Your trade show exhibit theater can be a big draw. Make sure it reiterates your message and functions well by following these five best practices:
1. Theaters require a back wall. Even the smallest exhibit theaters need some sort of backdrop to draw and hold visitors' attention.
2. Employ consistent design. The design and styling of your trade show theater should match the rest of your exhibit design and your brand. Even if you are working with a theme. Example: Puck used cut logs for seats and added a campfire detail to integrate its theater into its Camp Puck theme.
3. Include seating so people are more inclined to stay. BioRad produced a series of "impromptu presentations" in its exhibit, where a team member would include multiple visitors in a conversation. Despite the informality of the presentation structure, BioRad provided stools people could pull up—thus increasing both the number of people who stopped to listen and the length of time they stayed.
4. Don't be afraid to make your theater stand out. One of the best ways to draw attention on the show floor is to let people know something exciting is happening. FireEye does this by elevating and halo-lighting the seating area of its theater—and suspending a floating ring overhead. Wing details on the backwall of the theater contribute to a futuristic ambiance.
5. Make it fun. Color, light and whimsical elements (consistent with your brand, of course) help attendees focus on your message. And if they enjoy their experience, they are that much more likely to remember.
