Examining Trade Show Exhibits: Comparing Strengths And Determining Weaknesses - By: Chris Harmen

The variety of trade show exhibits currently on the market is staggering, remarkable, and often confusing. This large number of different units ensures that companies have options when they buy, but it can also complicate the choice. Every trade show display, like any other tool, has certain strengths and certain weaknesses. Some will be more portable, but less dynamic. Others will be very versatile, but more expensive. Understanding the particular benefits and detriments that tend to be associated with common booth design features will help your company decide what's most important to optimize the return on your investment.

Trade Show Display Portability

For many businesses, portability is one of the first things they consider when buying a new booth. Portability is certainly an issue that must be considered; it is unlikely that your stand will be used exclusively in your office, and thus it must be able to transport elsewhere and be set up in other spaces. Within the domain of portability, there are many subsections: car, van, plane as a carryon, plane as checked luggage, and shipment. Your portability needs will vary depending on the type of conventions you usually attend. Keep in mind that almost any stand can travel anywhere; the issue isn't capability, it's cost.

The benefits of a highly transportable option are obvious. They offer a simple setup and they save money, time, and hassle. In exchange, it can also mean higher cost and more limited space for text and images. You may also need to more carefully scrutinize the workmanship of some highly portable booths. Pop up trade show exhibits in particular have carefully designed mechanisms which must function well.

Customization Of Trade Show Exhibits

Having a trade show display that is completely unique is a powerful draw for many companies. If you've come up with a custom design, you can be confident that no other competitor will have something similar. You'll have an advantage over the other exhibitors before you even consider the content of the booth. Custom designs are typically on the larger side simply because there isn't much room to be creative when you have just a few square feet of a table top unit to modify.

The main drawbacks of a highly custom unit are problematic setup and high cost. Custom units are virtually guaranteed to be more expensive than their non-custom counterparts. You must retain the services of at least one designer, and then you'll need to manufacture the booth itself. If you require specialized structural elements, the cost goes even higher. It may be well worth it for your company, but it may also be an expense that you just can't justify. The more of these customizations that you choose, the more difficult it may be to set up the stand at the actual convention. Ornate custom designs look impressive, but the structure to support new innovations is often complex. If you choose customization, you may want to bring in a team of specialists to ensure a smooth setup process.

Low Cost

Although affordability is not a physical property of trade show exhibits, it is the most important factor for many companies. Purchasing a cheap stand lets you save money for other expenses, like more marketing initiatives. It can be a good thing, but it has significant drawbacks. First, there's the risk of purchasing a poorly made booth. If this happens, you've canceled out any savings because you'll have to replace the entire unit. You may also find that a cheap stand doesn't look right, and that you choose to replace it because it looks inexpensively made and leaves a bad impression. Finally, cheap stands are often smaller or less customizable. If you're okay with reduced size and fairly standard design elements, you might prefer the lower cost.

This guide covers the most basic attributes of a trade show display. It is not an exhaustive list of all things your company could prioritize. Whenever you choose to purchase a new booth, you should always consider what's most important and focus on that - regardless of whether or not it's a major point on this list.

About the Author

Chris Harmen is an author for Skyline, the leading provider of trade show exhibits in New York. Skyline offers a large range of different New York trade show display options, helping their customers pick the perfect design.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Chris-Harmen/89665

Additional Articles From - Home | Business | Marketing