George Little Management’s Top Display Hints

This is a general explanation of display suggestions which does not apply to a particular city's fire and safety regulations or union jurisdictions. Please check with each Show’s set-up manual and the prescribed union regulations of the city in which the exhibition takes place before planning for a trade booth installation. The GLM Operations Department can be contacted at (914) 421-3344 to answer any questions regarding rules, regulations and labor jurisdictions.  The most successful exhibiting companies have achieved their highest sales goals by following the Show rules, being a good neighbor and using creativity on a tight budget.

Key
$        First-time exhibitors on a tight budget
$$       Returning exhibitors with specific design needs on a medium budget
$$$     Exhibitors holding an established identity looking to update their image on a generous budget
Each rendering supports the description for the medium budget design needs.

LIGHTING

Booths which are fully illuminated are welcoming, warm and show your product well. Be sure your booth is adequately lit. Several GLM Shows include lighting with the booth package. Refer to the "Booth Description" section in your exhibitor set-up manual for clarification. Set-Up Manuals are usually mailed 6-8 weeks prior to show. You may also check the Show's website to see if the on-line manual is available. If your booth package does not include lighting, you can supply your own fixtures, or order them from the official electrical contractor. In both situations, the electrical union workers must install the fixtures. These fixtures and prices for union labor are offered at a fixed cost. Many convention centers offer discounts on lighting orders placed well in advance of the Show, so remember to start early.

There are three parts of lighting that you will be paying for: fixtures, power and labor. All cities are different so be sure to read the electrical order form carefully, some cities include the labor with the power price. If you need clarification, call the electrical contractors office at the convention site.

$ A good rule of thumb for lighting is to make sure your entire booth has an even spread of illumination. You can order installation of your own fixtures or use lighting offered through the electrical contractor that is included in your booth package. Some exhibitors choose to rent additional lighting in combination with their own lights (click here to view example). When the lamps are installed, you should have the light beams pointed in a direction that highlight or compliment your merchandise.

$$ If repeated rental lighting is costly or does not meet your needs, consider purchasing your own lighting fixtures, extension cords and spare light bulbs. The initial investment may be costly but becomes more economical as you exhibit in more shows. Many exhibitors purchase halogen lamps (click here to view example) at their local hardware store. Be sure that all fixtures purchased are UL (Underwriters Laboratories) approved and are three prong, grounded plugs. Lights should be placed at the front top corner of your booth (ideally, the lighting should be designed to be self-supporting as the general service contractor is most venues prohibit affixing exhibitor owned fixtures to their booth equipment) with the beam aimed at the opposite side, toward the rear of the booth. You will find that the beam spread covers nearly the entire side of the interior. This is a cost effective way of utilizing your dollars per watt over the most amount of surface space.

$$$ Since color rendition is important to those exhibitors featuring goods with special dye lots and pigments, a mix of lighting is recommended. Most exhibition halls feature HID (high intensity definition) or fluorescent lights which both cast a blue hue. By using incandescent light combined with an HID or fluorescent light system you will increase the value of your booth’s general hue and chroma. This is a scientific result which, in lighting terms, addresses depth as well as variation of color.

SIGNS AND GRAPHICS

Company identity can be established through the use of graphics and signage.Refer to the booth description section of your set-up manual to see what type of sign, if any, is included in your booth package.Set-Up Manuals are usually mailed 6-8 weeks prior to show. You may also check the Show's website to see if the on-line manual is available. There is usually a form in the manual you need to fill out to have your sign made. It is not mandatory to order a sign through the general service contractor's graphic department if you feel it does not compliment your company image or logo. Exhibitors who are able to use their own signs and logos are encouraged to do so.

$ Some of the most successful booths repeat their company logo on the back wall (click here to view example 1; or click here to view example 2) as well as on the side partitions (click here to view example). An easy way to achieve a graphic program for a booth is to enlarge and duplicate your company logo through the service of a local photocopy shop. Mounting the photocopy paper (with rubber cement only) on a piece of poster board will ensure its stability for hanging during the run of the show. This attracts buyers from the aisle and pulls them into your booth.

$$ Having a graphic designer create a logo which uses your company name with a color icon is an effective way of establishing the feel of your booth as well as the company image (click here to view example). Be sure to continue to use the same logo show after show. This will make it easier for buyers to recognize and remember your company during repeat visits. Your company logo can be printed on plastic corrugated board for better durability and longevity.

$$$ Having your logo and color image silk screened onto custom drapery can be more of an architectural approach to continuing company recognition. Some of the most successful booths hang drapery rods in the rear wall holding a flat, flame-resistant curtain with the company logo printed directly on the fabric. Some of the logos are repeated up to ten times on the same curtain panel. For further research of how a logo is presented in a repeating style, visit a typical cosmetic counter at any department store and notice how many times the company name is shown. Be sure the fabric drapery meets the fire codes in the city in which you are exhibiting.

CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT

Setting the tone for an entire exhibit is one of the most important design aspects. This gives the buyer an immediate feel for your company’s image and reputation. Sprucing up a booth can be done in a fashionable and cost effective manner by using different colors of cloth. Make sure the cloth is fire resistant as required by law. Often times, fabric placed on display alone makes a bold statement. The cloth can also be purchased to match the booth’s carpet color. Different carpet colors can be ordered through the Show’s Decorating company stock collection. Exhibitors wishing to have the look of hard walls can purchase white or colored flame resistant foam board through the Show’s recommended supplier. All order forms can be found in each Show set-up manual. Set-Up Manuals are usually mailed 6-8 weeks prior to show. You may also check the Show's website to see if the on-line manual is available.

