Trade Show Booth Checklist: Banners, Signs and Swag That Draw People In

A trade show booth that draws people in needs a backdrop or banner that says what you do in a few words, readable from the aisle, plus a table throw, handouts and a giveaway people will actually keep. Plan everything as one coordinated set around your booth size and the show’s rules, and order early enough to review proofs and have it delivered before you leave.

Your booth gets a glance, so the signs have to do the talking.

Picture the aisle at a busy show. Hundreds of booths, all competing for the same people, who are carrying a bag, a coffee and a list of booths they already planned to visit. Your booth gets a glance as they walk past.

In that glance, your signage has to answer one question: what do you do, and is it for me? Your logo alone usually cannot answer that. A short headline can.

• Good: “Custom software for manufacturers”
• Harder to read in passing: a large logo with a paragraph of services underneath

Put your headline high on the backdrop, where it stays visible over the heads of people standing in front of it.

Start with the booth size and the show’s rules.

Before anything is designed, read the exhibitor kit or exhibitor manual from the show organizer. It usually covers details that affect your signs and displays:

• Booth dimensions and any height limits
• What the show provides, such as a table, chairs, pipe and drape, or carpet
• Whether you have a back wall, side walls or an open corner
• Electrical access, if you plan to use screens or lights
• Shipping deadlines and the address for advance freight
• Any material requirements set by the venue

Send those details to whoever is designing your booth. The booth size shapes everything else: the backdrop size, how many banner stands fit, and what can stand in front of what.

The core pieces, and what each one is for.

• Backdrop or large banner. Your headline and brand, visible from down the aisle.
• Retractable banner stands. Easy to set up and pack, and useful for a second message or to frame the booth entrance.
• Table throw. Covers the bare show table and puts your logo at eye level for people standing at the front.
• Handouts. Rack cards, sell sheets or brochures that keep working after the show, with a clear next step and your website.
• Business cards. Plenty of them, for everyone working the booth.
• Staff apparel. Matching polos or shirts make your team easy to spot and approach, and embroidered logos look sharp up close.
• Giveaways. Something useful that keeps your name around long after the show ends.

Design them together. When the backdrop, table throw, handouts and shirts share the same colors, logo and type, a small booth looks deliberate and professional.

Design signs for the aisle, not for your laptop screen.

A banner is not a flyer blown up. Artwork that looks great on a monitor can turn into a blur at a distance. A few rules help:

• Fewer words, larger type. One headline and maybe one supporting line.
• Strong contrast. Dark on light or light on dark. Busy photos behind text make it hard to read.
• Keep the bottom clear. The lower part of a backdrop is often hidden by your table and the people standing at it.
• Use vector logos. A small logo file stretched to banner size will look soft or pixelated.
• Leave dates off reusable pieces. A backdrop without the show name or year can go to the next event too.

When in doubt, print a small version, tape it to a wall and step back across the room. If you cannot read it, neither can the aisle.

Swag people actually keep, and better swag for real conversations.

A bowl of candy draws a crowd, but it rarely sticks. The best trade show giveaways are useful enough to earn a spot on a desk, in a car or in a bag for months.

• Choose for your audience. Think about what they actually use at work: drinkware, notebooks, chargers, tote bags.
• Consider two tiers. A small, useful item for everyone who stops by, and a nicer one for people who have a real conversation with your team.
• Match your brand. Use the same logo and colors as your booth, so the item reminds people of the conversation.
• Make it easy to carry. A bag can hold your handouts too.

Your trade show checklist, from sign-up to follow-up.

As soon as you register

• Download the exhibitor kit and note the booth size, height limits and deadlines.
• Decide on the one headline your booth will lead with.
• Request quotes for the backdrop, banner stands, table throw, handouts, apparel and giveaways together.

Before you approve proofs

• The headline is readable from across a room.
• Nothing important sits low on the backdrop.
• Logos are vector files, and colors match your website.
• Reusable pieces do not include dates.
• Handouts include your website and a clear next step.

Before you leave for the show

• Everything has arrived and been checked.
• Banner stands have been set up once, so nobody learns on the show floor.
• Staff have shirts in the right sizes.
• You have a simple way to capture leads.

After the show

• Follow up with leads quickly, while the conversation is fresh.
• Pack displays carefully for the next event.

Your next step: send your booth size and show date.

Start with two facts: the size of your booth and when the show is. With those, a designer can lay out the whole space as one set, from the backdrop to the table throw to the handouts.

Ready to plan your booth? See Atomic Interactive’s signs, banners and trade show displays.