Portable and Modular Trade Show Displays

An excellent explanation of portable vs modular vs custom displays for the uninitiated. I have included a link to Classic Displays at the base of the article. They definitely know what they are talking about!

Portable and Modular Trade Show Displays — Lesson #1

Are you confused about trade show displays? Well, I am, and I’ve worked in the trade show business for over 10 years. Browse through the web and you’ll discover hundreds of websites showing similar products with prices ranging from bargain basement to “Are you friggin’ kidding me?” It shouldn’t be this complicated. And, honestly, it’s not.

Exhibit marketing is just marketing, and purchasing a trade show display basically comes down to three simple factors: budget, marketing goals, and design. In other words, how much money do you have, what are you trying to accomplish, and what design style appeals to you? Let’s demystify the process, starting with the terms “portable” and “modular.”

Lesson #1 — Portable and Modular Trade Show Displays

No two terms are more abused in trade show world than “portable” and “modular.” Add “custom” to the mix it gets even murkier. Frankly, you should be suspicious of any company that routinely describes their products as “custom portable modular displays.” Choose two:  portable modular, custom modular, custom portable. Or just one: portable, modular, or custom. Beyond that, it’s all marketing malarkey.

What Does Portable Mean

The Aunt Nancy Display

So what does portable mean? Here’s the easy answer:  you can ship it via FedEx or UPS. Seems straight-forward, right? Not so fast.

Banner stands are portable. Some are small enough that your Aunt Nancy, at 4′ 10″, 94 lbs, and 87 years, can carry it into a show hall. Pop up displays are a little more weighty but still pack in portable, roto-molded cases and can be wheeled around. Easy enough. Beyond that, most 10 ft. displays are portable only in the sense that they ship in portable cases. I’ve seen a 10 ft. inline display, with all the bells and whistles, take as many as six cases, each weighing 85 lbs.

How is that portable? It’s not and you’ll shouldn’t fool yourself into thinking it’s portable. Now, to be honest, that 10 ft display was drop-dead gorgeous and included literature holders, backlighting, counters, storage, shelving, and computer workstations. It was perfect. But, it wasn’t portable and the client would have been better off shipping it in a roto-molded tub or wood crate. That way, everything is together and there’s little chance of one case getting lost.

Portable Modular Trade Show Display

When it comes to choosing a “portable,” you have to make choices. To use a camping metaphor, there’s a reason why a two-person dome tent is not the same as a camper. It’s called features and benefits. And to take the camping metaphor a little further, there’s a reason why a two-person tent costs $45 at Super Discount City and $250 at Mountain Outfitter Plus. The $250 tent is much better.

Everyone has a comfort level and everyone has a budget. Choose the one that makes the most sense for your exhibit marketing goals, but don’t whine when the $45 tent springs a leak during the first gully-washer. At the same time, don’t buy a deluxe camper if you are only camping at the Valley of Dreams RV Park one weekend a year. You’d be better off renting, but that’s another article.

Finally, everyone wants a portable display that sets up in 30 seconds and looks like a McMansion. Guess what? There’s a much better chance you’ll stumble into Sasquatch on your next camping trip than you’ll find a 30 second portable McMansion.

What Does Modular Mean

Custom Modular Trade Show Display

Then there’s the term “modular.” We all want things to be modular. That way, when we change our mind, we can transform what we have into something else. In it’s most basic form, modular means “parts and pieces.” Now, I know that may sound a negative, but it’s not meant to be. After all, something can’t be modular unless one part can be reconfigured into something else.

Ask yourself how much modularity you really want? If all you really want is a 20 ft. inline display that configures down to a 10 ft. display . . . that’s easy. There are lots of choices from basic to boffo. However, if your goal is to transform a 20 x 30 island into a  20 x 20 island, a 10 x 20 inline, a 10 x 10 inline, and a table top display, then it gets considerably more complicated.

There are multiple ways to achieve that goal. The end result, however, may resemble a hippoelephantdonkeycat. And, if you’ve ever spent anytime breaking down an exhibit at the end of a show, you know that the best laid plans of organizing all those parts and pieces for the next “smaller” show is often sacrificed in order to make your 7:15 p.m. flight.

Let’s consider modular from a different perspective — portable modular or custom modular. We already know what portable means. It can ship UPS or FedEx. A portable modular display typically has more features than just a portable exhibit, such as workstations, counters, monitors, shelves, backlighting, etc. In other words, it’s more than just one big graphic.

A custom modular gets a little trickier depending if the emphasis is on “custom” or “modular.” Modular exhibit builders are taking portable modular components and putting them on steroids. The parts may be bigger, fancier, and generally pack in small wood crates or roto-molded tubs. Each component tends to be lightweight to save on shipping but there may be lots of components. Custom builders are taking large custom components and either breaking them into smaller components or rearranging them to work in multiple pre-configured displays. Generally there are more shipping crates, but the assembly time may be reduced. It will cost more to ship it, but you may save time on installation and dismantle.

So, what have we learned?

