What is the first thing that comes to mind when you see the title "trade show booths and duct tape"? If you are like the majority of us (and you've exhibited at several trade shows), you more than likely think of repairing trade show booths with duct tape. But this hub is about another use for duct tape with trade show booths. Specifically, this hub is about the "trade show booth duct tape test", and the test is not whether or not you can, ala MacGyver, repair your trade show booth with duct tape.

What the tradeshow booth duct tape test is all about is, in a nutshell, "Can your trade show booth (or trade show display) stand alone by itself, and more importantly, can it speak for itself?" (As if your mouth has been taped shut with duct tape!) An effective tradeshow booth design needs to clearly communicate your trade show marketing message. The duct tape test means that you can't rely on hanging out next to your booth and speaking to passer-bys (i.e. opening your mouth) to explain your tradeshow booth design.

Think of the trade show booths duct tape test as a set of simple instructions. That is, your trade show booth design (and trade show marketing message) needs to quickly, clearly, and succintly (and in as few words as possible, unlike this run-on sentence) answer three critical questions in three simple steps...

STEP I. WHO:
First, your design needs to state WHO your company is (ie. your business name). Believe it or not, some trade show booth designs don't!

STEP II. WHAT:
Second, your design needs to state WHAT YOUR COMPANY OR BUSINESS DOES (in plain, understandable English). Again, believe it or not, some trade show booth designs don't do this either!

STEP III. WIIFM: Third, and most important, your design must state WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOUR POTENTIAL PROSPECT / CUSTOMER (WIIFM = What's In It For Me). This third point is the most critical part of your trade show marketing message! If your prospect / potential customer can't look at your trade show booth and immediately know who your company is, what your company does, and how you can assist or help them, then you need to start over and rethink your trade show booths design and your tradeshow marketing message!

To see if your trade show booth can pass the "duct tape test", you don't need to actually tape your mouth shut. But you must check that your trade show display design has a clear message. And you need to check that your trade show booth design answers the three questions (steps) listed above. Don't rely on being at your booth to shout at (heckle) your prospective customers as they pass by. It's not your job to to convince them to stop and have a conversation with you. It is the job of your trade show booth design. It is supposed to stop prospects, not you. Your booth design is suppose to get them to want to talk to you, not you saying "So, why did you come to the trade show?" Trade show attendees will pass by hundreds (maybe even thousands) of trade show displays and exhibits at the typical trade show, and only the booths and displays that pass the "duct tape test" will get them to stop. So do your trade show booths pass the duct tape test?

And when you're planning to purchase portable trade show booths, make sure you purchase a well designed, sturdily built, high quality trade show booth so that you won't need to have a roll of duct tape handy to make last minute repairs at your trade show. Let your trade show competitors purchase the cheap portable trade show booths and portable trade show displays that will require chewing gum, baling wire, and liberal amounts of duct tape to keep them working. Make sure you purchase a tradeshow booth or tradeshow display will get the job done and last a long time.

To purchase portable trade show booths that won't require any duct tape repairs, and that are each individually printed with your own one-of-a-kind design (that of course passes the trade show booths duct tape marketing message test with flying colors), check out Pinnacle Trade Show Displays. Pinnacle Trade Show Displays is offers both custom-printed graphics and velcro-receptive FrontRunner fabric portable trade show booths. All of their trade show display booths can be ordered online (easily, securely, and 24/7).

For more trade show marketing related hubpages, check out my other hubs about designing trade show displays and trade show booth promotion.