Creating a great Trade Show Booth

There is no substitute for a great trade show! It is the only way you are going to meet hundreds of qualified buyers and get to talk to them in person about your products. Especially if you are in the early stages of building your handmade business, a trade show can truly jumpstart your growth.

If you have read my earlier columns, you know I am a big proponent of trade shows, but only when you have mastered the basics of being a wholesaler. A trade show will never produce the results you want if your product line is lacking, or your pricing is incorrect. In fact, I encourage every single person who wants to sell wholesale to begin by acquiring local stores as customers and then using a wholesale platform to gain customers. When you have between five and ten wholesale accounts, you are probably ready to exhibit at a major show.

Spend plenty of time and energy deciding which show is right for you. Talk to other entrepreneurs, especially ones who make a product similar to yours. Ask them what they like and dislike about the show and what advice they would give a newcomer. If at all possible, attend the show before you exhibit at it and talk to everyone you can, exhibitors, buyers and show personnel.

As you are making your decision, try to get an accurate handle on what the show will cost you. Obviously, there is the booth fee, but that is just the beginning. If the show usually offers “pipe and drape” what is the cost of hard walls and the cost of painting or personalizing the walls? Ask what other fees you might incur in getting set up. Is there a drayage fee for moving your products? Is there an extra charge for hanging your lights? Add in all your personal expenses, transportation, accommodations, and meals. Even parking in a major city can be a considerable expense.

Once you have these issues settled, the fun of designing your booth (read “store”) begins. Here are some overall, basic goals. Make it show-stopping attractive. Have it super functional for showing and selling your product. And last, but definitely not least, make it easy on you and your budget.

Make Your Booth Attractive

You want your booth to be attractive because you most likely will be among hundreds of competitive vendors vying for the buyers’ attention. So, make your booth stand out! One easy way to do this is with color – which can come from the background or from the product itself.  Do not skimp on the lighting! Do not rely on the ceiling lights at the venue.  Great lighting is the key to an attractive booth.

Make It Functional 

Design your booth so it is functional for you and your buyers. Group similar products. Put a price on everything. If you are selling jewelry, have some hand trays so buyers can create a collection. Display every item so it can be seen clearly. Create an “office” – even if it is just a shelf under the table for your supplies, calculator, and stapler. Keep your snacks and water bottle there, too, no one wants to buy your lunch! Include a chair so a tired buyer (or their spouse) can relax a bit. 

However, go easy on both the furniture and the design. You do not want to be transporting and lifting heavy fixtures. Look for easy ways to pack and display your products. I have included a photo of the booth Philip Roberts uses to show his lasered wood panels. Take a good look at his “furniture.” Believe it or not those are his packing cases and his whole booth fits in them when he is ready to leave. Genius! 

The Right Display for the Right Items

If you are displaying small items, let shoppers see them immediately with large “glamor” photos hanging on the walls of your booth. This works very well for jewelry. In your booth, stagger the height of your display. Use platforms and racks to help the customer’s eye move about your booth. Also include a mirror if you are selling jewelry or other wearables such as clothing and handbags.

Speaking of wearables, definitely hang them up so buyers immediately recognize what they are. Use a body form dressed in a stunning fabric to grab attention. With all textiles, try to display them hanging so each design or fabric can be seen easily. Do not overcrowd your display! You can always have a “swatch book” which shows your complete line of fabrics or designs.

If you are selling greeting cards, you will need a booth with hard walls and some easy to install racks for your cards. You might consider painting the walls a deep, vibrant color so your cards really “pop” against the background. If you are selling framed prints, you will also need hard walls and remember to keep the prints at a range within eye level – not too high or low.

The same goes for ornaments. It might be tempting to put a Christmas tree in your booth covered with bright ornaments, but that might not be the easiest way for buyers to see them. One glass ornament maker hung a clear rectangle of plexiglass, cut with round holes and hung an ornament in each circle. He displayed about 48 different ornaments that way. Another ornament maker devised racks he put on tables to get his products at eye level for the buyer. 

When you are designing your booth, keep in mind both the style of your products and the type of buyer you want to attract. If you are making contemporary jewelry you hope to sell in sleek shops, you want your booth to look like that imaginary shop. If you are selling men’s bow ties, your shop should have that masculine touch. If your pottery has a basic “farmhouse” appeal, use that look for your booth. The buyer will sense when your booth and your products are happily in tune with each other.

Here are a few more good ideas for your booth. Plan to add a floor covering to your space. This can add a stylish look to your booth and also add comfort for you since you are going to be standing on a concrete floor for several days. Also consider bringing some life to your booth with a plant or flowers. They do not need to be fancy (or even really alive), but they contribute a breath of fresh air to every setting!

Try to avoid renting furniture or display items at the show. In most cases, these will be expensive and very ordinary. If you have been doing art fairs, you may already own the display items you need. There are companies that make folding pedestals that you can put together in seconds, and you can even paint them if you desire. Many exhibitors shop at Ikea or on Amazon for inexpensive items and if they are cumbersome for travel, they offer them for sale at the end of the show or even donate them to a local charity. Throughout your booth planning keep both your budget and your own energy level in mind. 

Build a Practice Booth

It never hurts to build a practice booth in your basement or garage before heading to the show. Make sure you are putting your best-selling items at the front of your booth. You do not need giant price tags, but you do need to put the wholesale price on everything. This can be done easily by putting one price on a display rack that includes all the items that cost the same.  If you are uncertain about any of the particulars of your booth or space, do not hesitate to ask your show contact for more information. You do not need a last-minute surprise!

Have some fun with your booth. Give it personality. Make sure the lighting is great. This is your store, and hundreds of potential buyers are going to be walking right by it. Make sure to smile as you welcome them to see your wonderful products!

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