The costs for a trade show are usually the largest item in the marketing budget. It is all the more important to use this budget sensibly and to avoid mistakes when planning the trade show booth rental in Orlando. We show you which 5 errors can occur.

You don’t define any trade show goals in advance

Work with your trade show team to develop trade show goals that you want to achieve with your participation. These should be concrete and, above all, measurable.

When defining your trade show goals, use the SMART formula as a guide, for example.

S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Achievable
R – Realistic
T – Time-Bound

Do you want to

• Win new customers
• Maintain regular customers
• Introduce new products
• Increase your level of awareness
• finish contracts
• Open up new markets

An example of SMART trade show goals:

Your sales department would like to generate at least 20 new leads from 50 conversations held at the trade show booth, arrange 5 appointments within 4 weeks of the trade show and win 2 new customers within six months of the end of the trade show.

Trade show goals are important for clear, consistent trade show communication.

In every phase of booth design, your ideas and approaches should serve to meet your trade show goals.

You are in the wrong location

Provided you have a say in the choice of location, try to book a booth near the large trade show booths at the central main entrances or at the intersections of main aisles. This is where most of the visitors come. Most people automatically look to the right. So the best choice is to position yourself in the middle or on the right side of the walkways.

The proximity to catering areas has also proven to be advantageous. Visitors pass your trade show booth twice – once on the way to the catering and again on the way back.

The central places are very popular. Hence the tip: The earlier you plan and book your booth, the greater the chance of getting one of the coveted spaces. Of course, the choice depends on the type of booth you have.

The booth is too crowded

The available space on a trade show booth is often overestimated. The result is trade show booths that are overloaded with exhibits and furniture.

Make your booth open and inviting. Make sure your booth has enough space for booth staff and visitors to move around.

Every booth, large or small, is divided into three functional areas that determine the overall size of the booth:

In the first step, trade show visitors want to get their bearings. Avoid visual inhibitions in the front area that prevent your visitors from entering your trade show booth rental in Orlando.

In the presentation area, visitors primarily want to receive product and service information. And if possible from innovative, new solutions. Limit yourself to a small selection of exhibits that represent your product portfolio as precisely as possible.

The aim is to lead visitors from the presentation area to the meeting area. Make sure you have enough seating there. Customers also have exhausting days at the fair. Your customer will thank you if you give them something to eat and they can sit down.

The booth is too dark

Make sure that the booth is well lit.

It shouldn’t be too dark, too bright or dazzle the visitor.

You can use lighting to set specific accents and draw your visitors’ attention to different elements, such as your exhibits or graphics.

Do not rely on the on-site lighting, as this is often not sufficient. Rely on additional LED spotlights on the trade show walls. We recommend using a spotlight every 1.5 m wall unit.

Beautiful eye- catchers are LED light walls backlit on one or both sides.

The booth is overlooked

Make sure you have the necessary long-distance effect on your booth. One possibility is ceiling suspensions with your logo or your marketing message.

Alternatively, you can go beyond the usual height of 2.5 m. Either build the entire trade show booth higher or use a raised booth.

Note the maximum height of the respective trade show organizer.

Other points to consider

• Position your company logo in the right place
• Use your CI colors
• Make sure your advertising messages are easy to read
• Avoid too much text. Take note of the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words.

These were some of the few critical mistakes that you should avoid making at your next trade show booth rental in Orlando.

Read – The Ultimate Trade Show Checklist.