The Art Of Presentation

Once you know your size and area dimensions you'll be working with, the next step is deciding what information and content you want to display. The company's name and logo must be visible. If visitors don't know who and what the display is about in a matter of 5 seconds or less, their interest will be lost. The company's name/logo should be somewhat dominate to sub-dominate. Always include a website address if applicable.

Don't make the overall design too distracting. Too much information and clutter will create confusion. Neatness, simplicity, and visibility are some of the most important aspects. Images should be crisp and professional looking; no low-resolution images. All content should be appropriate and pertain to the rest of the display.

For maximum impact, use color to make a statement and let your display pop out. Color schemes can help set a specific mood or tone. Pick colors that will correlate to the company's tone and theme.

Create visual connections by aligning text and graphics. Alignment is one of the principles of design that creates a visual hierarchy and produces attractive, readable layouts. Underlying grid structures help group and organize elements. Avoid randomly placing elements just to fill in the space. Consider using the rule of thirds. This is where sections or panels are divided into thirds, vertically or horizontally. The rule of thirds creates an underlying guide to strategically place the most important elements and avoid placing anything dead center.

Successful trade-show booths make it easy for visitors to retrieve information. Pass out flyers or business cards. Consider creating interactive displays, such as games, contests, drawings or giveaways. Think of anything that will get the visitors intrigued and involved. This is a great way to add some flair to your display!

~Idea submitted by Graphic Communications, Inc., specializing in high-profile business solutions used to create a dialog between you and your market. Our services include vehicle graphics, interior graphics, exterior graphics, promotional graphics and design services. Graphic Communications believes small businesses should have access to the same comprehensive graphic services available to large businesses. Our goal is to provide these services without the high costs associated with the graphic arts industry. For more information, visit www.graphiccom.com.