Types of Trade Show Banners and Best Applications

Attending a trade show can be an exciting, stressful and profitable experience. By the time you leave the event, you may have developed numerous new business leads. You will have undoubtedly shown off your business and brand to hundreds of potential customers. These people may talk about you to their friends, family, and co-workers, thus spreading the word about you. You will have the opportunity to network and learn from scores of other professionals who work in your industry. Trade show banners can help grab their initial attention.
Of course, trade shows are also expensive to attend. There are fees to rent space on the expo floor, travel and accommodation costs for you and your team members and many other expenses.
Despite these costs, however, trade shows are worth it. If you adopt a smart strategy, you can easily make back what you spent attending the show and much more. It’s like an investment, where you spend a little upfront to make far more in the long run.
Choosing the appropriate trade show banners
One way to ensure a positive and fruitful experience at a trade show is to ensure your display is top-notch. It should showcase the best of who you are and what you offer. It should be big and bold enough to attract attention, but not so over-the-top that it’s overwhelming to look at.
One of the best possible displays you could bring to a trade show is one of APG Exhibits‘ trade show banners. They come in all shapes, sizes and designs to suit a wide variety of needs.
However, there are plenty of other occasions besides trade shows where you might need banners. These might be a slightly different type of banner, but they’re no less important. You might need an outdoor banner, a banner flag or some premium red carpet advertising. For these needs and others, APG has you covered as well.
To help you decide what which trade show banners would be best for you and your business, let’s go over some of the basics.
What are Trade Show Banners?
Trade show banners or event banners are graphic images that are designed to attract clients. Their job is to advertise your organization and inform potential customers about the products or services you offer. They’re highly versatile and come in a variety of styles, shapes and sizes to suit your individual needs. By using banners at trade shows and other events, an organization can easily spark interest from passers-by and potential customers.
Trade show banners are usually constructed from either fabric or vinyl. No one choice is better than the other, and buyers should focus instead on which is better for their needs. Fabric banners will last a long time and will also travel well because they don’t bend or wrinkle. They also don’t cause a glare when light reflects on them, which allows customers to see them clearly.
Vinyl banners, on the other hand, have the huge advantage of being easy to clean. All that’s needed is a wipe-down with a damp cloth to get them looking good as new. Vinyl banners also allow for more vivid colors with a higher image quality.
Advertising with trade show banners
One of the reasons trade show banners are such an ideal advertising tool is their affordability. While other forms of traditional advertising — such as video and radio ads — are useful in their own ways, they are much more expensive than a banner stand. Banner stands are cost-effective, portable and can be set up quickly almost anywhere, making them an ideal way to promote your organization.
Banners can display almost any image, graphic or text imaginable. You can include pictures of your team in action, pictures of your logo or testimonials from satisfied customers. You can also include your company’s email address, website info and social media handles so that people can easily connect with you.
Different Types of Trade Show Banners
At APG Exhibits, we understand that your organization’s needs are unique. When it comes to event banners, one size does not fit all. Some organizations will need larger models that command attention. Others are working in a small, confined space and need a smaller design. Some have huge budgets, while others are working with limited resources.
No matter what your situation or goals, we have trade show banners that will be just what you need. Here are some of the types of event banners we offer.
Retractable Banner Stands
Retractable banner stands are the mainstay of banner design. These handy promotional tools operate in the same way as a window shade. You can stretch them out to their full height from the ground to the top of the banner stand and let them retract and snap back up into a compact roll.
This retractable feature makes them ideal for an easy and fast set up and tear down. You won’t need a huge team of people to set it up. Just one person will do.
Retractable banner stands come in a wide variety of heights and widths, depending on how much space you have to work with. You can also print graphics on one or both sides of the banner.
These types of banners are ideal for situations where you need to fit into a relatively small space because they can be so compact. They’re also perfect for situations where you’ll need to set up or pack up quickly.
Fabric Banner Stands
Fabric is the standard material for banner stands and for good reason. It offers a lengthy list of advantages and has led to success for hundreds of satisfied clients and customers.
As previously mentioned, one of the primary benefits of the fabric banner stand is how well it travels. Since the fabric doesn’t wrinkle, bend or otherwise warp out of shape, you can easily fold these banners into small spaces when transporting it. When unfolded, they suffer no damage or disfiguration from their journey.
Another advantage is the fact that the fabric doesn’t reflect light. This means that anyone looking at the banner will never see a glare or a reflection from a nearby window that would obstruct their view of the graphic or text printed on the banner. This guarantees that you’ll never lose potential customers just because they couldn’t see the display properly.
APG offers a variety of fabric banners in a wide range of sizes, prices and designs, so you can find exactly what you’re looking for.
Fabric banners are the perfect solution for occasions when you’re traveling long distances and don’t have a lot of room to transport displays and banners. Fabric banners can easily handle these conditions without getting damaged.
Outdoor Banner Stands
Not every event is held indoors, of course. While most trade shows will be inside, there are many other situations where you may need a banner stand that works well outdoors.
Our outdoor banner stands are designed specifically to withstand outdoor conditions. They’re weighted so as not to blow away in the wind, and they’re also constructed of weather-resistant materials so that rainfall won’t damage them. Some outdoor designs even come with a hollow base that can be filled with sand or water for extra stability. With other models, you use stakes to anchor the display to the ground.
As with every other style, outdoor banner stands come in a range of designs and sizes to suit your needs. They’re the perfect solution for outdoor advertising events such as parades, festivals and outdoor expos.
Banner Flags
Are you looking for a banner advertisement but just aren’t quite satisfied with the more traditional banner stand designs? If so, you might be interested in a banner flag.
