Trade show checklist: every printed piece your booth needs

A booth has a few seconds to explain who you are to a person walking down an aisle. Almost all of that explanation is printed: a backdrop, a banner stand, a table cover, a handout.

I have seen good companies look improvised at an event because these pieces were ordered separately, at the last minute, with no plan. This is the order in which I would prepare them.

Start with the space and the rules

Before designing anything, get the exhibitor information from the organizer and confirm four things: the exact size of your space, what is included (table, chairs, electricity, back wall), any height limits and how much time you have to set up.

Everything else depends on these answers. A backdrop designed for a ten-foot space does not work in an eight-foot one.

Design the backdrop first

The backdrop is the largest piece and it defines how the booth looks. It has one job: to tell someone in the aisle who you are and what you do.

• Put the logo and a short description of what you do in the top third. The lower part will be covered by the table and by people.
• Use one strong image or a clean brand color. A backdrop is not a brochure.
• Keep contact details small or leave them for the handout. Nobody writes down a phone number from a wall.

For backdrops I recommend fabric, because it does not reflect the hall lighting or camera flash. Our comparison of banner materials explains the difference.

Add banner stands

Retractable banner stands are the most practical piece you can own for events. They set up in a minute, travel in a bag and can be reused at the office or at the next event.

Give each stand a single message: one service, one product or one offer. Place the most important line at eye level. The bottom of a banner stand is rarely read.

Cover the table

A printed table cover with your logo on the front makes the booth look finished, and it hides the boxes stored underneath. It is a small investment that gets used at every event for years, so I consider it essential.

Print one good handout

My opinion on handouts is simple: fewer is better. Visitors leave an event with a bag full of paper, and most of it is discarded. One clear brochure or one-page sheet is more likely to be kept than five different flyers.

• State what you do, who it is for and how to contact you.
• Add a QR code to your website or to a specific offer.
• Bring enough business cards for everyone working the booth.

Choose the giveaway

A giveaway brings people to the table and keeps your name with them after the event. Choose something light, useful and related to your business. I explained how I would select one in promotional items people keep.

Order this first. Giveaways are sixth on this list, but they should be the first order you place. Promotional products take longer than printed pieces.

Pack a kit and rehearse

Assemble the complete booth once at your office before the event. It is the only reliable way to find out that a piece is missing or does not fit.

Then pack a small kit: tape, scissors, zip ties, a cleaning cloth, pens, an extension cord and extra business cards. Take a photo of the assembled booth so that anyone on your team can set it up the same way.

Three mistakes I see often

• Too much text on the backdrop. If it takes more than a few seconds to read, it will not be read.
• Important information below table height. It is hidden as soon as the booth is set up.
• Ordering in the final week. It limits the options and leaves no time to correct anything.

If you have an event on the calendar, send us the date, the size of the space and what you already have. I would rather plan the full booth with you once than rush five separate orders.