Archive for May, 2010

Trade Show Displays

Monday, May 31st, 2010

Having the right trade show displays can either make or break your trade show success. The trade show booth and related displays must reflect a powerful sense of who your company is and be able to draw individual people into your booth, even among a large crowd filled with competitors looking to do the same thing. And while a well-trained trade show staff, marketing efforts before the show, and promotions and giveaways at the show will help to draw in a lot of potential customers and clients, the image and appeal of your trade show displays can greatly affect the results you see from the show itself. In a crowded exhibition hall filled with thousands of people and hundreds of booths, you have just around two or three seconds to catch the eye of passersby. Everything about your trade show displays should work towards that goal, from your booth signs and banner stands to the table cloths and other visible materials that you have displayed.

Key Components of Effective Trade Show Displays

There are some vital components to effective trade show displays that draw attention and cause people to put the brakes on their Nikes long enough to give you a chance. Your goal is to communicate the benefits of whatever you are pushing, whether it is a product or a service, with as few words as possible. Color, motion, lighting, sounds, and smells are critical components of creating an effective trade show display.

  • Color. Warm colors such as orange, yellow, and red will attract the most attention, but must be used with some modesty as the display does not want to appear too loud. Cool colors like blue, white, and green are great complementary shades to go along with warm colors because they convey professionalism.
  • Motion. Moving objects always draw attention, whether it is colorful streamers blowing with the help of a small fan, or a DVD about your product playing on a large screen television.
  • Lighting. Lighting is a key element to any trade show booth. Who wants to look around a booth that is poorly or dimly lit? Use your lighting to create an inviting ambience that calls out to passersby, or elect to put a spotlight on your product.
  • Sound. Appeal to the auditory senses of trade show attendees with appropriate music, nature sounds, or even life performances. Just be sure to not make the sound coming from your booth a nuisance, either to passersby or other booth attendants.
  • Smells. Adding an enticing aroma to your trade show displays can catch the “nose” of people walking buy, appealing to their olfactory senses. From scented candles to freshly popped popcorn, entice folks to follow their noses over – and perhaps offer a treat for doing so, i.e., popcorn, candy, freshly baked cookies, doughnuts, and more.

Combining all of these components can ensure that your trade show displays are top of the line and first to be noticed in a long row of competition at your next show!

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Pop-Up Displays

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

The pop-up display may be one of the most effective mediums that are available to participants in trade shows, effectively giving a professional feel to your trade show booth and attracting potential customers and clients like moths to the flame. Trade shows allow folks to compare different companies that sell similar services and products. This means that they are highly competitive, and standing out from among the crowded throng is easier said than done. With huge crowds to impress, pop-up displays can take your booth to the next level to enhance your success and profitability.

Types of Pop-Up Displays

There are several types of pop-up displays on the market, including:

  • Graphic displays – typically made from aluminum and containing high resolution graphics; may be alternatively lit with halogen lighting for a bigger eye-catching effect.
  • Fabric displays – these displays are often made of aluminum as well but feature fabric and Velcro to hold display panels.
  • Convertible pop-up displays – this type of display usually consists of a counter top that allows you to have an impressive place to display brochures or full-size products.
  • Tower pop-up displays – the tower display offers a three-hundred and sixty degree view all the way around the display; useful in drawing attention from outside the booth.

You can also find panel displays, table-top displays, and cases displays. Pop-up displays are found in standard sizes ranging from twenty feet down to six feet, and even smaller for table-top varieties.

Benefits of Pop-Up Displays

Pop-up displays are quickly becoming one of the most sought after types of displays for trade show use. The benefits of pop-up displays include:

  • Visually appealing. A pop-up display can be used to display graphics and photographs of the products or services that you are promoting in a very eye-catching manner.
  • Availability of size. You can find pop-up displays in a variety of standard and custom sizes to suit your needs.
  • Durable and sturdy. The pop-up display can be used over and over again; in fact, many of them last for a great number of years.
  • Suited to different spaces. The pop-up display can be used in all sizes of stalls and booths at trade shows and conventions, and can be used either inside or outside.
  • Ease of set-up. You can set up a pop-up display in less than fifteen minutes, depending on the type of pop-up, and some can be set up in three minutes or less.
  • Easy to transport. Pop-up displays can be folded flat for transportation, and typically come with a carrying case that makes transporting them between shows a breeze.
  • Affordable. Pop-up displays are much more affordable than more complex designs, and there is typically a pop-up display for every advertising budget.

Before Selecting Your Pop-Up Display

Before selecting the pop-up display that will boost your sales and brand your company at your next trade show, be sure to consider the size of space where the display will be set up, whether inside or outside the booth. You should also consider whether you will be using this particular display for many trade shows, or if it can be modified as needed for future shows. This will help you find the best pop-up display for your money.