1. Portable isn’t always portable
2. Don’t buy a pup tent if you plan to camp for more than two or three days
3. Get what you can afford, but don’t get less than you need
4. Modular means “parts and pieces” but that’s not a bad thing
5. There’s no such thing as a portable McMansion
6. Exhibit marketing is just marketing (but then again, everyone thinks they’re a “marketing genius”)
7. Finally, and this wasn’t in the portable/modular explanation but it goes without saying, “Ask questions, trust your instincts, and work with someone who knows what the heck they’re doing. We can’t know everything for goodness sake!”

–Mel White

http://www.linkedin.com/in/melmwhite
http://www.classicexhibits.com/

Budget Exhibits

Welcome to Budget Exhibits

Budget Exhibits is a division of H3D and is aimed at the exhibitor who is more conscious of what they have to spend on congresses, conferences and exhibitions.

Over the last few years we have noticed a definite gap in the exhibition design stand industry. That is…exhibitors who want more than a shellscheme, more than some portable displays, don’t want to do it themselves yet still want to look great without spending a small fortune.

Our designs have been tailored to the corporate user and combines both system and custom design elements.

All designs are all-inclusive. These are all walk on walk off packages with no hidden costs.

Let  me re-iterate that these are not simply glorified shellschemes. These are designer stands at budget, affordable prices.

visit our Budget Exhibits site here to view examples and gallery images of recent stands just completed

Pharmaplan at ISAPS 2010

Pharmaplan Aesthetics required a modern outlook for this stand at the BMW pavilion and so we redesigned their existing stand to accommodate top-end finishes such as glass backlit panels, raised graphic flooring, cable suspended glass work surfaces and affect lighting.

The entire stand was easily on a par with far bigger pharmaceutical companies that where exhibiting whilst done on a far smaller budget. And being modular the stand is fully reusable for future shows and events.

Finishes – reverse printed 6mm tempered glass

– stainless steel marine grade fittings

– full colour graphic prints with floor vinyl overlaminate

– reverse mounted sandblast vinyl with front mounted product logos on

6mm tempered glass – backlit

– full colour print onto polyknit fabric – tensioned

rip off artists in the south african exhibition industry

It never ceases to amaze me how many naive companies get ripped off by exhibition companies…and whats worse the offenders keep getting away with it.

I have recently heard of exhibiting companies paying 90k and 60k for 2 separate 3m x 2m stands which where complete garbage and can’t have cost the manufacturer more than 10K for each at a push.

How do they keep getting away with it. These are the same producers who will ruthlessly steal designs and undercut anyone to get a job. So are they balancing their underhandedness with rip-off projects on the opposite end of the scale?

Clients need to seriously start having a good look at what they consider:

a. to be good design

b. to be good value

c. to be a good service level

d. who they want to partner for long-term success

My comments are as follows:

1. Clients should never take my designs to a competitor and ask them to do it cheaper. A common practice these days. You are acting unethically and of course i can do someone elses design cheaper. I havent had to conceptualise or design it thus cutting out the intellectual aspect of a project.

2. Clients need to be far more savvy as to exhibiting viz: doing shows on a one-off basis is hugely expensive. Rather plan your exhibition program/ stand a year in advance. You will save a huge amount of cost.

3. Look at buying a stand that can work over many years with adjustments and tweaks that alter the aesthetic at a small cost over this time.

4. Speak to an exhibition companies former or existing clients to determine how well they do their work

5. Most exhibition companies design and build the stand and then you are on your own. WHY? Look for a company that is at the show all day every day to assist you get the most of your experience.

6.Work with a company that is proud of not only their work, but also to have you as a client. Do they take a real interest in your industry and do they understand what you really need to achieve on the show.

7. Brief properly. Spending a few hours on a proper brief explaining who you are and what you are about as well as your aims and reasons for being on the show will alleviate huge frustration and time-wasting later on.

There is no reason why exhibiting has to be difficult. Follow these few simple steps and it will be a far more rewarding experience

Happy exhibiting

www.hott.co.za

free large file ftp transfer

It used to be that to get artwork to a printer you had to burn it to disk, drive to the printer and deliver it or get a courier to deliver it.

There is a far easier way that for some reason most people just dont know about. Even agencies that produce the artwork seem oblivious.

Traditionally I have always used www.yousendit.com It is fast and was the forerunner in this service for many years. They have a very useful desktop html tool that means you dont have to navigate to the site using your browser…you simply open the application and send. It signs in automatically and is very easy. The downside is that the free account is limited to 100MB. These days that limitis becoming more and more difficult to stick to with artwork files. The upside is its fast and effective.

Recently i have discovered a new site called WeTransfer These guys have a 2GB limit for free accounts and run as efficiently as YouSendIt. It does seem a little slower and currently there is no desktop application. Their LinkedIn page does promise one soon though and I for one cant wait.

I could never understand why people pay for a service like this. It should be free after all as we already pay through our teeth in South Africa for fast adsl broadband. The more we can save the better. There are no hidden agendas with any of these services. They are simple and effective and you wont be spammed to death.

