Trade show displays are available with a wide range of print material options, from basic to high end. While two retractable banner stands may look identical from afar, the real difference is in the quality of the graphics where you will be putting your brand’s name on, and how well the materials will hold up to repeated use and environments.

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So depending on the type of application – short or long term, in-door or outdoor, permanent or portable – you can go for a high-end laminated graphic or a basic value vinyl option.  Today, let’s compare two options for graphic materials that can make a huge difference.

Laminated Light-Blocking Polyester

This lightweight media features a DuPont Polyester base and a front glossy surface specially formulated to maximize the color gamut and give ultra sharp saturated images.  It includes a light-blocking layer to eliminate backside light transmittal to prevent image wash out. The instant dry film resists tunneling, curling, edge fraying, and tearing during the rolling and unrolling process. Prints are finished with premium laminate for extended durability.

Scrim Vinyl
This is a very cost effective solution offering bright colors and dependable finish.  Vinyl banners are made of two products—polyester mesh (scrim) and vinyl. The polyester mesh provides added strength, and the vinyl adds durability.  Better options include a block-out layer.  These are then printed with UV or solvent inks, both of them working great outdoors from 6 months to a year.

Laminated Polyester	Vinyl Scrim

 

Let’s look at the quality that can be achieved between the two media types.

RESOLUTION

 

The laminated polyester material is able to produce higher fidelity transfers between digital artwork and printed dyes. Notice how the gradients and smooth reflections of these bubbles look very true to life, with quality very close to the original artwork.

Scrim vinyl does not produce the same vibrant colors and has trouble when a “real world” color count is needed. On the other hand, solid shapes like Vector art are going to appear great on this material.

The spotty look seen here shows another risk of this material. It is more prone to “artifacts” showing up on pixel based graphics.

In general, solid colors and large lettering will look better than images with many hues, where chromatic aberration (that rainbow bleeding effect you sometimes see) is more of a factor. Notice however that scrim vinyl shows a more visible, rougher “tooth” to its denier knit.

TEXTURE

 

Another unfortunate drawback of the vinyl fabric is the risk of rippling or “dimples” forming during the dye application process where heat is used to ingrain the ink within the fabric.

Comparatively, the laminated polyester printing has no texturing to distort the image. The lettering is very crisp.
 
STRENGTH

 

Finally the strength of the laminated polyester is quickly apparent to the touch. It feels more tense and sturdy and the media dissipates light better, creating less glare across the signage so it is easier to read at different angles.

Scrim vinyl comes in 7 to 22 oz. thickness, but a heavier material is not necessarily stronger.  This example was printed with standard 13 oz material.  When compared to the laminated version, this is much more flimsy to the touch and prone to creases. The shine created off the material is also quickly apparent. Signs of fraying on the edges of the fabric can also be a concern when not handled carefully.

Though not all graphic materials are created equal, there are basic guidelines you can follow to reduce wear and tear and keep your brand ready to exhibit at your next show.

High-resolution, full color digital graphics, like other detailed works of quality craftsmanship, are vulnerable to mishandling, and /or inappropriate exposure, which can adversely affect visual appeal.

Please follow these Directions to insure the best care of your Graphics:

“Do Not” fold, crease, or scuff your graphics. Keep the edges and other parts of your graphics away from moisture. If your graphics are “not” laminated, “Do not” touch or try to clean the image with any object or expose to any type of moisture. If your graphics “are” laminated, you may clean the image surface with a soft clean cloth and water. “Do not” use solvent-based cleaners on any part of the Graphic. “Do not” scuff, scrape or rub hard. “Do not” expose the edges of your graphics to extreme moisture. ROLL GRAPHICS: Image side out “Only” – Rolling the graphics any other way, can cause de-lamination bubbles or seperation areas on your panels. “Do not” roll photomural panels to a diameter less than 12”d. “Do not” roll laminated graphics to a diameter less than 6”d. “Do not” store graphics in environments with extreme temperatures and humidity. Unless your graphics have been fabricated using UV rated materials, do not expose to direct sunlight. Avoid over exposure to other UV light sources such as fluorescent. If your graphics are hung from the corners, sides or ends, do not stretch them beyond a reasonable tension, as this could result in tearing them.

