The Exhibit Zone

I’ve been selling retractable banner stands since their beginning. The general problem is, the manufacturers (which are in China, Europe and Canada) are more concerned with price and how they can make it cheaper. The typical mechanism inside the retractable is like a window shade spring rod. Guess what, they break! This also poses another problem… graphics (banners). These units can only take certain types of graphics, and if you laminate the banner, the tension will not hold. Not to mention, uneven tension, which causes a tunneling effect in most banners, and edge curl (cupping). And what about trying to install the banner–or even worse, trying to tape a new banner onto the old cellophane leader? Not an easy job for the printer, impossible for the final user.

The ONLY exception is the Mark Bric BannerUp Plus. Why? Well, recently the manufacturer (Mark Bric) decided enough is enough, and put everything in writing so you can see why it is, and has always been the best! Here are the features and benefits, direct from the manufacturer of the best made retractable banner stand in the industry:

Main Features/Benefits

• Guaranteed for 10 Years. You break it… We fix it!
• Easy Tension Adjustment–Adjust to suit, re-tension in the field.
• Install or change banners in seconds with Patented Banner Quick Change (no need for additional cartridge)-(US Pat. #7,040,372; Eur. Pat. #1285421).
• Multi-height capability, beginning at tabletop height.
• Presents banner vertically, straight-up, thanks to careful design and heavy-duty steel support poles.
• Available 50w enclosed halogen spotlight mounts to the top rail without clamps or screws, designed for safety and compatibility in venues worldwide.
• Each unit is packed in a unique padded vinyl/canvas carrying bag, designed to protect against shock. Hard-shell molded transport case is also available as an accessory for popular 3 ft. model.
• Standard mounting rails use only 3M brand-VHB adhesive tape for maximum security.
• Optional snap-lock Mark Bric BannerRail™ top rail for mechanical clamping of especially difficult banner materials.
• Large cassette and rewind roller accepts all substrates ranging from the thinnest of printable fabrics to laminate-encapsulated film.
• Rewind path prevents cassette from scratching banner surface.
• Each unit includes an accessory pack comprised of complete instructions, nylon push pins (use as desired for added banner-attachment security)
and top-rail connecting strip to align multiple banners side by side.
• Equipped with 4 hideaway swivel stabilizer feet—use 2, 4, or none, depending on need.
• Available in 6 widths (from 10″ to 5 ft.), with double sided model available in the most popular 3 ft. width.
• Tens of Thousands of units sold, tested and proven around the world for over 5 years.
• Large quantity orders can be easily customized in terms of colors, case design, banner height, etc., for the best possible fit to the application.

Materials of construction:
• Retracting mechanism is extremely rugged and built to last, with a 2″ roller on a sturdy 3/8″ axle, driven by a heavy duty high-manganese carbon steel spring.

• The heavy duty anodized aluminum cassette & rugged powder coated carbon steel end-plates assure that the mechanism and rolled banner are well protected and fully-enclosed. • Sectional plated steel poles (1/2” dia. X 1/32” wall thickness) provide outstanding stability at multiple heights.

Summary: All retractable banner stands are NOT the same, and Mark Bric will not compromise quality on the BannerUp. So, if you see other retractable units priced ridiculously low, just remember… you get what you pay for.

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Filed under: Advertising Display, Banner Stands, Banner Up, BannerUp, Booth Display, Custom Exhibit Display, Display Stand, Exhibit Booth, Exhibit Design, Exhibit Displays, Kiosks and counters, Mark Bric Displays, Mark Bric Ego, Popup Booth, Portable Display, Portable Exhibit, Pull up banner, Quality Display, Retractable Banners, Table-top Display, Tabletop Displays, Trade Show Displays, popup displays

One of the first things to get cut when there are signs of an economic downturn is, you guessed it, marketing. Trimming the marketing budget is fine, but where do you trim? Well, that depends on what’s working and what’s not working. One thing is for certain, you shouldn’t panic and cut an entire marketing category! Over the years we’ve seen companies layoff marketing folks and completely cut the trade show budget because it was too expensive. Just the year before, the same ones reported how they “couldn’t keep up with the leads” generated from exhibiting. If you decide not to exhibit, your competitor will be happy to take your leads. Instead look for places to trim, but be smart.

Here’s where you can trim:

Travel and Personnel - Don’t send everyone to the show. Send only those who are going to work the show, and not those who view it as a vacation. Reward and send your best sales people, and let them know how important they are to the success of the company. They will (in turn) reward the company. The bosses (who are strong communicators) should be there too, leading by example. No mummies or statues should be allowed to work the booth. Optimize your staff’s time by not allowing extra overnight stays, unless it’s necessary.

