When you have the standard 10-by-10 exhibit space at a trade show or expo, you only have a few seconds to grab the attention of those passing by. Unless you are prepared to accost everyone who comes within 5 feet of your booth, you have to let your booth's graphics do some of the heavy lifting.

Here are some tips on how to make sure the graphics in your next trade show booth shine.

Minimize your message - in 10 words or less.
We see a lot of trade show graphics that use way too many words. People often treat their trade show graphics like a PowerPoint slide by adding a bunch of wordy bullet points (which, by the way, is not the best PowerPoint slide either). Attendees should be able to read your message in less than 3 seconds.  3 seconds!

Think about how your prospects can benefit from your products or services
Besides being short and to the point, your message should also communicate the benefit to your prospects. This is all about them, not you. They need to be able to see how you will solve a problem or save them money or make their lives easier.

Use easy-to-read fonts in BIG type
Often, in an effort to look "artsy" or to stand out, companies will design a graphic with a great-looking font that's harder to read. Remember, 3 seconds or less.  Find a font that stands out but doesn't take time to decipher. And please use a font size that's big enough to read from 12-20 feet away. That means at least 4 inches tall.

Place text eye-level or above
Your booth's text should be above the heads of the people working the booth, if possible. It should be unobstructed and easy to see from down the aisle. Anything below that gets harder to read.

Use color contrasts
Light text on a dark background or dark text on a light background works best when you have 3 seconds to make an impression. Keep the background simple and the text easy to read against the background.

Use one image that's not too busy and is high-resolution
Even if you use just one image on your graphic, the image itself could be busy and distract from the message. You want an image that is simple and doesn't have a lot of distracting elements. Also, be sure that the image is super high quality and can be enlarged. Don't use clip art or a photo that someone at your company took to save money if the resolution isn't high enough. Spend the extra money to purchase a high quality image if necessary.

Keep it clean and neat
You risk losing prospects if your graphics become old and raggedy. After repeated use, the materials can break down and start to look rough around the edges. Pack and store your materials properly and always pack with two people, if possible, to avoid rips and nicks. Wipe down your graphics before you store them - ask your printer or manufacturer for the best way to clean the graphics to avoid further damage.