Designing Custom Banners and Signage for Trade Shows, Exhibitions, and Events
Whether you’re preparing for a trade show, exhibition, conference, or any event that requires visual impact, banners are an essential tool in your marketing arsenal. A well-designed banner can capture attention, communicate your message, and leave a lasting impression. Follow these expert tips to help you create banners and signage that will stand out and achieve your goals, no matter the occasion.
Have a Clear and Concise Message
Your banner or signage should clearly convey a concise message that is easily understood at a glance. Be mindful of generational messaging to avoid confusion. Avoid cluttering the design with too much text or graphics. Use a catchy headline, a supporting sub-headline, and key bullet points to get your message across quickly.
Use High-Quality Images and Graphics
Use high-quality images and graphics that are relevant to your message. Blurry or pixelated visuals can give a poor impression and undermine the professionalism of your brand. If possible, use original images that showcase your products, services, or the essence of your business. Choose the best fabrics and print options that will provide the detail, color, and durability that sets you apart.
Use Bold and Readable Fonts and Colors
Choose fonts that are bold and easily readable from a distance. Fancy lettering here is not your friend. Stick to a maximum of two fonts to maintain consistency and clarity. Avoid overly decorative or script fonts that might be hard to read from afar or persons with visual deficits. Utilize contrasting colors that pop. Soft pastels, muted, or washed out color font can be very difficult to read from certain advantages. If you branding falls into one of these color type categories, work around it for the font. Whether it is using complimentary colors or vivid shades of a color palette that can express your brand.
Maintain Consistent Branding
Ensure your design is consistent with your brand’s identity. Branding is key to having viewers remember you. It is the essence of what you want your customers to feel or think of when they interact with your business or venture. Your brand is what sets you apart from the rest. So being consistent is important. Be thoughtful about adding your logo, the color choices, and images that will be associated with the brand. Any visual elements that your target audience associates with your business. Consistency helps build brand recognition and credibility.
White Space is Crucial
Don’t overcrowd your banner with content. Viewers need to get the message quickly for a whole host of reasons. White space, or negative space, is crucial for maintaining a clean and organized design. It helps provide options for focal points. Allows the viewer to focus on essential elements. Used alongside the other key principles of design, white space is an essential tool for your messaging.
Have a Call to Action in your Messaging
Include a strong call to action (CTA) that tells the viewer what you want them to do next. Do you want them to stop at your booth?, take a left turn at the light?, visit your website?, click on a link?, or leave their contact information? As you can see, CTA options are limitless, so be mindful which one is the best CTA for that particular banner or sign. A compelling call to action can drive engagement and conversions like no other.
Test Before Finalizing your Design
Before finalizing your design, do a test run. Consider printing a smaller version or displaying it on a a couple of computer screens to simulate the event setting. Sit with it for a short while. Get feedback from objective persons… and objectively take in that feedback. Without cueing them, take a quick survey on what impression they get from your displayed messaging. This is your quality check moment so Verify the messaging! This can help you quickly and cost effectively identify any potential issues with readability, color contrast, or overall impact.
Designing effective banners for trade shows, exhibitions, and other important events requires careful consideration of your intended messaging, impactful visuals, and consistent branding. A well-executed banner or sign can quickly capture your audience to communicate your intention, and drive the results you are looking for. A bit of planning ahead will leave you well-equipped to create banners and signage that leave your intended impression and will contribute to the success of your marketing efforts.
