with your products! You can be creative with how you display products, but one of the most sellable ways is to replicate a grocery store display to show how your product would show in-store, whether that’s a store shelf or cooler. - Product Samples
Prepare small samples to share with everyone, and full-size samples to strategically give to interested buyers and media you connect with. This year, we’re working with ShareWares to empower exhibitors to reduce their single-use sampling waste. Find out how to make your booth more sustainable with ShareWares! - Booth Layout
The usual table at the front of the booth works, but we encourage you to play with your layout too. Can you welcome attendees in your booth and make it more experiential? Is there an opportunity to make it more interactive? We’re excited to see what you come up with. - Event Space
This year, we are excited to offer the option for registered exhibitors to choose their own booth within the event space. Choose the best strategic placement for your brand–is it a booth near the front entrance or the coffee and refreshments? Maybe the middle aisle or near the sustainability section? (Psst…corner booths are a great way to maximize space.) Think about which brand booth you want to be beside, as well. It might be a good idea to steer clear of a direct competitor, but a brand that shares your target market or has complementary products could support your sales or inspire a possible future collaboration.
Have fun with creating the booth of your trade show dreams, and may the best booth win!
Register by March 29 to exhibit at From The Ground Up Trade Show on May 9, 2024, at the PNE Forum in Vancouver.
