Bob Milam, trade show manager at Kerry Americas, is a past All-Star Award winner, a current Editorial Advisory Board member, a Conference Advisory Board member, and an EXHIBITOR Conference faculty member. tradeshowbob@gmail.com

have a cautionary tale for trade show professionals, and it all starts with zebras. Yes, zebras. Those black-and-white striped, braying members of the horse family that are such experts at blending in: a great trait for tasty prey, but not so good for trade show exhibits.

With vertical lines in irregular patterns, a color scheme meant to fool color-blind felines, and the herd mentality that further helps keep individuals from standing out, zebras are adept at hiding in plain sight. Frankly, it's a wonder those poor, hungry lions ever get a bite to eat.

While trade show attendees might not be lions, and exhibitors might not be zebras, per se, there is certainly a connection worth noting. Like the African savanna, a trade show tends to be a place where members of the herd blend in with their fellows. Going from booth to booth, you're likely to see similar designs, lighting schemes, staff behaviors, color palettes, and product displays. Every booth is wearing the same stripes, making it hard for attendees to differentiate one exhibit from another among the herd.

Don't believe me? Then visit a health-care industry show; you'll be awash in a sea of blues and whites, colors that convey reliability and cleanliness. Head to a show in the banking industry, and you'll see more marble and steel than the foyer of the Empire State Building. Walk the aisles at almost any show for any industry, and before long the exhibits start to blend together. The ones that stand out in your mind are, quite simply, the ones that stood out from the crowd.

Each industry has its own norms, such as marble and chrome for the kitchen and bath industry, or techno music and plasma screens for the computer-gaming industry. While following those norms can make a lot of sense - you aren't likely to make a major misstep - you're much more likely to blend in with the herd and potentially vanish from sight.

Ah, Natural

If ever there was a show that screamed for my company to stand out from the crowd, it was the Natural Products Expo (NPE), where retailers go to purchase organic foods and natural herbal supplements, and organic-food makers go to find the organic ingredients to make their natural foods. The whole trade show looks like camouflage made from hemp fabrics. I think Birkenstocks should sign up to be the official show footwear.

Unfortunately, when we attended the 2003 NPE with a booth in the suppliers section of the show - the folks that make the ingredients for the organic finished product manufacturers - we were wary of standing out and being the odd duck in a savanna full of zebras. So we followed suit with a booth in the same ubiquitous yellows, browns, and greens one would expect at an organic-foods show. We blended in so well that practically no one noticed we were there.

Licking my wounds after the show, I realized our booth failed on several levels, many of which could be traced to our ill-fated attempt to fit in. Knowing that the 2004 NPE would be yet another trip down hemp lane, I needed a way to stand out from the woodsy scenery - something that would catch attendees' eyes like a hunter's orange vest in the underbrush.

I started with a palette of bright primary and secondary colors: red, purple, yellow, green, blue, and orange. But catching attendees' eyes is one thing; I still had to dazzle them with our message.

Thus, we used the colors to illustrate eight anime characters done in the style of the popular Pokémon cartoons. Each eye-catching character represented an aspect of our business, from Go To Guy, a big blue superhero with a cell phone and brief case who personifies our commitment to customer service, to The Flavor Maven, a purple character that personifies the quality of our products.

The cartoon characters served as conversation starters and, since their bright colors could be spotted from across the show floor, they brought a steady supply of inquisitive attendees to the booth. As we talked with prospects, we qualified them and learned about their needs.

The key to our success was not only that we stood out from the crowd, but that we found a way to differentiate ourselves that was unique but also appropriate for our company and its objectives. Our bright colors and eye-catching characters attracted attention, while conveying our key messages in a memorable way.

Shedding Your Camouflage

So what can you do to stand out from the crowd? There are several steps, but it all starts with looking at each trade show environment, then brainstorming ways to avoid blending into the background.

Walk the floor at any big show in your industry. Look at the colors, the exhibit materials, the lighting. Look at how booth staffers act. Look at the construction of each booth. What trends do you see, and how can your next exhibit stand out from that crowd like Black Beauty in a zebra herd?

There are a billion different ways to stand out and break from your particular industry's norms. While not all of the following suggestions are likely to work for your company and its objectives, the trick is to differentiate yourself in a way attendees are sure to notice.

What basics should you consider? Here are some areas where booths tend to blend together. The next time you need to stand out, consider these areas - or any others you can think of - and find ways to go against the grain.

Color: Don't use the standard color palette. Colors say a lot about a company. There is certainly a psychology behind most industry norms, and it's worth looking into the messages various colors send to avoid making a colorful faux pas on the show floor. Nevertheless, choosing a unique color scheme for your booth is a simple way to stand out. For example, if your industry is full of multi-colored booths, consider a stark-white space with a simple, more subdued approach. Or if you find your industry chock full of exhibits in white and blue hues, what about selecting a palette of lime green or neon orange?

Structure: Don't settle for the standard exhibit configuration. Challenge your existing exhibit paradigms. If the competition is all about formal meeting rooms, turn your booth into a casual lounge instead. If every other exhibit looks heavy, with hard angles and sharp corners, go light and airy with a fabric structure featuring organic shapes and soft, curvy lines.

Lighting: If a new construction style doesn't work, perhaps you simply need to find a new way to light your booth. Darkness can create a sense of mystery. Colored lights like a disco can serve as a traffic builder in a room full of backlit graphics panels.

Booth Staff: Don't trot out the standard booth staff. A booth full of salespeople says "we're here selling like everyone else." Instead, bring the product-development folks and have them talk about how your latest widget was designed to revolutionize the industry. If every other exhibit is full of staffers dressed in three-piece suits, consider taking an informal approach to attire. If attendees at your shows are inundated with aggressive staffers, train your staff to be friendly, approachable, and noticeably laid back. Or, if your company is known for its great customer care, mimic the infamous wait staff from Chicago's Ed Debevic's restaurant, treating your attendees rudely in a purposefully fun way.

Product Displays: Look at how your competitors display their wares and find a way for your display to stand out. If every other exhibitor litters tables with their widgets, consider building an artistic sculpture from your widgets, elevating them to art-gallery chic amid other exhibitors' blasé displays.

If you're tired of playing it safe and you're looking for a little extra attention, take a good look around at your next industry show. Once you've figured out what trends the herd is following, it'll be easy to trade in your zebra stripes for something that makes your exhibit memorable and doesn't get lost in the herd. e