Banner flags are made from a durable polyester fabric and attached to a lightweight aluminum and fiberglass pole. They work for both indoor and outdoor use. Businesses with both indoor and outdoor spaces, such as car dealerships, frequently use them. Unlike more static banners, flags move with the breeze, attracting extra attention and drawing more eyes to your business.
Banner flags come in many different styles and are highly customizable. We offer feather and bow flags, business flags and specialty flags, to name a few. We also offer flags by size so that you can get the exact dimensions you need for the space you have available.
For advertising outside your building or office space, choose a banner flag. They do a great job of letting people who happen to be driving by know exactly who you are and what you offer.
Step and Repeat Banners
Step and repeat banners are a slightly different type of advertisement. They usually consist of a logo and appear behind celebrities at many red carpet events. The reason they are called step and repeat ads is because of the process of repetitively printing the logo on a banner over and over again. You might also hear them called step and repeat backdrops.
If you find yourself in need of this type of advertisement, APG Exhibits can help you design this logo matrix for the perfect step and repeat banner.
How to Create Your Trade Show Banners
While there is some variability in choosing trade show banners, typically you’ll be deciding between a few standard designs. The part where you truly get to let your imagination and creativity shine is when you create the banner art.
The most important thing to remember about banner art is that it represents your brand and your message. People will be walking past and may spare you no more than a single glance. Your job in designing your banner art is to create something unique and compelling.
In most cases, the larger the size of banner the greater the impression it leaves. You will also need to consider the amount of space you have available. The standard height for banner stands is 7.5 feet, but you can customize the height based on your needs and capabilities. The pricing of trade show banner stands varies by the type and size of the stand. No matter what your budget looks like, there’s an option that will work for you.
While there are hundreds of approaches to designing banner art, there is a particular style that is known to work well. Bold and simple graphics with colors consistent with your company image are almost always a sure bet.
Designing your banner
Your goal in designing your banner is too simultaneously attract people to your booth and spread the word about your brand. Because of this, we recommend staying away from small text that people can’t read from a distance. A good rule of thumb to remember is that people should be able to clearly read your banner from 20 feet away. It’s also best to avoid overcrowding your banner with too many images and text boxes that will overwhelm and confuse audiences.
Another useful strategy is to use clear, simple fonts such as Arial and other sans-serif fonts. Avoid italics and serif fonts that can be hard to read from a distance. Keep things simple and clear and focused around your logo. The goal should be to create the impression — based on your banner — that your company is upfront, honest and organized.
Keep in mind that bright colors will attract attention but sometimes can dilute your message. When you determine your banner colors, make sure you have a clear contrast between background colors so your message is clear and legible.
Positioning Your Event Banners
When it comes to creating your exhibition or booth space, you’ll have a lot of decisions to make. You’ll have to design the graphics on the banners and decide what styles will work best for your space. You’ll have to decide what else you want in addition to your banners if anything. And based on the size and design of your booth, you may end up deciding you need multiple trade show banners.
When making these decisions, it’s important to consider what you want the final appearance of your booth to be like. If you have a small display, maybe you want to amp it up by adding two or three banners. Or if you only have a small amount of space to work with, you may decide to go with only small one.
When planning for the number of banners you want, remember to think of the foot traffic that your booth will experience. Leave plenty of room for people to walk around and mingle. However, don’t leave so much space that your display feels bare and empty.
Planning ahead
One smart strategy is to place your trade show banners out in front of your booth. If you have two, you might place one on each front corner. This is a perfect way to get your message out as well as minimize any obstructions in your internal booth space.
If for whatever reason, you don’t love the idea of putting your banners out front, you can do the opposite and put them in the back. They can make a great graphic extension of your display by forming a back wall while also supplying your clients with information about who you are and what you do.
Other placement options
It’s also worthwhile to point out that your banner doesn’t have to be at your individual exhibition space. You might be able to set it up in places like the venue lobby, a meeting area or at the end of an aisle, provided that your venue permits this. If it does, you can use these banners to drive traffic to your full display. You can maximize traffic by creating graphics that display your booth name or location on the event floor. Can’t decide whether to use banners in your display or out in the lobby? Don’t be afraid to compromise and do both.
And of course, when the event is over, it’s critical to break down your banners correctly and store the graphics and the hardware properly. By treating them gently, you can minimize the amount of wear and tear they show. And if you do find that a banner has sustained damaged, be sure to replace it promptly. You never want old or worn out signage to represent your company.
Lighting Tips for Event Banners
When it comes to making your entire display look fabulous, lighting is one of the essential tools you have at your disposal. It’s not the tool that everyone initially thinks of, however, which means that you can have a huge advantage over other displays if you use lighting to your advantage.
One of the best ways you can use lighting in your display is to let it highlight key parts of it. Plenty of vertical banners with stands come with lighting options that enhance your banner. You can also use spotlights to create focal points that draw the eyes towards banners or other key areas within your display.
If you don’t have the resources or the desire to create spotlights or other targeted lighting techniques, don’t worry. Even just creating a well-lit environment for your display will have an immensely positive effect. By making sure your space is well lit, you ensure that any potential clients or customers can clearly read the text on your banners and displays and that your space looks friendly and inviting.
Shop Event Banners at APG Exhibits Today
If you’re in the market for an event banner for an upcoming trade show, a convention, exhibition or even just to place in your building’s lobby, you should never have to settle for less than the ideal banner.
At APG Exhibits, we offer a wide variety of banners, including retractable, fabric, outdoor, flag and many more. All our banners come in varying sizes, shapes and can display whatever graphics or text you choose.
We offer friendly, knowledgeable and reliable service to every customer as we work with them to find the banner that will best fit their event and their organization. Browse our selection of trade show banners online today and call us at 866-752-2192 if you have any questions.