Whether it’s a person, a trade show display, or an actual book, everyone judges a “book” by it’s cover, and this is especially true in the world of trade show displays. Vendors only get one chance to make a good first impression on attendees, and this nearly impossible to do with lackluster trade show booth design.

As a vendor, you may want to consider creating your own custom trade show booth or even working with professional trade show display designers in order to create a look that’s sure to turn heads and attract new business. With so many other vendors in attendance at a conference or trade show, it’s critical that your display stands out for the right reasons.

So whether you’re working with a trade show booth designer or going it alone, here are a few pro custom trade show booth design tips to keep in mind.

Keep up with Joneses…sort of

Doing a bit of hands on research is one of the most important custom trade show booth design tips. Real world research can help you gain a better understanding of what works and what doesn’t work for other vendors, especially those in your industry. One of the simplest ways to do this is to visit a trade show as an attendee and engage with vendors from that perspective. You may even want to stop and ask a few questions. Pay close attention to the overall look and feel of the display, the amount of traffic it receives, and how ways in which the booth staff interact with customers and each other.

Form without function doesn’t function

At the heart of every well designed custom trade show booth is a balance of form and function. A trade show booth should not only look good, but it should function well also. For example, storage is a crucial for trade show vendors, and a poorly designed booth that neglects this is bound to underperform. Other key areas of functionality to consider are traffic flow, easy access to samples, display, waste products, semi-private areas for potential customers to consult with booth staff.

Eye grabbing graphics

The whole point of going to a trade show as a vendor is to show off, and you won’t be able to do that with passive graphics or signage. Your graphics should be on brand and congruent with your existing aesthetic. When in doubt, keep it simple. It’s easy for a message to get buried beneath too much text, too many colors, or too many images. The point is to make an impact and draw attendees in with a bold, statement-making graphics.