 

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Have questions about the best print material for your display choice and budget? Our exhibit experts are always happy to discuss options and recommend the best display for your company’s needs.

The Monster Displays team can be reached at Sales@MonsterDisplays.com or call (888) 484-3344, we’d love to put our experience to work for you.

 

Ideas for trade show booths

Your booth display is one of your most powerful weapons at a trade show, so you’ll want to make sure that you wield that weapon wisely. A booth display draws the eye before a trade show attendee even sees the person at the booth. It’s not unusual for companies to spend thousands, even millions of dollars on a modular display,truss display or tension fabric display. Before you devote your entire budget to an expensive display, take a few minutes to think of other things you can do to make your booth display more effective at a trade show.

Keeping up with the times always requires effort and often expenditures. It is now common place to see a room full of people staring at their phones rather than talking to one another. In today’s internet integrated, technology infused world the job of marketers to build lasting relationships becomes ever more challenging.

Learn these 5 ways to make your brand more tech savvy, and begin to leverage modern devices to help you start the conversation the old fashion way. These simple but productive suggestions add technology to your exhibit marketing strategy, in order to attract more visitors, generate more leads and boost future revenues.

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1.     Tablets & Mobile Devices

Tablet brands like the infamous Apple iPad have infiltrated nearly every facet of our daily lives. Made popular by their sleek, ergonomic design and a loyal unwavering fan base, some savvy users tote their tablet around as routinely as car keys. Tablets have made surfing the web and wasting time on games easier than ever. But did you know that you can use your iPad for work also!

 

• Demonstrations – If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many is video worth? Gone are the days of meticulously describing how a product works and hoping they are picturing the same. Now you can inform and entertain at the same time by sliding through product images and playing video of your value offer in action with just the touch of a finger.
• Lead Management – Trade Shows are a lot of work and can be a lot of fun; but few enjoy the post show necessity of cataloging the mountain of business cards your sales representatives (should) have returned with.
  Utilizing your tablet allows you to take important notes and photos about your competitors as well as making use of idle time by getting started cataloging your prospects. Most tablets running on iOS and Android offer lite versions of Office where you can easily open a spreadsheet and begin organizing all those smiling faces you’ve met.
• Attendee Information – It’s not always about you! Tablets have also empowered your prospects with the ability to seek out information on a company right on site. Watch for techy types and cater your message with this target group in mind. They’re often on the lookout for ways to interact with brands using their tablet.

 

If you really want to enable your booth visitors to interact with your brand, consider allocating some of your booth space and budget on a Tablet Kiosk Workstation. They allow the visitor to experience what you have to offer on their own time, learning about your benefits without dedicating booth staff to discuss with them. In this way your tablet stand acts as a huge beacon for your staff, stating “I’m looking for information, come talk to me!”

 

2.     Digital Signage

The advent of LCD (liquid crystal display) technology has revolutionized digital signage.  These screens are now used in everything from computer monitors to cell phones and TVs.  LCD screens are thin and lightweight so they’re very easy to move, which is important considering shipping and storage costs between shows. LCD screens are also considerably more energy efficient than older screens so they can be used for long periods of time without a hefty power bill.

• Interactive Branding – LCD banner screens give you many display options to extend your brand to standalone totem style signage.  They can be easily mounted in frames or placed on specially designed hangers.  This gives your visitors an enhanced opportunity to check out what your brand offers.
• Stay Relevant – Have you noticed your competitors changing with the times, updating their display’s marketing message to fit a specific venue, buzzing trend, or latest products? Worse off has your company updated its website branding and left your exhibit display showcasing a faded early 2000s style logo? We know from experience that printing high quality graphics are not cheap. Purchasing a nice LCD widescreen isn’t either; but this one time expenditure allows you to update your branding and message to whatever fits the audience, venue, and product focus your company chooses. This allows you to keep your display booth looking fresh simply by turning on the set.
• Seminar Demonstration – Connect your LCD screen to a computer to display a slideshow or video to a larger crowd.  Electronic signs are ideal for integrating all kinds of multimedia into your display like technical training videos, how-to guides, product specs, or general industry information.

