OT: Trade Show Displays, Likes/Dislikes/whatcha got? Options

[balljoint]

Company is doing about 4 big trade shows per year right now. The average could increase. Our old pop up display is tired and busted and I don't think I can fix it anymore. We usually get 10 to 20 feet of space and I need to update the look a lot.

I am trying to decide what to get. New pop-up? Fold out? Vertical banners?

What have you seen that you liked or didn't like. What are you using if you do work some trade shows?

Anybody work in the industry?

[Kargeek]

As a former marketing director, I used to deal with this stuff a lot. I've used the space frame pop up's, solid modular wall systems and printed vertical banners. What are you displaying? Do you have to display actual product samples or can you get by with photos? You want a display that is convertible for all of your booth sizes and has flexibility for updating with your goods or services. With the small size 10 and 20 foot booths you usually are setting these up by yourself so portability and ease of set up is an advantage. DH

[balljoint]

For out of province shows my preference is to utilize product photographs and sample packaging on the displays. We distribute a number of different products so it is important that we are able to completely alter the display for the circumstances. The only handouts will be pricelists and brochures for the retailers.

I think I want a roughly 8 foot wide display that I will just set up as part of one of the larger (for me) displays.

To further clarify, small business, these events are frequently a One-Dave show, so yeah, I set it up, I take it down etc. etc.

[URY914]

Think chicks with big hooters. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif)

P

[SLITS]

QUOTE (URY914 @ Aug 18 2005, 11:37 AM)

Think chicks with big hooters. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif) P

Naked....what you said.....it'll draw a crowd


Pop ups with roll-up graphics....multiple 10' sections so you can cover larger area at bigger trade shows....all fits in a nice rolling case.....Product samples...Fold up table with drape cover. One day shows are a beaytch and multiple day shows border on total insanity.

The cardboard ones (some assembly required) are nice and cheap and will last a couple of years if you take care of them.

[ppickerell]

Shameless plug for my Brother in law who is a fellow teener owner. Ric Van Sickle who owns Plan B Chicago (Small hip ad agency) did our booth and they are the coolest agency around with reasonable pricing. They can design the graphics and have the booth built.
Phone: 312-222-0303

[Mueller]

serious?

make an offer....no flat panel included...we paid well over $80K for it......

[Mueller]

picture of it in our back assembly area collecting dust:

[Mueller]

another view....more pictures available.........

[Part Pricer]

True story...

A couple of years ago I was driving down the road when for some reason I decided to stop at a yard sale. I don't normally do this, but for some reason I felt that I had to stop.

I looked through all of the crap that they had for sale when I noticed two rolling containers. I went over and took a look. Inside the containers was a pop-up trade show display that was in very good shape. I then haggled with the guy and his wife and wound up buying it for $15.

I took it home, set it up in my driveway and took some digital pictures. Then, I put it on ebay with a starting bid of $1.

I would up getting $1,400 for it.

I took the money and bought competition tires. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif)

[Joe Bob]

QUOTE (URY914 @ Aug 18 2005, 10:37 AM)

Think chicks with big hooters. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif) P

Yupperz....take pics too. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/cool_shades.gif)

[Mark Henry]

QUOTE (URY914 @ Aug 18 2005, 02:37 PM)

Think chicks with big hooters. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif) P

He's Canadian...we like beaver (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

[balljoint]

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/laugh.gif)

not helping but (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/laugh.gif)

[Terrance]

We have a Skyline pop up exhibit for our 10x10 shows

http://www.skyline.com/skyline.asp?cmd=%21...dsp%20mirage_bw

We also have a Skyline exhibit for our 10x20's that can break down to a 10x10.

And a $120K 20x20 custom booth.

I like the skylines, well worth the $2500 we spent since we do 35 trade shows a year.

[GWN7]

Displays are very dependant on what your selling. What will work at one type of show might blend in and not be noticed at another.

As your doing the setup and take down by yourself get the simplest one that you can handle.

I used to do 6-8 shows a year, for various manufactures.

One thing you can do to protect your investment in the booth and your sampes is to have the right shipping cases. Take a look at These guys cases for some of the best.

[campbellcj]

Great point about the shipping cases! We update our graphics and accessories every few months but have used the same cases for more than 15 years! We have an "old school" hard paneled booth vs. a popup "tinker toy" type, but just recently reskinned it in full coverage graphics to update the look. I was not directly involved and would've done a few things differently but overall it worked out well.

The main lessons are -- (a) the booth is really just a gimmick to get people to come and talk to you (your sales reps)! In the end, the details of the booth construction, style, graphics, etc. do not matter at all. What matters is the bottom line, i.e., how many sales leads are you generating? (B) message, message, message! Know your audience and what they are looking for -- then tell them that in BIG type on your booth graphics. You can have the coolest looking booth in the world, but without a message that your target audience finds compelling enough to walk closer and talk to you, you've just tossed a ton of money down the toilet...