OH SHIT— YOU STILL NEED A WINTER TRADE SHOW BOOTH?

Winter trade show season for the outdoor and snow industry is right around the corner. Are you ready for it?

The outdoor industry loves this time of the year. You and your team have presumably spent the summer preparing for this time, came up with a great booth idea, and already have everything you need for it printed, packed, and ready to rock. Right?

(insert chirping crickets here)

​Hopefully you’re ready to head to Salt Lake next month for Outdoor Retailer and then over to Denver for SIA, but if you’re a smaller company with a small team, chances are the scramble is real.

5 QUICK TIPS FOR YOUR TRADE SHOW BOOTH:

1. Bright, shiny objects.

Years ago, my best friend was getting ready for a date, and as she was selecting earrings, she casually told me, “Men like shiny things.” I laughed, but it’s proven true. From chainrings to topsheets, people like bright and shiny. Make sure your booth is not obnoxious, but stay away from muted earth tones and grey shades that blend in with the background. Red is a color that the human eye brings to the foreground, so having bold reds and oranges (even just as color pops) is always a good idea in trade show design.

2.  Human beings inherently turn their shoulders to the right and look right when they enter a space.
For real. It’s weird, but they do. Make sure that when someone enters your booth and looks slightly right, you have something enticing there. (Hint: This is a good place to hang your best piece of outerwear or your flagship skis.) 

3. We need a giant version of our logo at the top of our booth, right?
If you’re a large company with ample brand recognition, then yes, that's powerful enough. If you are a smaller company trying to make your mark in the industry, you could go with a leading hook explaining what you are instead of who you are. Example: The best snowboards you haven’t ridden yet. (then put your logo under that). It’s all about reeling people in, but first you have to hook ‘em.
4. F&%#, these booths are expensive!
On a budget? Oh wait, there is no budget?? One word, my friend: pallets. Did you see the abundance of pallets at summer OR? They looked terrific. The outdoor industry is all about reduce, reuse, recycle, and luckily for you, pallets fall into all three of those R’s. You can go to your local hardware store, department store, or brewery and score some free pallets. A saws-all, a sander, and some different shades of stain are all you need to construct walls that look so rustically outdoorsy it looks like you’ve been planning this for months. Need more info— jump on Pinterest for ideas. (Your girlfriend thought you'd never ask.)

5. Schwag and Activities.
If you can give away something cool that people will walk around with (trucker hats, light up bracelets, ice cream cones), this is free advertising all over the tradeshow floor. ("Free ice cream?!! I’m definitely heading to that booth!") At your both, you could also have some type of athletic challenge or contest to win free gear. That draws a crowd and brings out the competitive drive in people. And makes you guys look like the ridiculously fun company that you are. (You want this ice cream cone?? Only if you can do 3 pull-ups on these hanging ski poles. Or something.) 
If all else fails, post a FREE BEER sign and give the good people what they want. Be awesome and chat them up while you pour their drink.

Is designing a trade show booth getting you down?? Call us. We can help. 406-862-1440