Once you decide to attend a trade show or event, the planning work begins. How will you successfully represent your company with display graphics, literature, promotional items, and pre-show mailers? What about shipping the portable trade show display to the show, filling out show forms, installation and dismantling, and travel arrangements?
First you need a trade show display. It seems simple enough to ask, "What does everyone else use?" This question usually leads to even more questions that need answers. Finally, you turn to the Internet to get a good representative sample of trends and ideas. When you find what you are looking for, how do you pick the display that works right for your company without getting more, or less, than you need?
You will need to ask yourself the following questions:
Pop-up Displays
Pop-up trade show displays are popular and come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes with varying prices. There is a good reason for the price difference - quality. It takes the same amount of time for show personnel to assemble a good pop-up display as it does to assemble a lesser quality one. The overhead to build one is similar for both types. That leaves the materials and labor to determine the quality. Reduce the material quality and a few dollars can be cut from the price. Cut the labor quality and realize more savings. However, it is possible to create a display that is well-made and cost-efficient. There are ways to tell if these products are worth the investment and if the manufacturer is willing to stand behind the product. The primary factor to consider is the product warranty. Better quality displays offer a LIFETIME, NO QUESTIONS ASKED warranty.
Keep the product warranty in mind when shopping for a pop-up display. Ask the right questions and make sure the warranty is LIFETIME, NO QUESTIONS ASKED. These are not gimmicks. Don't be fooled by the closely related “Lifetime Warranty.” Many have fine print that clearly states the warranty is against "Manufacturers Defects or Worker’s Defects." This is vague. Many warranties have loopholes, so, be aware that just because a warranty is offered, it does not necessarily mean it will be honored.
Again, LIFETIME, NO QUESTIONS ASKED warranties are offered by companies that are confident in the quality of their product and are willing to stand behind it—no questions asked.
You should know exactly what the warranty covers and what the procedure is for repairing a damaged frame or struts. Many of the "economy" pop-up displays cannot be repaired. Other manufacturers are reluctant to help or even impossible to find when you need customer service.
Today, some quality pop-up trade show displays are available in kits providing a single price for the display, lights, case-to-counter conversion kits, and often, graphic packages. It is possibly the best quality display in its price class offering the LIFETIME, NO QUESTIONS ASKED warranty as well as metal-to-metal construction of moving parts.
The quality of the moving parts is the next most important item. These expanding pieces are metal-to-metal, metal-to-plastic, or plastic-to-plastic. Of course, a metal-to-metal connection is going to have the longest life and the least wear and tear under normal use. Metal-to-plastic and plastic-to-plastic have plastic as the same weak link. If used properly, plastic-to-plastic displays can have an extended life.
Adverse conditions such as employees eager to get off their feet at the end of a three-day show, or the new guy who got stuck assembling the display—but has never seen one before—cause premature wear and tear or damage to portable display booths. We've all seen a display set-up that looks like it's been in a train wreck. That could be why you’re shopping for a new pop-display and have read this far.
Finally, the quality of the fabric panels or the graphic panels is important. Flimsy panels will not age well. Neither do cheaply produced graphics. If you use the display once a year and have new graphics every year, go the economy route. However, if you plan to use the display more often, or will have it set-up by different employees, make sure you buy a better quality product. All displays look great when they are new. It's how they look after repeated use that matters.
If you are in the market for a pop-up, a good metal-to-metal frame with a LIFETIME, NO QUESTIONS ASKED warranty and a sturdy set of fabric panels or graphic panels is what you need. Many smaller companies grow into larger displays needs, but many keep a few pop-up displays around for smaller events. A good display is a long-term investment. A display that does not meet both your present and future goals can be a waste of money.
