Minimize Trade Show Stress With 3D Booth Models

Samantha Reid | Gallery Design Studio Editor + Copywriter

Admit it, sometimes it’s hard to be sure how much ROI your booth actually generates at a trade show however here are some facts:

Nearly half of all attendees (49%) at a given show are planning to buy one or more service or product. This means the folks wandering past your booth are looking to invest. 

Not only do they want to buy, but they are empowered to buy. Most of them have authorization to make decisions on the spot: 4 out of 5 participants (82%) have purchasing power.

Even better than the returns, trade shows can generate the relationships you're looking to be build. Generally, two-thirds of attendees are from prospective companies you are not yet doing business with. Managed well, a successful trade show booth can go above and beyond recouping your investment.  

Now that we know the high value of attendees’ time and interest, let’s talk about how much you can maximize your booth value when you incorporate thoughtful design.

SinglePlatform booth design by Gallery Design Studio

Why booth design and color matters

If well-designed booths were honey, poorly designed booths would be vinegar. A dull booth not only leaves prospective buyers with a bad taste in their mouths, an uninteresting display can literally send people hurrying past your booth.

Given how much you stand to gain at trade shows, best practices should include an enticing, unique design while avoiding expensive, ineffective setups. 

Color psychology has been proven to impact human behavior. Your booth and everything in it, from employees to printed materials, presents an opportunity to attract buyers. Consider how banks and others in the finance industry employ colors like green and gold to allude to monetary success. 

Even using spotlights or varying height displays of objects on your table attracts more interest than a row of products lying side by side.

Great booth design literally gives you a chance to stand out amongst competitors offering similar products or services. Visitors are busy, and most attendees try to get the best bang for their trade show buck by seeing as many booths as possible. Often, you will only have a moment or two to capture attendees’ attention before they keep moving. In that moment, your booth design is your only sales’ tool. 

Defining trade show ROI

Want to be sure your booth is worth its investment?

Start by clearly defining the objectives you want to accomplish at your trade show. Then work with a creative team to ensure your booth setup is efficient, thoughtful, and eye-catching in a layout that promotes your defined objectives. 

Want to “generate sales” or “increase first-time customer orders”? Your booth is going to need more than just hard copies of your order forms and an extra box of swag. 

A live demo is the best way to give visitors a hands-on experience with your product. Visitors are often excited to check out over-sized product mockups and videos. 

Get the buy in you need with 3D models 

Colors and style and layout and design can seem overwhelming, and one of the best ways to waste your trade show budget is on materials or setups that don’t fit with your design or objectives. Heck, they might not even fit in the space provided.

A 3D booth model helps your team avoid all the headaches of trade shows and concentrate on what’s really important: generating real returns with your booth.

1. Improve communication efficiency

3D renders help all parties involved in the booth creation process, from your fellow team members to printers, visualize the booth. This makes sure everyone is on the same page.

It is also a great way to evaluate a design your team proposed. Thanks to the render you may realize that extra banner doesn't actually fit. 

Booth renders are also a much easier way to provide feedback on booth design. It's much easier to critique something that is existing and tangible, as opposed to an abstract design that exists only in conversation. 

2. Save money

Your 3D model will help your team determine exactly what resources you need and what actually fits in your booth. A well-constructed render will also factor in any other assets or collateral you already have to ensure you only invest in new assets that contribute to your visitors’ experience.

3. Immerse your team 

Take your 3D booth render to the next level by making them interactive and incorporating virtual reality. 

Virtual reality takes this sense of immersion to the next level by blocking everything else and making users feel transported. See below example you can try with Google Cardboard.

Click/tap "play", then click "view in VR"

Bottom line? Bring exactly what you need into your booth, both physically and stylistically, with the help of 3D booth models. Renders will improve your team's communication, save you money long-term and minimize trade show stress.

About Gallery Design Studio

We're passionate about helping B2B businesses with their ongoing marketing communication design needs. We help our clients transmit complex information clearly, concisely and in a visually engaging way. Relentlessly curious, we're inspired by experimentation, and always looking for better ways to serve our clients.

We’ve collaborated with transformational businesses and government agencies such as The NYC Law Department, CIT Bank and Questback.

Our services:

• Communication and Marketing Design
• Video & Animation
• Web & App design (UX/UI)
• Digital Customer Experience Design (DCX)

Need creative support yesterday? Learn more about how we can help.  

About the Writer

Samantha is a copywriter at Gallery Design Studio. Samantha is passionate about using precise and evocative messaging to connect with clients. She has written for journals, online publications and blogs.