 

3.     QR Codes

Use these handy emblems to extend your brand onto the web. This promotes engagement with your prospects and customers, allowing them to feel part of an exclusive crowd that gets a discount or other promotion.

 

• Let the Games Begin – QR Codes allow you to post these cryptic emblems in your emails, website, and all around your trade show booth that allow attendees to interact with your brand and feel technology savvy at the same time. Now that you are prepared to engage with your attendees, you’ll want to have a logical next step in mind to send someone once you’ve peaked their interest. There are many clever ways to attract more attention toward your booth such as games, contests, and prize raffles.
• Message Synergy – An email campaign to your existing customers may offer a discount for attending the show that can be redeemed at your booth. This creates some urgency with attendees and a mental bookmark to visit your booth to redeem the promotion. This sends qualified traffic your way that comes to the show having a preconceived plan of companies they want to visit.

 

4.     Newsletter Marketing

Let’s not forget the now traditional method of email marketing. Yes, because newsletters are difficult to differentiate from spam these can often be ignored as noise. However if you are targeting your existing client base and offering real value, you should be able to find an audience.

• Tried and True – This remains one of the most cost effective methods to establish your message and distribute it to the masses (potentially millions in fact).  For the expense of an employee’s time spent planning, writing and encoding an email campaign you are able to reach many more leads than a billboard, for example.
• Timing is Everything – Newsletters give your prospects and existing clients the opportunity to review your information on their own time and better plan their trade show itinerary.

 

5.     Social Reporting

Don’t forget that not everyone can spend the money and time to fly to a convention and attend. Many in the industry will be keeping track of developments with the official event #hashtag.

• All the World Your Stage – By dedicating some time doing an excellent job reporting on the latest news and insights coming out of a trade show, followers will begin to focus in on your updates like a stock ticker. Your Facebook or Twitter account can become the go-to provider of up to the minute “hot tips” coming out of the trade show. Make sure to include your posts to LinkedIn where you can leverage your efforts within your professional peers.
• Say Cheese! – For better or worse, social media enables anyone with access to the web and an account to be a star (or at least pine for attention). This can be a great way to jump start your company’s follower base and quickly become perceived as an industry contributor. This “thought leader” status is where your play by play reporting and even anecdotal commentary is a valued resource among followers of the event.

 

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Have questions about how to best use technology with your brand? Our exhibit experts are always happy to discuss options and recommend the best display for your company’s needs.
The Monster Displays team can be reached at Sales@MonsterDisplays.com or call (888) 484-3344, we’d love to put our experience to work for you.

You don’t need an 80s style mullet to save the day like MacGyver at your next event – creating a trade show survival kit just requires thinking ahead and creative use of these everyday items. With so much planning and chaos during the final days leading up to an event, remembering to bring things that can keep your team going and your booth looking great can make or break your exhibition success.

Trade shows are an exercise in proving Murphy’s Law is more than a series of ironic calamities. Small mishaps can be very costly when they impact how well you achieve goals necessary to meet your expected ROI. It usually takes experience (or a borderline paranoid sense of preparation) to foresee many of the problems that can arise at a trade show.

Save money, time and frustration by avoiding last minute purchases with these survival kit tips:

Alcohol Wipes – Great for cleaning up graphics with a quick rub down. Dust accumulates quickly during busy shows and its best to clean things up before packing your display away.

Anti-indigestion – This depends heavily on the person, but fast food, finger food and alcohol can cause quite the upset stomach. Bring Alka-Seltzer for relief so your team performs their best and doesn’t miss any scheduled events.

Black Permanent Markers – Important enough to stand alone from general office supplies like pens. Useful for memos, labeling boxes or marking items that you don’t want getting mixed up or “growing legs”; every deterrent helps.

Cloth Gloves – No not so you can play CSI Detective! These are very useful for protecting your graphics from fingerprint smudges when you handle them during installation.