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An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

In my production department I have seen a few retractable banner stands return with damage, that could have been avoided had the customer been patient. By following these 5 simple tips while setting up and taking down your stand can help prevent damage.

1.    If your banner stand has a stabilizing foot, always extend it fully.  Stabilizing feet serve to keep your banner stand firmly upright. When used improperly, they can cause the stand to fall over.

2.    Ensure the stand pole is fully extended and correctly inserted into the base.  Some banner stands have one hole to fit into, while others have various layers of aluminum or a peg to hold the bar in place.  Make sure that the pole is fully inserted to prevent it from tipping forward or falling over.

3.    Keep a firm grasp on both the top rail and the pole while setting up/taking down your banner stand, as it is under tension, and a loose grip could result in the graphic snapping back into the hardware.

4.    Make sure that the top rail is properly attached to the pole before you let go.  Regardless of the model of your retractable banner stand, improper attaching of the top rail to the pole can result in the graphic snapping back into the base.

5.    The banner graphic is tensioned on a roller and can to wander slightly from side to side while lifting/lowering.  By slowly lifting/lowering the graphic and guiding it in evenly, you can prevent it from rubbing against the sides of the base thus causing it to rip or kink.

Scott

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Banner Stands

Monday, May 17th, 2010

It seems that modular displays, glossy pop-up displays and custom booths get all of the glory, and it is true that having a proper and eye-catching booth is critical to the success of any exhibit at a trade show. But don’t overlook the possibilities of the banner stand. Banner stands are portable, flexible, and highly effective when marketing your services and products, even if they are not as multifarious as some booths. Banner stands are simple to set up and a breeze to transport, making them an excellent value for their cost that packs a heaping helping of selling power.

Benefits of Banner Stands

Multitudes of professionals are discovering the advantages of banner stands, including:

  • Portability. Banner stands are designed to go on the road with you. Because they are so lightweight, they are a cinch to carry around, and many of them come with carrying case or are available in retractable banner designs that roll up into a base. The latter have the added advantage of protecting any graphics on the panel of the banner from normal wear and tear and are very compact when they have been retracted for storage.
  • Flexibility. A banner stand is among the most flexible media because you have the ability to modify the graphics of the banner. Most people find that they can use the same banner for multiple shows, or use the same banner with different graphics when a new product is released or a different show is attended. What’s more, a banner stand can go beyond the traditional trade show floor to the retail or office location for announcing promotions, making them work even harder.
  • Ease of set-up. As you may very well know, there is an endless list of things that can go wrong when you are on the road, attending a trade show, convention, or other event. A frustrating mishap is when you find it difficult to set up your booth or display. A retractable or roll-up banner stand is the simplest media to set up and to dismantle; you will simple unroll the graphic and then snap it right into place. Pole or display stands also have just a few steps to putting them together. Yes, a banner stand will take much of the stress out of setting up your next highly effective display, even if you are the only one at the booth.
  • Effective. Appropriately set up stands that display just the right message (including eye-catching graphics and a call to action) can encourage spontaneous behavior by passersby, like taking a look at your booth. This is always good for business.
  • Perfect size. Most banner stands are situated at eye level, which makes them the perfect medium to catch the eye of folks who walk by them. At this level, the customer or client-to-be is encourages to visit your booth right then, not to walk by, not to come back later, maybe, if they don’t change their minds.
  • Great value for your money. When compared to larger displays, banner stands are hands-down the winner when it comes to getting the most for your money. This is doubly true when you consider the fact that banner displays can be used in many environments beyond the trade show floor, including hotel lobbies, sales floors, speaking engagements, and elsewhere.

As you can see, banners stands can be considered the jack-of-all-trades medium that can be effective in lots of places. They are adaptable selling and recognition tools both at home and on the road. They can go wherever you go, be ready in just moments, and change to suit your changing needs.

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Fabric Displays

Monday, May 10th, 2010

Regardless of the product or serve you are selling, fabric displays provide an easy and affordable method for you to attract customers and clients to your demonstration or booth at a trade show. The kinds of fabric displays that are available on today’s market make them an ideal choice when it comes to advertising media, and you are limited only by your imagination when it comes to designing a display that will catch the eye and turn heads. Unlike old-style fabric bolts that were often used to create fabric displays, modern fabric displays are made with state of the art techniques and environmentally-friendly ink that allow you to repeat images in your display or choose to have each panel of your display a completely different image. Modern fabric displays are produced in three types: flat-hanging, free-standing, and pop-up displays.

