Going through the five steps of the trade show exhibit design process can save you money on your booth design, as well as headaches and re-work down the road. And with the help of the right creative team and excellent show services support, you are guaranteed to have a great experience and an exhibit solution you love. This simple project plan has demonstrated that it works.
To help guide you in the planning process we have also developed a list of exhibit design questions that you need to answer to effectively implement the design process. By answering these questions and following the process you will have an effective booth that draws in the crowd and brings your brand to life!
Step 1: Pre-Planning
Although it is not glamorous, investing the time to answer key questions before you start is critical. Your answers will provide the purity of purpose and message that will drive the overall direction of the design. Think of this stage as an opportunity to identify your objectives for the booth and to narrow the focus to make that design as effective as possible. The more information you provide, the greater your chances that the design solution will exceed your expectations.
This phase involves completing the Exhibit Design Planning Questions.
Step 2: Discovery
The discovery phase involves identifying and communicating your purpose, goals and objectives, expectations, timelines, and budget, along with milestones and deliverables.
Take a look at your past exhibit designs and determine what worked well and what did not. Go on the internet and research the display designs of your competitors. If you took pictures at your last event, review what others did with their exhibits and identify what you liked and did not like. Flesh out how you will use the booth for the show and your desired results in order to determine the basic structure, functionality and features required in the design. These elements will have a direct impact on costs and timelines, and will provide the foundation for your budget and the design estimate.
Step 3: Design Concept and Rendering
Once the project is properly defined, the design step begins. Based on your preferences for the look, function, and budget for your exhibit, the design team develops several concepts for the exhibit design. The concepts are rendered with different views of how the booth will look in your specific trade show space. You pick the concept you like the best and provide feedback on any desired changes. You are essential to the creative process, as the exhibit designers can explore whatever direction you want. Once you are comfortable with the basic design concept, we revise it based on any suggestions you have and then provide a final rendering for approval.
Step 4: Proposal
Once the design is complete, we develop a proposal with all the elements and related costs. The proposal includes such items as graphic sizes needed, booth structure, any rental components, show services, terms and conditions, and detailed pricing for each item. If you are creating the graphic images yourself, we will send a graphic design guideline document that describes the type of files you will need to submit to us so we can produce your booth graphics, along with a timeframe of when each component must be completed to be ready for the show. We also can provide graphic design services if you prefer.
Step 5: Exhibit Building, Show Launch and Follow-up
Exhibit Building: Once the proposal has been signed, the exhibit building begins. You will be assigned a project manager and a show services manager who will help you through the process. He or she will work with you by reviewing the deadlines and making sure that you understand the entire process. Some exhibits will take weeks to develop. As we finalize the graphic elements for your booth, you will be sent proofs for approval. Upon final approval and invoicing, we can stage the booth for your in-person assessment prior to shipping to a show.
Show Launch: If we are providing show services support for your booth, you will be assigned to a show services manager who will assist you in making sure everything is set up correctly prior to the show and at the show. An on-site manager will be available to you along with telephone support from our office, as we work with you to ensure that the event goes smoothly.
Follow-up: After the show, we will contact you to discuss how everything went. Our goal is to have a happy customer!
The Right Start
Designing and building your trade show booth can be one of the largest single trade show expenditures your company will incur. To realize the greatest return on this investment, the booth must be attractive to attendees and booth staff, flexible enough to support multiple marketing campaigns if required, and cost-effective to use in terms of both purchase price and recurring costs such as shipping. We hope that by following this process you will be able to consider the many factors that go into developing a high-impact exhibit that moves your marketing goals forward. Professional assistance can simplify this process. Please visit our exhibit design page at http://www.thetradeshownetwork.com/trade-show-exhibit-design and request design ideas and an estimate for your next exhibit!