Comfortable Shoes – This goes for men and women. You want to look professional, but should be mindful that the pair of shoes you choose look nice and don’t kill your feet. Women may like the look of high heels, but be sure to bring a comfy backup pair or you’ll be suffering the consequences by day’s end.

Digital Camera – Take pictures of your booth, empty before the show to best show off your finished booth and again while it’s filled with eager attendees for future promotional uses.

Eyeglasses – Make sure you bring your glasses even if you wear contacts. The long hours might start to dry your eyes out. You also never know when your primary pair will get knocked off your face and stepped on.

Eye Drops – Long hours of keeping eye contact with visitors, watching demonstrations and loss of sleep will ensure these come in handy.

Extra Batteries – This is a must have for any display booth lighting and other devices. If forgotten you face huge markup when trying to purchase from the convention store.

Extension Cord – Your exhibit booth’s nearest electrical socket may be too far to reach. You don’t want to get to the show and find that the awesome new HD widescreen on your backwall is too short to reach and is now in danger of becoming an oversized paperweight.

Garbage Bags – Especially useful for that after show cleanup.

Hand Sanitizer – Shaking hands is a great way to make a good first impression, but it can also be a great way to catch a cold or other illness.

Lip Balm – Excessive talking can dry out any mouth. Get quick relief and keep focused on achieving your goals.

Medicine – Ibuprofen, Aspirin, Sudafed or other medications. Headaches and allergies are common at trade shows due to travel, sickness, long days, after hour cocktail mixers, lack of sleep, and the general stress that comes with the event.

Mouthwash & Breath Mints – Do your booth visitors keep backing away politely? Travel and quick eats can sneak up on you; don’t be the one with “dragon breath”.

Notebooks – A regular necessity for trade shows. Your booth team should be taking notes on demonstrations, competitor ideas, leads, and general notes.

Office Supplies – Anything you commonly use in the office will be good to have on hand. Don’t get caught without a good supply of black and blue pens for taking notes. Keep business cards, stray marketing materials and information together with paperclips or staples. These cheap items will be highly marked up at the show, if available at all.

Power Strip – Access to electrical sockets can be very limited.  Make sure you have a way to share power between all the devices you want to feature as part of your booth’s engagement. An iPad Kiosk is a great way to let visitors interact with your brand, or allowing you to input new leads in real time. Plan ahead to make sure charging these devices don’t compete with your brand’s focal points like stunning lightbox displays.

Push Pins – Useful to hold agendas in place, post messages or notes. Try to resist the urge to place them on your co-worker’s chair.

Paper Towels – In addition to quickly cleaning up spilled food and drink before it ruins equipment, your display will benefit from a quick wipe down as per best practices for maintaining your trade show display for years to come.

Safety Pins – Great for a makeshift fix for a table cloth. Also useful if anyone’s elegant dress has a strap break right before a live demonstration. These are moments you’ll feel indifferent toward until you find yourself in a crisis.

Sewing Kit – This may seem silly, but trade shows are crowded and there are many opportunities to snag clothing on a corner as you pass. Depending on how many extra business outfits you packed, and how far your team traveled for the show you could find yourself frantically reaching for needle and thread. Wardrobe malfunctions might make you memorable, but it’s doubtful they’ll be telling stories about your brand.

Snacks – Energy food that isn’t too messy or rough on the stomach (see Alka-Seltzer recommendation) is a must have. Your team can’t bring their A-game if all they’re thinking about is stealing someone’s unattended sandwich (nobody likes a booth bandit).

Throat Lozenges – Halls or Ricola can be life savers (no not the candy) after days of speaking in the dry temperature controlled convention space.

Tissues – Colds are an ever present reminder of the hazards of collecting hundreds of people from around the nation together in one big space. You never know when you’ll need these, so even if your team is fortunate enough not to get sick there is likely a sneezing someone you meet that will appreciate the gesture.

Tools – A portable multi tool kit is so important it might be insulting to include on this list. If your display isn’t one of the fantastic newer tool free solutions you will need a screw driver at the very least to assemble your components.

