You know the challenge. Your booth is one of hundreds in a crowded exhibit hall. Attendees wander the aisles, eyes glazed and hands stuffed with promotional materials. How do you get them to stop; and more importantly, how do you insure those that do stop are actually potential clients interested in your company and products?

One of the most integral parts of exhibit design is in choosing your graphics. You have only the 4 seconds it takes attendees to walk past your booth to capture their attention and interest them in learning more about your company. A strong, simple design that clearly states your message is a guaranteed method of drawing qualified leads to your exhibit.

There are several questions you need to consider when designing your graphics. The foremost is what message you want to convey to your audience. Choose one or two of the points you want to make and keep your focus there. Too many ideas can confuse and overwhelm prospects.

Emphasize your company's strengths and defining characteristics. What sets you apart from your competition? Is your company a household brand in your industry? Then prominently display your name and logo above all else. Do you excel in customer service? Diversity? Innovation? Are you the most economical or reliable solution? This is the information your potential clients want to know. A purposely designed visual combined with a cohesive statement will attract and even pre-qualify attendees that need what you offer.

Along with these considerations there are some guidelines that will help insure you have the most effective graphics possible.

• Use high quality graphics.
  Sharp, bright, well-designed images create a strong, professional impression. Talk with your consultant to help you determine the ideal image size and resolution for your large format graphics. Graphics designed for the web or small format printed material are not appropriate, and will result in blurry and pixilated prints.
• Keep text copy to a minimum.
  Too much copy dilutes your message. A few lines that state your message clearly, powerfully and cleverly will make attendees want to talk to you to learn more. Use demonstrations and literature to educate them on the details.
• Tailor to your audience.
  You can get the most out of your display by using different sets of graphics tailored to attendees of different shows and regions. Research and determine whether your audience will be corporate or small business, end consumers or distributors, college grads or seniors. Changing even one element of your graphics to appeal to your target demographic can dramatically increase attendance at your booth.
• Keep your message consistent.
  Coordinate your brochures, pre-show mailers display graphics and other materials. Create a recognizable identity, making your trade show presence a single, memorable experience. A client is much more likely to remember you if they can associate images, phrases, colors and themes with your company.

With these criteria in mind, you can create a powerful exhibit with graphics that draw qualified prospects to your booth, giving you the opportunity to educate them on your product and services, and turn interested attendees into customers.