For people stressing over the age-old question of “how can I make my booth better?” We see you. We hear you. We’re here to help. As experienced creators of dope events, we’ve worked tirelessly over the past decade solving the mystery of how to build out an impactful activation. Let’s dive into some nerdy talk about how to bring your conference booth to the next level and create an inspiring area that people actually want to hang out around. But first: a story on just that.
In April 2022, we had the honor of producing a massive trade show sponsorship booth. The client was Visit Dallas (an eassssy sell for us, we love us some Dallas) for the first large-scale in-person Cvent Connect conference in over two years. We’re talking about one of the largest corporate event planner conferences in the country, hosted in none other than Las Vegas, baby. The best way to describe what we set out to create? #NotYourAverageConferenceBooth
So where should you begin when it comes to building out a better conference booth? Start here:
START WITH FINDING YOUR ‘WHY’
Figuring out a fresh and exciting conference booth concept is no easy feat. When it came to the Visit Dallas opportunity, we chose to build a foundation for the booth based on one core focus (a tip for where to start when creating your own booth). You’ve got to dig into the reality of the task at hand: selling your service, product, or brand.
Visit Dallas’ goal is to tell people about the awesomeness that is Dallas to encourage them to bring their large events to the city. So, we asked ourselves ‘why Dallas?’ We landed on promoting the lesser-known but foundational elements of Dallas. The things that make Dallas unique and make people want to explore.
We brought the concept to the next level by creating real, immersive experiences for attendees in four different “zones”. Each zone was representative of some of the coolest areas of the city We’re talking about a 360-degree video mapping “Drive-Thru” experience through the Dallas streets powered by our friends at Sweet Tooth Hotel, a silent disco, and a meeting area that was both functional and b-e-a-utiful.
GIVE ATTENDEES A STORY TO TELL
If you really want to make a lasting connection with attendees, give them a reason to connect with you. You do this through the use of powerful experiences that leave them walking away from your booth with a story to tell. This is how you show your ‘why’. What better way to make a real impact than attendees continuing to chatter long after the conference is over. One way we did that was by hosting a happy hour event at Cvent Connect complete with the Dallas Cowboys’ DJ himself, DJSC.
ENGAGE YOUR COMMUNITY
Speaking of local…DJSC wasn’t the only Dallas local we brought in to create an even better conference experience. We also had local bites and sips on-site from two Big D culinary celebs to literally give attendees a taste of Dallas. Shout out to Jesus Carmona of Milagro Tacos, Gabe Sanchez of Midnight Rambler, and the team at Emporium Pies for serving up nothing but the best.
We can’t get enough of working with people in our community and shedding light on their all-star talents. Try to loop in local vendors as much as possible to keep it in the family and build up your community.
FIND YOUR TEAM
Just saying, we could be your team.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO INCORPORATE ART, MUSIC & TECH
We all know that conference zombie mode. By day two your brain is starting to turn to mush. You’ve had the same conversation too many times to count. Now do the opposite of what everyone else is doing, because clearly, the same old conference booth design isn’t working. Experiment with using different technologies like bringing in the use of video or lighting to lure people in. The most important thing is creating an interesting place where attendees actually want to be.
“DON’T HAVE A PLAN, BE A PLANNER”
As The Nerd himself, J. Damany Daniel, would say, “Don’t have a plan, be a planner.” The point is: whether you are a professional event planner or someone who had the responsibility put on them, you can have a perfect plan, but something will always go wrong. Always plan on a plan B, or C or D for that matter.
Example: how do you get 200 mini-pies from Dallas to Las Vegas? We put them on ice and pack them in our carry-ons when the mail service won’t get them there fresh enough. You’ll often be thrown a wrench when it comes to any form of event planning – trade shows included. Stay calm and keep rolling with the unexpected. More badass conference booth ideas await, get creative and if you need a little help, hit us up at holla@theeventnerd.com