Tips for Designing Fabric Displays

Designing your fabric displays can be challenging, but the most successful displays always feature your company’s logo prominently. Keep in mind that branding your company is an essential element in marketing success. Putting your company’s name front and center in the minds of potential and existing customers and clients will allow you to avoid missing opportunities to sell them your products and services. You should also take into account the size of your trade show booth. For some folks, a tabletop fabric display is ideal. If you have a larger booth, you might consider a free-hanging fabric display that makes better use of space in your booth.
Flat-hanging displays can hang from the ceiling or against the wall, and are available in all sizes and shapes. You can even accessorize this type of fabric display with special illumination. Many people use flat free-hanging fabric displays as a backdrop of the booth, fitted against the back wall.

Free-standing fabric displays are similar to pop up displays but are less dimensional than the pop-up display. These types of fabric displays can be stood up anywhere around or inside your booth and are perfect for using up any extra space within the booth itself, or for drawing attention to your booth when placed outside. You can find free-standing fabric displays in multiple shapes and sizes.

Pop-up displays are typically mounted on lightweight frames that support the display so that it can stand alone. You can find pop-up fabric displays in many shapes, and you will find that they are ideal for those booths that have a lot of floor space, or to use outside of the booth to lure in visitors to the booth itself.

Choosing Fabric Displays

Fabric displays for your trade show booth can be fully customized to include the images and text that you like best and that will best represent your company at the event. When working on your display design, be sure to choose a printer who will use fabrics that are durable and long-lasting so that you can use them multiple times. Fabric displays should be wrinkle-resistant and lightweight and you should be able to fold the display umpteen times without noticing any peeling or cracks. You always want to look at fabric displays that are easy to put together and take apart again, usually with panel snaps or buttons. Also, consider the wash and go type of fabrics that allow you to simply toss the fabric into the washer if it becomes soiled or dusty, hang to dry, and then put back into service.

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Custom Displays

Friday, May 7th, 2010

An appropriately-designed display has staying power and can be used often for a number of years and altered to fit the needs of your company. You will find that a custom display is multifaceted and can used in numerous places, including trade shows and events, alongside your representatives at a seminar or other presentation, or even on your own sales floor to greet visitors with highlights of what your company has to offer. Creating a good custom display takes some planning but will pay off with a good response that helps to boost your profitability.

Selecting Custom Displays

A great custom display will always command and grab the attention of passersby, which is not that small a feat. Before choosing the custom display that you will use for your booth, answer the questions that follow:

  • What are the goals that you have when participating in this trade show or trade shows in general?
  • How will the custom displays that you use help you to meet these goals?
  • How large are the trade shows or events that you will attend, and what size of audience do they attract – local, regional, or national?
  • What location will you have at the trade show? Will you be in an island, on the end, in the corner, or in-line? How much space does your booth allow?
  • How many shows do you plan to attend or do you usually attend each year?
  • How much have you allotted for custom displays in your budget?
  • How will you transport the display? Do you need to select a company that will ship and/or store the exhibit between shows?

Types of Custom Displays

The nature of the shows that you will be attending and what you plan to accomplish at the trade shows will give you the best idea of which type of custom display you are looking for. Standard custom displays include:

  • Pop-up custom displays – light weight, folding frames covered with plastic, vinyl, or fabric panels that form angled or curved walls
  • Panel displays – rectangular sections covered in fabric and connected together to form a wall
  • Table-top displays – lightweight typically three paneled display with attached Velcro graphics that is easily updated or modified and sits atop a table
  • Pull-up displays – lightweight, works like a window shade in reverse and can be positioned together as needed

Choosing a Company to Create Custom Displays

When selecting the company who will create your custom displays, do a little research and choose a company that demonstrates expertise within the industry and that offers a wide variety of options for you to choose from. The company that you work with must be willing to work within your budget and should guarantee their work with a written service contact. Check to make sure that the company has an excellent track record of delivering on time, especially if you are in a pinch and need your custom display right away. A great way to find a reputable company is to locate booths and displays that interest you, and ask the booth’s attendant who created their display; most folks are more than happy to make a referral for a good company!

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Details Matter – Tablecloths

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

When you rent most smaller exhibit spaces, a 6’ long table is included as part of your rental package. A common mistake I see with exhibitors is how and when they use this table. First, if you don’t need the table, have show services take it away. Figure that, in a 10’ x 10’ space, you’ve got 100 square feet and your table is taking around 18 sq. ft.! If you’re using it for literature, don’t! You can get portable literature racks that take up 1 or 2 square feet and that look a lot neater.

If you do need to use the table – for product or computers, for example – then I highly recommend a tablecloth that is consistent with the branding on your display. Often, these rental tables are finished with white plastic sheeting on the top and a cheap looking blue or black curtain around the sides. If you’ve gone to so much effort to make your display reflect the value of your product or service, then make sure the rest of your precious floor space looks as good. Trade show tablecloths come in a variety of colours, and there are different printing options at different price points for images or logos. Send us what you’d like to put on your tablecloth, and we’ll give you advice on the different options.

Markita

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