Tradeshow Displays 101: Backdrops and Banner Stands

retractable banner stands as a backwall

So you have just found out that your company has decided to register for an upcoming trade show to feature the release of your Newest Product, and they’ve put you in charge of creating the booth.  The goal is to get the word out about your New Product to as many people as possible in the shortest amount of time.  Success in this goal could mean a lot of great things for both your company and you, so there is a lot riding on your efforts.  The only problem?  You have never done anything like this before!  Where do you start?  What type of products work best?  How do you stay cost-efficient?  What in blazes is a “tension fabric pop-up”??

I’d like to help!  The world of trade show displays is, admittedly, a slightly over-crowded one.  There are tons of various display products that look similar to tons of other display products and it can be tough to tell which are the best quality and which will suit your needs best.  In this article, we’ll take a look at two of the basic elements that, when used right and with solid design, can put your booth head-and-shoulders above the competition!

1. Backdrops and Main Display Pieces


hopup backdrops

A well-assembled booth needs to have at least one main eye-catching piece, and most often these take the form of large backdrops, which help to tie the entire area together.  Backdrops can take many forms, the simplest being a banner hung using a telescoping banner stand (example HERE).  These are probably the most cost-effective option available, but they are a bit slower to set-up/tear-down and backdrops don’t provide the same visual impact as a more substantial system, such as a collapsing pop-up unit (which can be seen HERE).  Though these pop-up units do cost more, there is an accompanying reduction in set-up and tear-down because the graphic stays attached to the unit at all times, even when in storage.  Plus, the graphics are sublimated onto a high quality knit-polyester that provides a very high perceived value.

2. Banner Stands


bannerstand retractable advance

After you have figured out your main large-scale piece, it helps to “fill in the gaps” with banner stands.  These can be used to promote a particular special or provide specific product information, and there are a few different types.  The most common is the retractable, where the banner retracts into the base of the unit via a roller mechanism (example HERE).  Also very common is the tension-type of stand (example HERE) where grommets are placed in the corners of the banner and the tension of the inserted poles is used to keep everything taut and upright.  Then there are alternatives to standard vinyl banner stands, such as feather banners (example HERE), which are printed using the same type of knit-polyester fabric that the large pop-ups use.

Banner stands come in many different sizes, depending on the need, and also at various price points, depending on the budget.  There are some extra considerations that need to be taken into account when pricing out standard vs. budget stands, though, so please see our article on that topic [HERE (not written yet)] for additional information.

Once you have added these two basic elements to your tradeshow display, you’re ready to hit the show floor with confidence!

 


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