Trade-show displays can wow the crowd
By Christine Selvig • Bankrate.com

A good trade-show display tells a company's story in a blink of an eye, grabs the attention of potential customers and pulls them into the booth.

Trade shows are popular because they can put a company's product in front of a key audience, but participating in a trade show is a big financial commitment. You pay the organizers for your space. You pay for special sales materials, product samples, travel, entertainment and lodging. Finally, and very importantly, you pay for a display that you hope will lure potential customers to your booth.

When planning your company's display, it's important to think ahead.

"The biggest problem most exhibitors have is getting out in front of the show date and making plans," says Dan Stellmaker of Freeman Decorating, a national trade-show exhibit service based in Dallas.

Stellmaker advises exhibitors to begin planning by nailing down a space in a specific show or series of show dates and then working on the details of displays and graphics. "Start planning at least three months out from the first show," he says. Planning ahead will give you time to take care of the details and loose ends that crop up.

Costs for custom-built exhibits are prohibitive for most small businesses. Portable display units, priced from a couple of hundred dollars to many thousands of dollars, offer small businesses a more affordable solution. These units can be set up quickly by one or two people and are easily customized with graphics.

Know your display type
Portable display units come in four different styles:

• Lightweight pop-up displays are the most popular models on the market. Made of expandable webs of plastic tubing, they lend themselves to easy setup. In most cases, one or two people can set up these displays in a half-hour. They're convenient and easy to move from one location to another.
• Panel systems are like folding doors held together with hinges. Their flat, tall surfaces provide a serviceable backdrop for company graphics and text. They come in a variety of surfaces including laminate, textured and carpeting. These displays are a little heavier and therefore more costly to ship.
• Inflatable backdrops, set up with handheld inflation devices in less than a half hour, are easy to transport, set up and take down.
• Modular systems, offering features such as cabinets, shelving and expandability, bring the look of your showroom to a trade show. They are heavier, harder to put together, dismantle, ship and store. One benefit of these displays is their ability to grow via add-ons as your company grows.

Buy new, buy used or rent
There are three ways to get a display: You can buy a new display. You can buy a used display. Or you can rent a display for a single show.

No matter which option you choose, it's a good idea to begin your search with a visit to one of your industry's trade shows.

As you stroll the aisles, take note of the kinds of displays your competitors use and the displays that seem to be producing the most traffic. Ask exhibitors how they like their display unit and what types of unexpected costs came up as they prepared for the show.

Buy new
New displays cost anywhere from a couple of hundred dollars to many thousands of dollars. Most portable displays come with a portable carrying case and a warranty. Easy-to-follow setup directions should also be included. It's important to run through the setup, in the showroom or at your office, before you head for the show. It's also wise to take along the manufacturer's help line phone number so you can call if you run into problems putting the display together at the show.

Buy used
Used displays sell for pennies on the dollar, according to Camelback Displays owner Curt Gutierrez. When figuring the real costs for a used display, don't forget to include the cost of your graphics and any work that may be necessary to refurbish the display.

Or rent
First time exhibitors and companies planning to participate in only a couple of shows a year should consider renting a display unit. Rental costs range from 25 percent to 30 percent less than you'd have to shell out to buy one. Some companies will apply a portion of your rent toward a purchase if you end up buying the unit. When you rent a display, the rental usually includes a complete setup, delivery, take-down and, in some instances, even booth carpeting. Renting also saves you the costs of shipping or storing the unit.

Picture this
Whether you rent, buy new or buy used, you will still need to invest in graphics for your display.

Graphics are a key component of any display. Whether yours is a 30-inch tabletop unit or a 20-foot-by-20-foot display complete with panels, towers and a skylight system, your graphics shoulder the task of telling passersby who you are and what you're about in the blink of an eye.

Your graphics need to be flexible, sturdy and easy to attach. Camelback Displays and Graphics produces a Velcro-backed graphic text header for its spider tabletop displays. Airworks Inflatable Displays puts together a package of six graphics for its rear-illuminated 10-foot display. You can expect to pay between $1,000 and $4,000 for graphics for each 10 linear feet of display space you have.

Three types of graphics are used in trade show displays are:

• Vinyl film graphics -- used primarily for logos and text.
• Digital graphics -- produced by scanning or creating a document with a computer.
• Photo graphics -- produced from negatives or regular film.

Once the graphics are produced, you'll want to protect them from ordinary wear and the stress of frequent shipping and handling. Mounting with products like Sintra, Lexan and plexiglass can help protect the graphics from the elements. Tradeshowdirect offers a good explanation of the various laminating and backing options.

-- Updated: Jan. 16, 2003