Tape – As any home owner knows, the utility of strong masking or duct tape cannot be under stated. You might need to do a quick repair on your display to pin down a wayward graphic or flowing table cloth. Don’t forget to tape down electrical cords so no one trips (memorable yes, but not the best way to make a first impression).  After the show you’ll be happy to have this to seal up boxes for the trip home.

Velcro – Many trade show display styles like tension fabrics use Velcro to attach graphics to the frame. Bring extra for last minute signage that needs a firmer stick on the walls of your display.

Wrist Watch – Besides helping you look professional and punctual, a trade show agenda is filled with demonstrations and meetings; make sure you are on time to make a good first impression.

We hope you find this checklist handy to alleviate the last minute panic and give you piece of mind that your team is ready for any unforeseen mishap. For more tips, and expert advice on building a fool proof exhibit booth that looks great give us a call at (888) 484-3344.

Learning to boost trade show booth traffic is the the holy grail of any of your convention marketing. More importantly you want them to be qualified visitors. What is the point of having a big crowd in front of your booth if the mob is made up of nothing but people interested in taking home a tote bag full of swag.

Getting someone to head home with some desk widgets or tools with your company logo on them can be excellent for brand retention, but what about getting more people to visit your booth that should have a genuine interest in your product?

There are many great tips out there that have suggestions for doing just that.

 

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1) Plan Ahead to Boost Trade Show Booth Traffic

There is no goal that can hope to be achievable without a strategy and good planning. Christine Lagorio-Chafkin writes on the importance of pre-show planning as a two pronged approach:

“The first would be to contact your in-house file – that’s your regular customers, local contacts, and solid prospects. The other? Registered attendees of the show…You should conduct some outreach to them – or a segment of attendees that might be interested in you – either through direct mail, e-mail, or even phone.”

In this way your expectations for success on the actual day of the trade show improve. By reaching out to your existing clients you begin to shape a real world view of your convention audience. This should help ensure that the trade show you want to exhibit at will contain people who are there to see your product and similar.

Use this valuable time leading up to the event to reach out to your existing customers you want to become closer with, or prospects that might close if you could just get a face to face conversation. Christine adds:

“While you’re at it, make a substantial effort to contact and make appointments with your local clients, suppliers, or anyone you do business with in the geographic area of your show. It’s a simple way to get face-time with folks you might not otherwise be able to sit down with – and a way to make sure you or your employees aren’t wasting time standing around in an empty booth.”

Whether your expectations for the upcoming trade show relate to improving brand recognition with a gambit of in person discussions or you have more grandiose outcomes in mind, your ability to achieve the goals you set is going to relate to the strategy you plan.

2) Interaction

Fulfilling your trade show expectations depends on having the booth traffic to make headway with your goals. This means having enough visitors to make a measurable effort and figure out what works and what doesn’t. This becomes a ‘chicken or the egg’ scenario where you need visitors to get leads, and your most qualified visitors would come out of your existing customers and leads (remember pre planning).

Now that you are prepared to engage with your attendees, you’ll want to have a logical next step in mind to send someone once you’ve peaked their interest. There are many clever ways to attract more attention toward your booth such as games, contests, and prize raffles.

Normally you want this process to be as easy as possible to avoid making your attendees work. Sometimes however, you can capitalize off of someone’s need to go beyond the status quo and discover something more.

An email campaign to your existing customers may offer a discount for attending the show that can be redeemed at your booth. This sends qualified traffic your way that comes to the show having a preconceived plan of companies they want to visit. Similarly you can create a scavenger hunt that rewards users for seeking out more information on your brand like a QR code. Scott F. McFadden of CSW Corp. points out:

“QR codes (Quick Response codes) are a great way to be innovative at tradeshows. They can be imprinted on banners, shirts, your booth, chairs, rugs, and all your tangible marketing giveaways. They are a great conversation starter to encourage visitors to download a brochure, watch a video, visit your website, or follow you on different social media channels.”