Booth Size - Do you really need a 30×50 or 10×30? Maybe a 20×20, 10×20 or 10×10 would work just as well, if the booth location is right. This will also cut down on the shipping weight and set-up labor.

Invest in a quality lightweight display - Eliminate show labor and freight expense by investing in a lightweight display that has eye-catching trade show graphics. You can usually set these up yourself, without using show labor. If you must have an island trade show booth, you can still go lightweight and towering. There are many new solutions for trade show exhibits where the extrusion and framing are extremely light but strong, and the fabric graphics are far better than they used to be, and still able to pack in roll-able cases. Ask for graphic samples before you pay. Shop around, but be careful… if you find an incredible deal (too good to be true), there IS a reason. Most display hardware should last at least 5 years and have a MANUFACTURER’S “no questions asked warranty”. If it comes with a repair kit (seriously), watch out, this is for the seller’s convenience, not yours. Graphics can look great (especially online), but make sure when you receive the display to check out everything thoroughly. Do the graphics fit nicely, and is the entire display sturdy?

Be Creative -Use creative methods to get prospects to your booth. Don’t stop the pre-show and post-show mailers, but cut down by using postcards. Trade show display graphics should stop people in there tracks. No one will stop to read your display, so cut all the brochure text on your large exhibit graphics, and use your salespeople to handout brochures and engage the prospect. Don’t be afraid to try something different or unique with your graphics or booth staff to get attention (within reason).

Common Sense - Yes, most of this is common sense. Do your research in order to make the correct decisions, but don’t be a budget slicing hero and cut too much. In other words “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water”.

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Filed under: Advertising Display, Banner Stands, Banner Up, BannerUp, Booth Display, Custom Exhibit Display, Display Stand, Exhibit Booth, Exhibit Design, Exhibit Displays, Kiosks and counters, Mark Bric Displays, Mark Bric Ego, Popup Booth, Portable Display, Portable Exhibit, Pull up banner, Quality Display, Retractable Banners, Table-top Display, Tabletop Displays, Trade Show Displays, popup displays

You can reach more prospects in a three-day period than your sales force can in three months. Meeting prospects face to face is also the fastest way to build relationships.Customer service is a hot topic for many companies. Trade shows are an excellent place to reinforce existing customer relationships. Say “thanks” to key customers with hospitality suites, one-on-one dinners or special services, such as transportation to and from the convention center.

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Filed under: Advertising Display, Banner Stands, Banner Up, BannerUp, Booth Display, Custom Exhibit Display, Display Stand, Exhibit Booth, Exhibit Design, Exhibit Displays, Kiosks and counters, Mark Bric Displays, Mark Bric Ego, Popup Booth, Portable Display, Portable Exhibit, Pull up banner, Quality Display, Retractable Banners, Table-top Display, Tabletop Displays, Trade Show Displays, popup displays

Figuring out what to budget for trade shows as part of your overall marketing is as much an art as it is a science. The artistic side relates to the communication of a message that hundreds or thousands of attendees will understand and act on. The scientific side focuses on ROI, how many prospects you must reach to realize a payoff for your effort.A good rule of thumb for trade show and event budgeting is that for an overall marketing budget of 5%, 20% of this should go toward trade shows. Every company is different, however if you depend on relationships, market awareness, and can communicate your message in a visual way, then trade shows are a terrific investment. Where you invest, what shows have your target audience in attendance and how often you attend is going to be unique to your company.

Not surprisingly there are many hidden and not so hidden costs to attending a trade show. Transportation, for example, depending on the size of your trade show display and the amount of trade show “stuff” you take can $250 to over $1000. In some cases it is required or financially smart to join the association or group that is sponsoring the trade show. This again can be from a few hundred to over $500. Below is a simple budget that can give you an overall picture of your next trade show and what the cost categories will be.
Happy exhibiting!

Trade Show Budget Form (PDF)

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Filed under: Advertising Display, Banner Stands, Banner Up, BannerUp, Booth Display, Custom Exhibit Display, Display Stand, Exhibit Booth, Exhibit Design, Exhibit Displays, Kiosks and counters, Mark Bric Displays, Mark Bric Ego, Popup Booth, Portable Display, Portable Exhibit, Pull up banner, Quality Display, Retractable Banners, Table-top Display, Tabletop Displays, Trade Show Displays, popup displays