Your direct marketing trade show exhibit is the most essential part of trade show success. The direct marketing tradeshow exhibit you display is what will draw clients and investors to your booth. A smartly designed exhibit will cause individuals to want more information about the products and services your business provides.

Trade shows provide the opportunity for you to meet new people within your industry and make potential clients and investors aware of the products and services you provide. By exhibiting in trade shows, you can establish your brand name, promote your business, create leads and increase sales. As you plan your direct marketing trade show exhibit, keep the following in mind:

1. There are a number of experts with a vast array of options when it comes to your direct marketing tradeshow display.

2. Your direct marketing trade show display board should be eye-catching and enticing, so onlookers will want to know more.

3. Your booth space and organization is a central element of your direct marketing trade show setup.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find direct marketing trade shows and design an effective direct marketing trade show exhibit

If you plan to participate in multiple trade shows throughout the year, then it's important that you design a direct marketing portable trade show exhibit. Consider using direct marketing trade show rentals for your first few trade shows. This provides you with more budget for the actual exhibit and less of a commitment (in case you don't participate again next year). Focus on presentation and quality and use lighting for emphasis and a color scheme that appeals to the eye.

I recommend: If you live east of the Mississippi, the Mid-Atlantic Direct Marketing Conference is a great tradeshow. There are a number of trade show display providers on the Internet with hundreds of options to choose from, such as Camelback Displays or Smash Hit Displays.

Find direct marketing trade show services to assist you with your exhibit

While designing and putting together your own exhibit may be cost-effective, if your budget allows, consider hiring a service that specializes in designing trade show exhibits. Doing so will relieve a lot of the stress that comes along with planning for a trade show. These services have all of the materials necessary to put a fantastic display together for you, implementing your ideas and desires, as well as their own artistic concepts.

I recommend: Keep up on direct marketing tradeshow events at the Direct Marketing Association. In addition to display design, Nimlok also provides exhibit storage and transportation as well as installation and dismantling services. While Exhibe is the recipient of many design awards, its goal in providing design services is to meet your specific design needs.

Organize your direct marketing trade show booth

If you're a first-time vendor, you should probably rent the smallest booth available so you don't find yourself overwhelmed. Organize your booth for optimal availability of your products, information, promotional items and, most importantly, yourself. The area you provide should be open, allowing individuals to flow through without feeling trapped in the crowd. Avoid clutter--the easier it is to understand your product/services, the better response you'll receive.

I recommend: Systematic Direct Marketing specializes in direct marketing consulting; contact them for tradeshow help. Tradeshow Joe provides booth accessories to help keep your area organized and presentable. Visit additional providers, such as Exhibit Warehouse, for other booth accessories.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you hire a direct marketing trade show design company to put your exhibit together, be sure to check out its references and previous work before committing. Verify that the company's resume reflects success for past clients.