QR Codes allow you to post cryptic emblems in your emails, website, and all around your trade show booth that allow attendees to interact with your brand and feel technology savvy at the same time. While these tech tools can be great at sparking interest, you’ll want to make sure they are a part of a bigger strategy that does not rely on this sort of gimmick, McFadden warns:

“These aren’t exactly new and trend setting anymore. In many cases they’re overlooked and a novelty. However they represent a merge of technology, interest, and spontaneity. Take advantage of this quick lookup for that moment when you have someone’s interest peaked. They go through the effort to snap your code and look at your promotion, so try to have something worthwhile there to keep them with a favorable memory and not feeling like their time was wasted.”

3) Become the Experience

Sounds spooky and existential – but what does it mean? A trade show can be a lot of fun and a lot of work for attendees. To improve your brand awareness and drive people to your booth try thinking about how you can alleviate headaches and improve their experience.

When you’ve been walking around talking for hours and someone hands you a bottle of water, whatever you were feeling is paused for a moment as you thank them, notice who was so kind and continue on your way. In that moment of refreshment the water giver has become part of your experience and helped it improve.

Anything that breaks up the norm, especially if it saves someone time and effort is appreciated and earns you some good will. Doesn’t everyone hate trying to find parking and then walking in the heat toward the convention center? While not within everyone’s budget, Tim Carter explains how becoming a car service does just that:

“Consider renting a small van or bus for the day. It can give you a unique opportunity to increase traffic to your tradeshow booth. Putting the name of your company on the van or bus gives you instant exposure to anyone moving through crowded parking lots. Those who catch a ride may also feel indebted to your company. The least they can do is give you a few minutes to learn more about the products and services that you offer. Of course, running a shuttle bus also gives you a chance to take control of the experience. If you choose a booth near the tradeshow’s entrance, you can use the location as a pick-up and drop-off point.”

In one swoop many of your goals of brand awareness, goodwill and an opportunity for face time to explain your product have been achieved.

4) Nurture the Now and Later

Just as you worked hard to set up meetings and promote your attendance to boost trade show booth traffic, you want to carry on that effort after the show to nurture your leads. Megan Zweig at The Core, Marketing blog suggests hiring a photographer to increase demand that people seek out your brand.

“Hire a photographer to chronicle your experience at the tradeshow by taking photos of your team in action along with fun photos of you with your customers on and off the show floor. After the event, mail your customers a card with the photo of you and the customer framed and ready for placement on their desk.”

If a tree falls and no one is around to hear it, does it still make a sound? This classic philosophical adage is my best way to sum up your marketing. In the ever more important world of social media, anything good that your brand has done (sometimes winning points for admitting when you do something not so good) should become part of your social media strategy.

You want to get the word out, and so do the companies you are there to meet with! If you have thoughtfully put some of your budget toward showcasing the people you have met at the show and sending them a little something that pictures them at the show, they should appreciate it. The added benefit is you’ve started the conversation by doing something nice and now they have a way to be reminded of you the next time they need something.

5) Go Above and Beyond

In today’s world of marketing there is almost nothing that hasn’t been thought of already. This doesn’t mean you want to stop trying to exceed expectations as well as boundaries as you seek to reach your audience even after a convention.

While trying to market to exhausted trade show attendees during the after hours will most likely become noise, you can still become part of their end goal: relaxation! While giving out food or drink and offering a quiet place to sit are great ways to improve an attendees’ experience at the show, Megan points out that your efforts can continue on:

“Invite existing and potential customers and partners to your gathering and offer them light bites and cocktails featuring your fresh products. People will head to your booth in droves for an opportunity to attend THE social event of the show. Take advantage of their visit by sharing your latest products/services/news.”

Many of these suggestions may come off as pandering, and that’s not wrong. Anything that calls attention to your brand and leaves a person with a positive mental association with your company is a win. During the busy chaos it becomes the difficult task of your marketing team to boost trade show booth traffic and manage the leads produced. Leave an impacting impression and reinforce that brand recognition in the days and months after your exhibition.

Did we find the best choices? Let us know what your favorite strategies for boosting trade show booth traffic.

The Monster Displays team can be reached at Sales@MonsterDisplays.com or call (888) 484-3344, we’d love to put our experience to work for you.

Read more Monster advice on How to Attract Business at a Trade Show.