Trade Show Booths and Duct Tape

What do you think of when you hear the phrase "trade show booths and duct tape"? If you're like most people, you probably think of repairing trade show booths with duct tape. But this article is about another use for duct tape with trade show booths. It's about the "trade show booth duct tape test", and the test does not mean whether or not you can fix or repair your trade show display booth with duct tape.

What the trade show booth "duct tape test" means is, "Can your booth (aka display or display booth) speak for itself?", as in, if your mouth has been taped shut with duct tape! An effective display booth needs to clearly communicate your marketing message, without you standing next to it and opening your mouth and explaining what your trade show design means.

Your trade show design (and marketing message) needs to quickly and clearly answer three questions. First, your design needs to state WHO you are (what your company name is). Second, your design needs to state WHAT YOU DO (especially if your company name doesn't indicate what you do). Third, and most important, your trade show design must state WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOUR CUSTOMER (WIIFM or What's In It For Me). This third point is the most critical part of your marketing message! If your potential customer can't look at your trade show booth and immediately know who you are, what you do, and how you can help him, then you need to rethink your trade show design and your marketing message! All to often companies focus on themselves, and not on their customers and what they can do for their customers - that is, the benefits and customer service they provide. People always what to hear what they can get out of a deal, not what they have to put into it. One easy way to distinguish your company from about 90% of the companies exhibiting is simply to include in your marketing message WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR CUSTOMER! Just because most other exhibitors will ignore this third point doesn't mean you should. Your design must answer this basic question - WIIFM.

To put your trade show booth though the "test", you don't need to actually tape your mouth shut (pulling the tape off after you do it can hurt in any event). While you don't need to tape your mouth shut, you do need to make sure your design has a clear message, and that it answers the three questions above. Don't rely on being there to shout at your prospective customers as they walk by your booth and then try to convince them to stop and talk with you. That is the job of your trade show design. IT is supposed to stop prospects, not you. IT is suppose to get them to want to talk to you, not you saying "So, what brings you by my booth today?" Trade show attendees will pass by hundreds of booths at the typical trade show, and only the booths that pass the duct tape test will get them to stop. Does your trade show display booth pass the duct tape test?

On a side note, not only does the duct tape test apply to trade show booths, but it also applies to all your other trade show marketing materials, including your pre-show mailers, your brochures, and your handouts. All your marketing pieces should have a clear (and consistent) message that speaks for itself!

And when you're shopping for trade show booths, make sure you buy a high quality, well designed and well built display booth so that you won't need a roll of duct tape at your show to make last minute repairs. Keep (theoretical) duct tape for your mouth, not (real) duct tape for your trade show display. Let your competitors buy the cheap trade show booths that will need bubble gum and paper clips to keep them working, and make sure you buy one that will last and get the job done.