Your trade show exhibit has a story to tell and myriad messages to relay, from logos, taglines, and benefit statements to company differentiators, product details, and calls-to-action. The problem is, however, every exhibit on the show floor is trying to do the exact same thing. Amid this messaging mayhem, how do you ensure your messages stand out and not only reach but also resonate with attendees?
Effective trade show messaging strategies begin with a messaging hierarchy. By understanding the nuances of how visitors engage with your exhibit—from a casual glance from afar to an in-depth exploration up close—you can craft an experience that captivates and converts.
So let’s take a closer look at effective exhibit messaging, including a deep dive into hierarchies and a few messaging best practices for trade shows. Then, we’ll explore a host of messaging mediums organized by hierarchy tiers. Armed with these insider insights, you can ensure your exhibit captivates your audience at every level of engagement—ultimately turning an attendee’s passing glance into a meaningful connection.
Hierarchy 101: Trade Show Messaging Strategies
What exactly is a messaging hierarchy? It’s basically a tiered approach to communicating messages. It enables exhibitors to capture attention, engage visitors, and convey messages how, where, and when they’re most effective. A successful hierarchy uses the right medium and the right content to reach the right visitors exactly where they are with regard to their location, level of awareness, product interest, purchasing intent, and more.
Employed correctly, messaging levels work together in a well-orchestrated dance. They create a seamless flow of information that leads visitors on a curated journey to and through your booth.
While some variations exist in terms of the names and quantity of messaging tiers, three basic levels—primary, secondary, and tertiary—are the commonly accepted backbones. Respectively, these levels cast a wide net, reel in prospects, and provide a deep dive for would-be buyers. And together, they effectively tell your story.
Primary–Level Messaging: Cast a Wide Net
Primary–level messages are akin to billboards you pass on the freeway. Visible from a considerable distance—perhaps 15 to 30 meters away—primary messages cast a wide net covering most or all exhibition visitors. Sometimes, primary-level messaging requires sponsorship dollars to secure the space; other times, messages can be positioned over your stand space or on key corners of your footprint.
Primary messages can live in the airport baggage claim or show-registration area, or they can be situated on the exterior of the exhibition venue or suspended just inside the entrance to the show hall. They can also comprise a banner or header suspended over your booth, or you might use sizeable floor-based exhibit components to deliver primary–level messaging. The options are seemingly endless.
Just like billboards, attendees typically whiz by this type of messaging, as they’re often focused on other things (e.g., finding their luggage, traversing the venue or registration area, etc.). So the role of primary messaging is to generate awareness among the masses, regardless of an individual’s product interest or purchasing intent. While this messaging has the potential to reach more eyeballs than other tiers, it’ll likely get little more than a passing glance. That said, this glimpse is adequate if your messaging is effective.
While the in-depth dos and don’ts of each messaging tier is beyond the scope of this article, suffice it to say that primary–level messages should provide one simple message that explains who your company is, what benefit it offers, and maybe where to find your exhibit.
Primary–level messages should be:
- Eye-catching. Consider using one dramatic hero image and a few impactful, benefit-oriented words.
- Simple. Less is definitely more.
- Easy to read from afar. Traffic is whizzing by not parked in the lot. Make it readable in a glance from aisles away.
Secondary–Level Messaging: Reel ‘em In
Second–tier messages target people with an interest in your product or service, reel them in to learn more, and direct them to specific areas within your booth that best fit their needs. Most often found within your booth in the form of overhead or floor-based components, these messages are usually visible from roughly 3 to 15 meters away and can be delivered via static or digital methods.
Sometimes, this messaging is meant to be directional, particularly in larger stands. That is, messages might comprise a series of similar graphics that identify branded product areas (e.g., Volvo Penta, Robak, Nova Bus) or locations organized by purpose (e.g., risk-management solutions, health–and–safety products, etc.). Here, the goal is to attract attention and help visitors navigate your space.
Other times, secondary-level messaging is more about relaying a few key benefit statements or differentiators. Particularly when finding one’s way is less of a concern for visitors, secondary messages help attendees understand how your product or service helps them and why it might be better than the competition. Secondary–level messaging often delivers deeper brand or product statements than primary communications.
The goal here is to reach attendees with some interest in your wares, to engage and draw them into your space, and to tempt them to learn more and/or help them locate the specific product or purpose grouping that best meets their needs.
Secondary-level messages should be:
- Engaging and easy-to-locate. Messages should attract attention and be easy to spot in a crowded show or exhibit.
- Readable at the appropriate distances. Think Goldilocks: not too big as to overpower and not too small as to disappear. Text size should be just right for your space and purpose.
- Benefit- or differentiator-focused. Messages must help visitors understand what’s in it for them and lure them in to learn more.
