Are you attracting customers to your trade show exhibit with a killer lighting strategy?
There are plenty of ways to discourage people from approaching your trade show booth (overwhelming salespeople… underwhelming salespeople…annoying gimmicks) but how do you encourage people to come look at the product or company that you’ve worked so hard to build? When it’s you against hundreds of other companies that are all vying for attention, an eye-catching, interest-generating trade show booth has to have the right lighting strategy to draw a crowd.
Know your venue lighting situation in advance.
Having a head start on the lighting guidelines of your trade show venue is as important as knowing who your competition will be. Some convention centers have very strict regulations that will hamper even the most brilliant exhibit. The last thing you want to find out is that your track lights exceed height requirements or the wattage of your bulbs violate fire safety regulations, leaving your well-thought-out booth design fading into the background. Contact your venue ahead of time so that there aren’t any last-minute surprises.
Once you’ve got the logistics nailed down, you can start diving into the details of your lighting strategy.
Choose the right lighting technique for your situation.
Trade show lighting doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all approach. What works for one booth may not work for another. Start out by focusing on what you want to highlight and what you want your booth visitors to remember.
A logo? The whole purpose of a trade show is to show off your company. All your hard work is pointless if booth attendees get home and think “Now, who was that company that sold the such-and-such?” Make sure your booth visitors remember who you are with a clear spotlight on your logo.
A product? Flexible arm and clamp-on display lights spotlight specific products or areas of your booth.
Literature or Photos? Make sure your lights are bright enough for booth visitors to read your information or see those stellar before & after photos. Track lights with adjustable heads are good for directing ambient light where you need it while adding a lot of flexibility to your design.
A feeling? Are you creating a scene? A booth selling Meditation CD’s may want soothing dim lights in a warm tone whereas a booth selling Top 40 Pop Hits CD’s might prefer cool programmable color-changing LED tape lights. One way to change the mood of an exhibit is through color temperature. Use the chart below to see how the color temperature of a light effects mood and decide which one best reflects the tone of your company and product.
Don’t forget about portability.
It’s a terrible feeling to design a killer trade show booth only to find out you can’t afford to ship it to your exhibit destination, or you can’t fit it in your vehicle. You’ve heard the old adage “travel light” but exhibit veterans will tell you “travel light with your trade show lights.” (Now say it three times fast.) Save precious cargo space & shipping costs by opting for small, portable display lights. Even better, choose small, portable, battery operated display lights that don’t even need a power cord.
Key Takeaway
Trade shows require a big investment of company resources. Utilize every last bit of them by doing your homework and designing a creative lighting strategy that attracts positive attention.