First, know what you need. Before you go to a graphic designer, you should have a long talk with your vendor about what type of booth will best fit your needs. You should know your booth’s dimensions as well as any add-ons you’ll need graphics for, such as extra banner stands and signs. This initial talk might solve your graphics problems before you talk to designers; many vendors will do your graphics in-house. In many cases, it’s best to work with the vendor.

Look for the right experience. A firm or individual who’s been in business a long time is always the best bet, right? Not necessarily. Trade show graphics need to draw the eye and communicate your message effectively from close up—on a graphic that can be quite large. Look for someone who has experience doing graphic design for trade shows, and ask to see samples of work. If the designer you’re considering has no experience with trade shows, look elsewhere.

Discuss cost early. If you have a lot of experience working with graphic designers, you probably have a good idea of the general price range for your project. If this is your first time, however, get a sense of the cost early. A good graphic designer should know the questions to ask in order to decide how much your project should cost, and should give you a price quote within 24 hours or so of requests.

You should also know how you’ll be billed—by the project or by the hour? If you’re getting billed by the hour, ask about a cost ceiling—some designers will write a “not-to-exceed” clause into the contract to keep costs from getting out of hand.

Discuss printing and file delivery. If you’re not using your vendor’s graphic design service, it may be that your vendor doesn’t have one. But most trade show equipment vendors do have printing services for trade show graphics, so chances are your graphic designer won’t be handling the printing. Make sure you discuss that first, however. Talk to your vendor, get a sense of printing prices, and then discuss it with your designer to see if they have the capability to print trade show graphics. If your vendor is handling the printing, make sure you know how they want the graphic files delivered—and ensure your designer has the capability to deliver in that format.

Get a proposal. Once you’ve narrowed down your options, get written proposals from your top candidates. A good proposal defines what jobs will get done, who will do them, when they’re expected to be finished, and when you will be invoiced for payment. Make sure all details are specified—the less explicit the proposal, the more likely you are to run into misunderstandings later.

Communicate. Once you’ve picked a graphic designer, it’s important to thoroughly communicate what you need. A good graphic designer should know what questions to ask to determine the design you need, so be sure to give thorough answers. Be willing to spend some time at the start discussing your project in detail, and you’re more likely to get what you want on the first try.
Be a participant. Once the design project gets going, give detailed feedback on everything the designer shows you. Many business owners believe that once they hire a graphic designer, they can sit back and wait for the finished product to come in. In reality, however, you’ll need to give approval every step of the way. This will keep the designer on track and informed on what you need.

Avoid micromanaging. That said, it’s also important to make sure the designer has freedom to do his or her job. The best relationships between designers and clients involve trust on both sides—the designer must trust you to give them the feedback they need, and you must trust the designer’s creative ability. Micromanagement rarely results in a good finished product.



Your graphic design will be displayed three metres wide—or more—to people as close as a metre away. They’ll notice any printing imperfections and design flaws—and they’ll look elsewhere if your graphics aren’t appealing. That’s why it’s so important to make sure your graphics get done right. Take your time and do some research when choosing a professional, and you’re likely to get great visuals.