Tertiary–Level Messaging: Offer a Deeper Dive
If primary messaging is a billboard, tertiary messaging is a pamphlet. Readable from roughly 0.5 to 3 meters away, tertiary–level messaging offers visitors with a keen interest in a specific product or service a deep dive into product information.
Keep in mind, while tertiary-level messages typically drill deeper into product- or service-level insights, they’re not messaging islands. That is, they should reinforce larger messages visually or textually, tie to the brand, and complement the overall messaging strategy.
Often, tertiary-level messages appear next to product displays or demos via freestanding tablet or static-graphic stands, LED screens built into walls, etc. Compared to other messaging tiers, fewer attendees will read tertiary content, but these visitors have already established an interest in your offerings and they’re ready to learn more.
Sometimes tertiary messages provide in-depth insights with the ability to view detailed product specs, charts, comparisons, etc. Other times, they offer basic information but give attendees the ability—via QR codes, “send-to-email” deliveries, etc.—to view and/or download deeper insights.
Tertiary-level messages should be:
- Detailed but digestible. Attendees will read a few carefully crafted bullet points. They won’t read a wall of text.
- Integrated into the hierarchy. All messaging tiers, including these deep dives, should offer similar aesthetics and messages that build upon or support each other.
- Pamphlets not technical specification manuals. Minor product details don’t belong in exhibit graphics. Rather, they should live in videos, in-office demos, downloadable spec sheets, etc. that can be consumed beyond the booth.
Messaging Mediums: Static vs. Dynamic
Thus far we’ve been talking in abstracts about trade show messaging strategies, covering intents, ideas, and concepts. But what physical forms can these ethereal messages take? Myriad mediums are listed further down the page, but generally speaking, all messaging mediums fall into one of two buckets: static vs. dynamic.
- Static: For our purposes, static messages are any kind of communication that remains constant and immovable throughout the show. While you can create a static image from a digital medium—such as a brilliant but nonmoving image displayed via LED screen—most static messages employ fabric, substrates, light boxes, etc.
- Dynamic: The human eye instinctually follows movement as part of our fight or flight response. So in and of themselves, dynamic messages and images capture more eyeballs than their static counterparts. In addition, dynamic messages are often digital in nature, including everything from videos and interactives to water walls and virtual reality (VR) experiences. A key advantage to digital messaging is that it can be changed much more easily, quickly, and cost-efficiently than static displays.
Neither medium is the clear choice for all instances. While dynamic digital messaging can offer flexibility benefits, digital elements can sometimes be heavy and costly to ship, and they’re virtually useless if one of their components breaks.
Additionally, static vs. dynamic decisions must consider specific applications as well. For example, at a show within a historically low-tech industry, dynamic video wizardry can set your stand apart from the masses. But in a high-tech show filled with dizzying imagery, myriad multimedia presentations, and more screens than JB Hi-Fi, a low-tech static approach—e.g., a massive chalkboard drawing or a stunning 3-D logo and cutout letters—might help your booth stick out rather than blend in.
Bottom line: When choosing between static vs. dynamic messaging, exhibitors must weigh the pros, cons, costs, and considerations of each as they relate to their hierarchy, audience/industry norms and expectations, variability of company and product messages, and much more.
Inspiration Overload: Myriad Messaging Mediums to Choose From
Not sure what mediums or platforms to employ to deliver your primary, secondary, and tertiary messages? Certainly any exhibit builder worth their salt should have some ideas for you, and firms (such as ExpoCentric) that offer custom exhibition displays can help you match messaging mediums to your specific audience, objectives, and more. However, the following idea buffet—organized by the three messaging tiers—should give you plenty of options to go it alone or to discuss with your account executive.
Primary Mediums
Primary-tier mediums often extend off the show floor and into the show city, venue, and various parts of the show floor.
- Show-city messaging. Via sponsorships and ad buys, exhibitors can employ banners, lightboxes, digital messaging, and nontraditional mediums that include airport signage, taxi toppers, skywriting placements, billboards, hotel-TV ads, geo-targeted Facebook ads, human billboards, hotel signage, rickshaw signage, etc.
- Venue signage. Similar to city-wide placements, static and dynamic mediums can be displayed on the venue’s exterior, lobby, stairs, show-hall entrance, and more. Additional venue placements include elevator-door wraps, escalator signage, window decals, etc. If the venue includes stairs, riser-decals are another messaging opportunity.
- Show-hall signage. Within the show hall, contact show management to purchase column wraps, flooring-decal placements, banners, entrance archways, information desk signage, charging station graphics, and more.
