When promoting your brand and business, you’ll likely find yourself attending a number of trade shows and conferences to network and drum up new business.  Unfortunately, at the biggest trade shows, it’s easy to be completely overshadowed by a competitor with a bigger budget, a small army of “booth babes,” and all the bells and whistles money can buy.

So how do you maximize your budget when you design custom trade show exhibits? Unlike most trade show exhibit companies, we understand that the best custom exhibits come from companies who attend events with a clear strategy, design, and execution in mind.

Strategy: What, Where, When and Why?

A winning custom exhibit design ­­and the ability of custom exhibit builders to make it a reality­­ is largely dependent on your overall strategy. Too many exhibitors go to a trade show without clear goals in mind.

When you know which trade shows you’re attending, it’s crucial to work with your team on specific goals for the event. Once you’ve outlined objectives, then it’s time to start working out a strategy and agenda for meeting those goals. Finally, it’s important to ask what sets your company apart from your competition.

Why should anyone stop and give your trade show displays their attention?

Design: How

The design of your custom exhibit booths makes a huge difference in how well received it is. For a successful custom exhibit design, you must be able to deliver the flashier, attention-­grabbing techniques that draw people in without trying so hard you seem desperate for visitors.

Remember: it’s not enough for your trade show displays to look visually appealing. It’s not enough to have the most original interactive element of the show. The design and layout of your custom exhibit design also needs to support your goals.

If your main objective is to gather new leads, then ask yourself, how do your trade show booth ideas support that mission?

Execution: Who

Our custom exhibit builders take pride in designing the best custom exhibits anyone has ever seen, and we think our work speaks for itself. Even so, when the event finally arrives, one of the most important decisions you’ll make is who exactly from your team you choose to work the event. Do you send young, ambitious team members bursting with enthusiasm, or seasoned executives capable of closing deals? Ultimately, who you send, and who you ask to stay behind at the office, can make or break your trade show experience.