Struggling to create an unforgettable experience at a trade show? That’s pretty much it. How quickly can you make a good impression on someone? In reality, you only have 3 seconds.
The first second is when you catch their attention as they walk past your booth.
The second second is when they choose to come to your booth or walk away.
The third second is where they engage or choose not to engage with your brand or product.
The first three seconds
Sometimes thinking about your booth with this “three-second” understanding can help you make better marketing decisions. It forces you to think: How can I design a booth that grabs attention and can draw people in within that three-second time frame? What will interest and even surprise my potential customers? Here’s your opportunity to create a trade show experience that’s so engaging and innovative that it gives people an instant brand memory.
Attracting the right people to your booth
Keep in mind that you don’t want just anyone in your booth either. You want to focus on welcoming qualified people who are going to actually engage and connect with your product or brand.
Wondering how to do this? You may have an untapped superpower right under your nose. Think about the power of using your booth to inspire current customers to connect with potential customers. Real people connecting with real people can have a huge impact. And as a bonus, your customers unknowingly start doing some of your work for you. Talk about creating lasting brand memory!
Create a cohesive visual experience
So how do you design an attractive booth? Never underestimate the importance of keeping graphics simple and memorable. The adage “less is more” applies here. Thinking about the 3-second rule, remember that your audience can only take in so much in a short amount of time. That’s why it needs to be clean, clear, and impactful. Visually, you want it to be something they can digest quickly, without too much fuss or complicated text or images.
If this seems out of reach, don’t resist hiring a design team. Trying to do it yourself without any real design experience can be frustrating and draining on your funds. Even on a budget, you can end up saving money if you hire an expert. Like us, here at Rockway, who can support you from concept to completion.
A design team can also help you adapt to changing market conditions and evolving trends. Sometimes when someone does it themselves, they are more “attached” to the results and have a harder time evolving the booth over time in an appropriate way.
Calculate your risks
The other thing that will increase the value of your booth is developing the ability to take calculated risks. We’ve all heard that there’s no growth in the comfort zone, and that certainly applies to your booth design. How can you step outside of your comfort zone and try something more original? Obviously, the “calculated” part of calculated risk means you’re not going to throw a ton of money at something without consulting your team or making a plan. You can’t take a calculated risk if you don’t calculate anything at all. But you have to take risks in this business and learn to pivot if things don’t go well.
One last thing: don’t forget to embrace change! Even when things are going well, you need to anticipate the next step, the next client, and the next new growth in order to stay relevant and succeed exponentially. Build a dynamic team to help you maintain the energy and momentum you need to create a lasting salon experience and a brand impression that lasts much longer than 3 seconds.