Art Show Display Tips

Learn how to create an art show display that is instantly compelling to your target customers.

Your art show display booth is your most important tool for communicating with customers at art and craft shows. You have a very brief moment to convey your message to your customers and compel them to walk into your booth instead of moving on to other exhibitor booths.

To design an effective craft show booth, focus on conveying a single, focused message to your customer.

Determine what is the single most important thing your customer needs to know or see to be compelled to come into your craft tent. Notice that you're not trying to determine the most important thing you want to say to your customer. You're trying to determine the most important thing your customer needs to know.

Less is more at this stage of marketing your products. You probably can think of a lot of reasons why your items are wonderful, and you may be tempted to try to communicate all of those messages to your potential customers. However, when they are walking past your booth, deciding whether to enter or move on, they will respond best to one single, striking message.

To prove this concept to yourself, the next time you're out and about, notice the signs you read and the signs you don't read. In a room with twenty signs tacked up all over the walls, none of the signs get read; they are all simply filtered out and not deemed important. On the other hand, if you're in a room with a single, clear sign with a brief message, you will read that sign. The single, clear message grabs your attention.

Determine the underlying motivation customers have for buying your products. Will your items:

• Improve their quality of life?
  
• Bring them pleasure?
  
• Beautify their home?
  
• Provide stress relief?
  
• Reflect their status?
  
• Provide emotional satisfaction?

In your craft show booth, you may use written signs, but, more likely, you'll use a large photo of your items (if they are small), or, if you make larger items, you may put one of your most impressive pieces, or a related grouping of a few of your most striking pieces, in a central, easy to see location. You may also use color and materials to convey a specific message to your customer.

If you'd like to read some specific examples for using these strategies to convey a single image or message, please see this article craft and trade show booth display tips