Top tips for Designing Exhibition Stand Graphics

At Tecna UK, we know that when it comes to designing stand graphics for your next exhibition or trade show, you want them to be eye-catching and convey the brand of your company. When it comes to creating visuals for your exhibition stand, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. Everything needs to be planned out carefully. To help you create exhibition stand graphics that will make an impact, we've put together our top tips. Keep reading to find out more!

1. Start by thinking about your target audience and what you want them to take away from your exhibition stand or the objective of exhibiting

2. Keep your design simple and easy to understand - you don't want people to be overwhelmed when they walk up to your stand. Pay attention to space.

3. Use colours and fonts that match your branding and corporate identity

4. Make sure all the text is legible from a distance

5. Use images and graphics to help explain your message

6. Don't overcrowd your design - leave some space for people to move around

7. Ensure graphics are in recommended resolution for final print purposes and colours are on point and crisp.

8. Consistency is key.

Why are Graphics Important?

Designing stand graphics for your modular exhibition stand is an important part of the overall design process. With stand graphics, you can draw attention to your business and help to create a unique, recognisable, and ownable presence at trade shows or events that connect with the rest of your brand story but also knowledge is needed to ensure what you design on a screen comes to life in real life with the right print processes. Knowing which easy-to-digest graphics to use, that also align with your business's brand can be tricky, so here are some additional tips on what we consider are the most important areas.

However, a design that works in brochures or on the website, may not necessarily translate to large format.  Consider how your design will work large scale and how it will split across panels or with light projected from behind it.

Choose the right Colours

First and foremost, consider the colours you’ll use. Bright, vibrant ones can be effective in grabbing people’s attention, but you should also think about whether they represent the values of your business, appeal to your target audience or if too much colour can overwhelm you.  If your brand uses a particular colour palette, ensure that these tones permeate all aspects of your exhibition presence - from the walls and furniture to the lighting and graphics. All elements must tie together to create an atmosphere consistent with the look and feel of your company. 

Picking the right colours from your brand palette is key when it comes to designing effective stand graphics and will help draw people to your stand subliminally. Here’s where colour psychology comes in handy – certain colours evoke different emotions and meanings in people, which can be used in conjunction with your company’s branding to effectively communicate a message or convey a feeling about your business. For example, if you want to portray energy and movement in your design, you could use bright shades of orange and yellow; conversely, softer shades such as blue or green will help create an atmosphere of calmness and serenity. It’s also worth considering the cultural context – while certain colours have universal meanings, they may have different connotations depending on where they’re used.

Consider Graphic Design Elements

Design elements are also key when planning stand graphics as they help emphasise key messages or product features, including your all-important brand logo. Utilising images or illustrations is also great for providing visual interest to a stand or bringing attention to the stand focal point; however, it’s important not to overload things with too much information or other elements. Keep graphics simple, concise and easy to digest so visitors can understand what is being shown quickly. Using contemporary typography across signage is also very effective for drawing attention whilst maintaining a high level of professionalism and ensuring legibility across different distances from the stand. Also think about the layout and flow of the stand and how this could affect the storytelling element and ideas of your graphics specifically for things like timelines or a series of product shots.

When considering texture, think about introducing materials such as woodgrain or metallic surfaces into your designs which add further depth to a graphic or logo. These textures don’t have to be restricted just to print; experiment with 3D elements such as fabric walls or textured vinyl flooring which serves both practical purposes (such as providing privacy) alongside aesthetic ones (giving extra character). 

The font choice is also incredibly important when designing stand graphics to ensure it is from the brand style bible, and aligns with a company brand but also so it's easy to read from both a short distance and further away. Make sure all text looks as clear and legible as possible by using sans-serif fonts such as Arial, Calibri or Helvetica where possible – these will help ensure that any written information is easy to read and can be sized in multiple ways around the stand but still feel consistent. You can also incorporate other fonts for specific pieces of text - for example, you might want bolder fonts for headers and titles, whilst making sure any body copy remains easy to read.

Using icons and imagery within your design is another way to add visual interest and convey relevant information quickly. Think about what images might work alongside the text - for example, an infographic or graph might be useful for simply conveying complex data - whilst abstract, shapes or patterns can add texture and character without detracting from the overall message of the piece. Where possible, try using icons that match existing branding elements such as logos or corporate colours; this will help establish visual continuity across different pieces of content.

Go Digital

Don’t forget about integrating digital components into your designs - if used properly technology can bring stand graphics alive! Consider using interactive screens or projections which engage viewers on another level by allowing them to explore products in further detail through multimedia experiences in a way that two-dimensional simply cannot compete with. Choose elements that fit into your budget.

Also, consider using animation within your designs; this is especially effective when it comes to drawing attention towards key pieces of information such as contact details or product features. Animations give depth and movement to static designs which help engage viewers more quickly than just using words alone – plus they look great too!

Graphic Design Services

Tecna UK has many years of experience in modular exhibition stands and display solutions and our teams of designers are highly experienced at creating stunning visual displays for a wide variety of campaigns, and can guide you on the best attention-grabbing graphics - whatever the scale or idea, and can manage the entire design project for you as part of our turnkey service should you wish.

In summary to create designs in-house that are visually appealing for your next event or trade show, remember to choose the colour wisely, keep design elements simple yet engaging, introduce textures where possible and incorporate interactive technology if appropriate – doing so will ensure visitors get an overall impression that truly reflects your company brand!

Doing these things should help create attractive yet effective visuals that capture attention whilst staying true to the desired message behind them and leaving a lasting impression of your brand.

Our final tip would be to ensure you check your graphics files are high resolution, before printing to ensure there are no last-minute surprises on build day!

Looking for advice on key factors to consider while at your next event? Check out our ultimate guide to exhibiting.