- Exhibit-level messaging. Primary messaging often comprises overhead exhibit elements including fabric ID headers in various shapes, 3-D logos, kinetic sculptures, digital displays, etc. Exhibitors can also employ freestanding headers, ID towers, booth-corner graphics, back-wall graphics, and massive video walls. Staff uniforms and branded name tags relay key messages effectively.
- Flooring. Static floor decals, carpet inlays, and even graphics applied directly to convention-centre concrete offer effective static messaging. Meanwhile, digital flooring systems and/or digital inlaid panels can offer eye-catching motion.
- Out-of-the-box options. Along with the more traditional aforementioned options, a host of out-of-the-box alternatives are also available. Consider digital water curtains, laser light shows, drone displays, balloon sculptures, plant walls w/ integrated messages, sidewalk chalk art, bus/subway signage, park-bench sponsorships, building wraps, aerial advertising, street pole flags, etc.
Secondary Mediums
Secondary-level signage is almost always positioned within the exhibit. Along with the following options, some of the aforementioned primary mediums can be adapted to accommodate secondary messaging as well. Also note that while booth messaging can be changed between shows, it can also be switched out each day of the event. Particularly with digital displays, fresh messaging can create a seemingly new booth experience each day of the show.
- Overhead elements. Along with primary-level full-booth signage, suspended signage, freestanding archways, wall-attached static and dynamic messaging, banners, flags, and more can be employed as secondary-messaging mediums.
- Static, structural graphics. A host of exhibit surfaces can offer second-tier messaging via traditional graphics and video inlays. Consider structural components such as walls, conference rooms, product kiosks, hospitality desks, etc.
- Directional elements. Many of the same primary-level mediums—flooring, freestanding kiosks, towers, etc.—can also be used as directional signage.
- Technology solutions. Along with screen-based messaging, a host of tech-centric options include projection-mapping integrations, holographic displays, transparent screens, VR and augmented reality (AR) experiences, interactive digital graffiti walls, and more.
- Out-of-the-box options. For second-level signage, you can go a little crazy. Consider tablecloths, chalkboards, white boards, ancillary staff apparel (e.g., hats, blinking badges), and more.
Tertiary Mediums
Depending on various factors (e.g., your objectives, audience, product complexity, etc.), your tertiary messaging can be fairly in-depth and detailed, or it could offer little more than a QR code that leads visitors to online content. Nevertheless, you have numerous mediums from which to choose.
- Tablet or monitor technology. Whether they’re freestanding, built-in, or even handheld by attendees, tablets can easily deliver countless messages—including product demos, info graphics, digital brochures, interactive experiences, testimonials, and more. Built-in or freestanding monitors offer similar content on a larger scale, and touchscreen tablets and monitors allow attendees to interact with the content and curate their messaging journey.
- Location-triggered videos. Working in tandem with monitors and tablets, exhibitors can employ NFC-triggered or floor-panel-triggered technology to switch between messaging levels. That is, a large monitor that regularly displays a primary-level video might switch to a tertiary product demo whenever a visitor steps into range (or onto a sensor-equipped floor pad).
- Static messages. While they may seem old-school, handouts such as flyers, one-sheets, business cards with QR codes, and more can provide tertiary-level messages that can extend far beyond the show floor.
- VR/AR product tours/demos. This immersive technology allows attendees to literally step inside your product, interact with it in a virtual world, test drive software, and more.
- Gesture technology. Similar to tablets and touchscreen monitors, gesture technology allows attendees to curate their own journey through your tertiary content.
- QR codes. The Swiss Army Knife of tertiary tools, QR codes can connect exhibit visitors with your entire library of digital content. A quick snap of a QR code can reveal a product-demo video, an exploded view of a complex product, words from your company president, a factory tour with your product-development engineers, and on and on.
- Mobile apps. While a bit more complex in terms of setup and attendee use, mobile apps allow exhibitors to put carefully selected content in the hands of exhibitors both on the show floor and off, potentially extending the experience far beyond the show.
As you can see, mastering the art of trade show messaging strategies involves more than just displaying information. You must establish a clear messaging hierarchy, tailor your communication to meet attendees where they are, and weave a compelling narrative that captivates and converts.
Moreover, selecting the appropriate mediums—whether static or dynamic—plays a crucial role in messaging effectiveness. However, with the aforementioned insights and ideas, you can effectively guide attendees through a seamless flow of information that captures their attention, engages their interest, and ultimately drives meaningful connections.
If you want to learn more about messaging hierarchy or you’re looking for an exhibit builder to walk you through your messaging hierarchy and suggest appropriate mediums for your program, ExpoCentric can help.
As a trusted name in the industry and Australia’s No. 1 exhibitions company, ExpoCentric can assist you in planning your stand’s messaging and content strategy. Reach out today for an obligation-free call.