$ By draping flame resistant fabric over risers stacked on a table, you can create an effective merchandising technique. By varying the height of display risers, you can create a visual rhythm by placing the items in high areas and lower sections through an alternating format in the space. This will create a visual interest without the booth becoming chaotic. Those of you who are more adventurous can drape the same cloth on the back wall to cover the existing show curtains. This is easily achieved by attaching the material to the top rear pipe with metal spring clamps or "S" hooks bought at any hardware store.  (View several examples: example 1; example 2; example 3; example 4; )

$$ To take the use of flame resistant fabric a step further, chair covers can be purchased in a fabric of your choice. Many basic booth packages come with a chair. Since the measurements of each booth chair will vary from show to show, it is wise investment to purchase a loose cover with a bow at the chair back. By matching material to your carpet color, merchandise and company logo, your booth will present a more cohesive package to buyers. As opposed to fabric, fire retardant foam board gives a solid feeling to the partitions of a booth. Exhibitors can submit a plan in advance to the Show’s official foam board supplier as long as the board is designed to stay within the parameters and measurements of the actual display booth. Keep in mind there is usually a maximum height measurement as well as official guidelines for the inner length and width.

$$$ Companies which have done cloth custom work have been able to achieve a great look by stretching material over panels similar to Japanese shoji screens (click here to view example); units which look like giant canvas painting panels. A thin theater scrim (gauze-type) cloth mounted on wooden frames serve as excellent tools to frame out the front of a booth. This gives the booth a feeling of an intimate room where buyers will want to slow down and stop. Permanent hardwalls of fire treated wood can also be placed in a display booth. Unlike foam board, more permanent wall materials (click here to view example) are difficult to customize to various booth sizes. Be sure your previous booth had the exact same dimensions as the one where you are planning to show next so that it will be easier for you to re-use the wooden side wall panels.

Remember: the maximum running length for a manufacturered/hardwalled displays must be at least 3" less than the actual length of the exhibit space (ie: 9'9" for 10' wide display and 19'9" for a 20' wide display).

SPECIAL PROPS AND FIXTURES

Props (properties) are special elements which help to sell the concept of a booth or company image as well as adding an accent to the environment which you are creating. Many Hollywood films depend on the use of props to project a feeling of reality on the screen. Would you recognize Casablanca’s Bogey without his famous martini glass in hand? As in motion pictures, the exhibitor has the option to fill the display set with props which help to maximize the sales along with merchandise flavor. GLM encourages use of props to strengthen the individuality of your booth.

$ The best recommendation is to look no further than in a friend’s or relative’s storage area. As a first step, start with people you know who have an established reputation for bargain hunting and collecting as your first prop suppliers. Unusual items like wire baskets, old fashioned fruit scales, funny hats, picture frames and artificial flowers often serve as great props. A quick dash of spray paint on some of the items may give new life to the once weathered goods. Since props usually enhance the product’s look, it is best to display the merchandise in front of the props.

$$ Prop houses provide the service of renting unusual items. If the props are going to be expensive to rent on an ongoing basis, consider purchasing fixtures and special items. Garage sales are excellent resources for used items; however, many exhibitors have been pleased with buying new items from one of many mega-chain stores which offer knock-down furniture. Traditional (click here to view example) as well as modern (click here to view example) items can be found to fill the need for extra shelving, seating and desks at a reasonable market price. Be sure to purchase goods which are made of fire resistant materials, such as metal bakers racks for shelving.

$$$ Larger companies which are aware of their physical needs can have props custom made to build upon their established image. Large three-dimensional images of the company icons are usually the most successful. Exhibit designers can create custom shelving and display areas which support the look of the merchandise as well as the company style.

LOGICAL PLACEMENT OF ITEMS WITHIN THE BOOTH

A few basic display rules can make your exhibit a success. As a catch-all rule, goods are usually shown together in groups for a number of reasons. Grouping products together is done to create visual interest, sell by a set or using one color to tie many unrelated goods together. Some merchandise pieces are sold in tandem (click here to view example), while different items may relate to each other because of one common element (click here to view example). Keep a mental track of what items sell well together.

$ The placement of products in a booth has a direct impact on the sales during the run of the show. Unlike retail, many wholesale spaces draw the buyer with a demand (non-impulse) item in the front of the booth, and the add-on merchandise is featured in the rear. This attracts the traffic from the aisle. If you are using a table provided by the facility or general service contractor, be sure to place it toward the rear or the booth to create an inviting booth for buyers to enter and browse (click here to view example).

$$ Companies which have a lot of merchandise to display each time may want to draw up a merchandise placement sketch (click here to view example) in advance of each show to study the look of their booth. Before the show, pack the goods by section to ensure an easy set-up. Merchandise may be placed together by sharing common colors, textures or shapes (click here to view examples). To establish a balance between empty space and merchandise in the booth, use separate groupings of items in an alternating low and high arrangements. The low arrangements can consist of merchandise on a table with other goods placed nearby on risers to catch the eye at a higher level.

$$$ Use the services of a professional exhibit designer and merchandiser. These are people who will be able to maximize sales by placing furniture and goods within a booth to create visual interest. Designing a typical booth from plans on paper to the actual installation will take roughly five months. An intricate booth can take up a year to develop. Remember that changes cost much more in a last-minute emergency situation, so be sure to allow enough time to correctly plot your design.

Be Bold in Making Booth Design Changes

Set up a mock version of your booth in a garage or basement when you are in the planning stages. Before a booth is installed, many companies place fabric swatches, graphics and colors next to each other to be sure all elements work well together. This will give you better insight as to the image your company is portraying to the industry. Take a tip from larger retail companies and use their display techniques.

Try to stimulate many senses when designing your booth:

CHECK LIST:

Hardware Store: Clamps, UL listed Lighting Equipment with a three pronged plug and lock

Upholstery Store: Fabric (fire resistant material required by law)