If you are considering exhibiting at a trade show or exhibition, your stand design will be crucial. Design plays a hugely important role in attracting attendees, engaging interested parties, and making a positive impression.
To stay competitive, you cannot afford not to pay attention to the colors and materials, the layout, interactive features, and other design elements. Custom exhibition stands should be carefully designed using proven design psychology principles.
Here, learn more about the links between science and exhibition stand design, including what makes a good first impression, the importance of a multi-sensory approach, and the psychology of event space.
Knowing First Impressions Matter
As an exhibitor at a trade show, you’ll be competing with other businesses to grab the attention of passers-by. You need an attractive stand that gets you noticed and pulls people in your direction. Visuals are the first thing to get right since humans are hard-wired to process visual information quickly.
Creative techniques for getting noticed can include bold graphics, clever lighting, and visual technology. Technological advances, like virtual walls and motion-controlled technology, have transformed exhibition stands over the last few years, so there are some exciting options for you to explore.
Why Color Counts
With color, there’s a fine line between drab and uninspiring, and overwhelmingly loud. Balance is key to avoiding sensory overload. You need to choose a simple overall color scheme for your stand to be visually pleasing.
You will likely want to use your brand colors on your stand to ensure that it aligns with your brand’s image, values and messaging. Your brand colors will likely have been chosen by branding specialists who know that color has a significant effect on consumer behavior. Here’s a brief overview of the neuroscience of color:
- Red can invoke intense energy and excitement, even affecting the human heartbeat.
- Blue is known to assist with focus
- Green is a calming color that can reduce anxiety
- Yellow is associated with optimism
All that said, color is complex and can be challenging to get right. People react to colors differently for various reasons, including gender and cultural background. You need to make sure you have taken the advice of professionals who understand your business and target market before you make color decisions for your exhibition stand.
Making the Most of a Multi-Sensory Approach
The current trend in exhibition spaces is to go for an immersive, multi-sensory experience. This means the inclusion of a range of elements beyond the visual aspects already discussed, such as:
- Music and/or soundscapes
- Mood and/or reactive lighting
- Tactile materials
- Interactive experiences like touchscreens and virtual reality
- Symbols and icons
- Imagery
- Scent
Multi-sensory elements serve to interest the visitors to your stand, encouraging them to interact with your brand for longer. The elements contribute to psychological priming – the idea that subtle cues can influence your audience’s perception of your brand.
A multi-sensory approach is more likely to provide a memorable and engaging experience that forges an emotional connection with your brand. This will create more leads and help build your brand’s name. To make the most of the full spectrum of multi-sensory options and the latest exhibition technology, you should discuss your needs with an exhibition contractor.
Understanding the Power of Space
Carefully planning how event attendees will move around your space is vital. You should aim for a space that is easy to navigate, open and inviting. Ensure your potential customers can easily interact with product displays, demonstrations and interactive content.
One important consideration is the use of spatial dynamics. This means using varying heights and depths to create visual interest and lead the gaze of anyone who enters the space. Pay careful attention to the use of symmetry and asymmetry according to the atmosphere you want to create. Symmetry helps create a harmonious atmosphere but asymmetry can be more striking and intriguing.
Consider how the flow of foot traffic will work. Pay attention to the storytelling experience that entering your space will provide. Try to create a clear narrative that weaves through the space and leads your visitors towards interacting with your business. Again, making use of the knowledge and experience of exhibition stand contractors will ensure you properly harness the use of space.
Forging Meaningful Connections Through Your Exhibition Stand
Designing an effective exhibition stand goes beyond basic visuals. It's about leveraging psychological principles to captivate visitors. Focusing on interactive elements, use of space, clear messaging, and multi-sensory experiences is important. This way, you can create an exhibition stand that helps foster valuable connections with your audience.
Implementing these principles will ensure your brand stands out at trade shows, leaves a lasting impression and drives valuable business results. Remember that engaging with the best custom exhibition stand contractors will prove to be a valuable investment that ensures you make the most of trade show opportunities.
