Looking for ideas to spruce up your booth space for your next big industry event? You’ve come to the right place.

Exhibiting at trade shows can be an expensive proposition. First, there’s the primary expense of securing the 10’ x 10’ space from the event organizers. Then there’s the makeup of the booth itself which can include backdrops, furniture, displays and even flooring. Lastly, there are the finishing (and sometimes budget-breaking) touches of giveaways, custom-produced videos and printed marketing collateral.

To make the most of your money, you need to have a booth that is both unique and eye-catching, but still stays true to your brand. Dance music and flashing lights are a great way to get your booth noticed, but unless you sell high-end audio equipment or represent an energy drink, it’s probably not the best way to find good leads for your offerings.

Get creative, try something a bit outside the box and think about these booth design trends to make your next trade show a hit with prospects, customers and your sales team.

Relax!

Many expo booths, especially at more tech and entertainment-oriented shows, can be quite overwhelming with booming sound systems and enormous video displays. To combat this and create a more relaxed and intimate setting, many exhibitors are moving to create more peaceful, low-key experiences for booth visitors. Try pairing a plush, comfy couch combined with a coffee pot or espresso machine and invite passers-by to sit down and relax for a few. Alternatively, hire a masseuse and offer free 10 minute back massages or foot rubs for attendees. A little serenity at a hectic show can go a long way toward helping your company’s image.

Get Interactive

Booths have always needed intriguing content to draw attention, but at many trade shows it was hard to demonstrate larger products or services that occur outside of exhibit halls. Now you can impress potential customers with a few tablet computers or touchscreen monitors loaded with videos, data sheets, product animations and more. Provide the smorgasbord and conference-goers will dig in to whatever aspects of your offering interests them most. Just be sure your reps are there should they have any additional questions or information requests.

Backdrops in All Shapes and Sizes

Simple curtain backdrops and logo-covered banners have gone the way of the dodo for many trade show teams, as have plastic and vinyl displays. Today many companies utilize a variety of other materials in their booth designs. For an edgier look, metallic finishes from polished chrome to brushed aluminum to accents of gold are often used. If you are looking to go a bit greener, bamboo and other finished wood designs can give your product an eco-friendlier feel. Fabric-covered frames have also become incredibly popular – the inner metal tubing can be fabricated to any specifications (from convex, wave-like walls to booth-spanning arches) while the tightly stretched external canvas can be imprinted with images and brand names of any size.

Keep It Simple

Following the footsteps of many of the latest website designs, many exhibitor booths are moving toward chic simplicity. Basic color palettes and smooth lines that highlight product and speak to your company stand out from cluttered booths where every horizontal surface is covered in brochures and informational packets. Though these designs may seem simple, it does not mean that they can’t be artistic. Clean, modern booths let your offerings speak for themselves.

Looking for other ways to make your next trade show experience the best it can be? Check out our tip sheet below with the 10 things you need to do before a trade show to ensure success.