1. Study the show’s attendees – know how many are expected and which ones represent prospects for you.
2. Know your position in the convention center – the location of your booth as related to the main entrance, the largest exhibits, food and beverage areas or anything else that is likely to impact attendee behavior.
3. Think about both long and short range corporate identification – how will prospects find you, and how will they know who you are when they are standing in front of your booth?
4. Consider an activity to attract attention – live demonstrations, presentations or other booth activities will cause people to stop and watch.
5. Imagine an important prospect approaching your booth – What will they see? How will they be greeted? How much time will they want to spend with you? How will you record their information for follow up?
6. Think about the sales process – your booth graphics can be arranged to assist and guide the sales presentation process.
7. Consider the image that you want to project – make a list of adjectives that describe your corporate image.
8. Think about the practicalities – presentation stations, storage of briefcases, utilities, meeting areas, video, etc.
9. Come up with a budget – Not only a number but also what it should include.
10. Look for photos – Find some images that are examples of booths you like. Be sure to indicate what it is you like about each particular photo.

Thinking about and preparing these things before you contact an exhibit designer will make the process much easier and more efficient. Best of all, with the right preparation, you’ll end up with a design that fits your style and meets your needs!