There are a few other good services out there of  similar nature, but as these are the 2 I know I can only comment on these. WeTransfer also has a great background and very simple and slick user interface…pretty pictures to look at while your file sends

enjoy burning your bandwidth

the use of PVC for graphics displays – an argument against

there is definitely a huge variety of graphic display mechanisms available on the market these days. China is a huge exporter to all countries and there are also a few local “made in SA” manufacturers who produce good quality.

The bottom line is

1. All mechanisms come from the same source. Whether you buy from so-and-so printers – they get their mechanisms from the same place that everyone does….and they all tend to be very similar if not from the same source.

2. The main primary difference is service. How well do you get looked after and given proper advice. Do you have to seek them out or are they ready and available to come to you. Do they sell you something you dont really need.

3. What method of printing is being employed?

4. How fast can they turn the job around?

If a company sells portable displays and they do inhouse printing they have a price advantage, but only in the print types they use. Any specials they run will always be in what print method they do inhouse. eg: Ferrari PVC (a non curl PVC which is also cheap is a favourite) but it is not a good material for 3 reasons:

a. The colour rendition is poor and dull

b. It is very heavy compared to other substrates available.

c. It cannot be washed easily and scratches badly

So what then is the answer?

It is estimated that 2010 will see a 10 fold increase in the use of fabric to print onto.  In particular diesublimation and also direct printing onto materials as diverse as metal sheeting, glass, cotton, plastic…anything really.

The benefits of fabric are that display systems can be far lighter ie: by using a cotton based material the print weighs next to nothing and can be machine washed and generally manhandled far more than PCV!

Exhibition stands can be created using fabric prints rather than timber walls with vinyl prints applied. Exhibits will be cheaper to make and install and also far more re-usable.

So when you are looking for a portable display consider that although the price quoted may be 5 or 10% cheaper it is also likely to give you more problems.  Look for a company that offers both exceptional service, but also one that is honest and gives advice that you need, not what they need to keep their turnover up and keep their outlet running. Get 3 quotes and compare them based on “apples-vs-apples”  rather than price.

There is only 1 company i would use in South Africa as my print partner as they do not try sell me something i dont need. They always give me honest advice and although they may not be the cheapest (by a very very very small margin) the long-term benefits of our relationship with them far outweigh the short term benefit that is price. Their expertise is second to none and their staff are a pleasure to deal with. Graphic Laminates has been my prefered print partner choice for 14 years and as such in conjunction with them we are able to offer the most comprehensive range of printing services on the Garden Route.

Combining their print expertise with our knowledge of portable displays and exhibitions stand we are able to offer the best service and widest range of products across the display market right here on the Garden Route. Not only that, but we also have offices in cape town and in fact operate country wide.

if you need a portable display delivered to your door in 2 days flat from supply of artwork give us a call. a 2 week delivery period does not exist in our world.

Visit our website www.hott.co.za for an overview of what we do

exhibiting your brand at exhibitions and trade shows

Depending on your budget and needs your method of exhibiting yourself will vary…here are a few ways it can be done based on budget which, lets face it tends to supercede your needs most of the time.

1. If you are a really good salesperson – stand on a “soapbox” with a megaphone. This method will in fact work for any exhibitor who is supremely confident and can project confidence in their product. If you have the gift of the gab then you probably dont need to be standing on a soapbox in the first place…and if so you probably wouldnt be doing this for a living in any case

but, for most of the world the following will apply

2. Do-it-yourself display- determine what you need to do and create your own display. This may involve home timberwork/ steelwork/ printing or sourcing various display items on the cheap. Get those tools out, draw a sketch and google locally to find the cheapest possible methods of gathering your source material. Use whatever is stashed in that garden shed or workshop to hack a display together…that old black and white copier will come in handy. You may need quite a few staples or nails to hold it all together. Staple gun, wire, hammer and nails , exhibitors with more gear than you are all friends of this level of exhibitor. Duct tape in particular is your friend as is becoming very friendly with the neighbouring display owners around you. Whatever you do make damn sure you plan, double check and then triple check everything exactly (to the millimeter) including width, height and length of your space as well as exactly what you get with your stand space eg: electrics, carpets, lighting…

3. Portable displays – there are a huge variety of portable displays on the market that satisfy a wide range of needs. From bannerwall backdrops to banners that work in the wind to modular frame displays. Bannerwalls, rollups, magnetic popups, xframes, literature dispensers, modular floor systems, modular frame systems, telescopic banners, popup a frame, aluminium aframes, large format printing…effective branding is made of these. Portable displays are best suited to outdoor events such as golf days or sports events yet many can be usd indoors at congresses and exhibitions as an alternative to full-scale exhibition stands. Anyone can sell you a portable display, but will they advise you on whats best suited to your long-term needs! Remember price is not always the key factor here!!!

4. Modular “kit” exhibition stands – many exhibition companies out there offer a kit form of exhibit. You hire the structure and lighting and own the graphics. Most are constructed in a modular aluminum system such as octanorm which talkes inserted graphics. These exhibit companies make their money on repeat business and reuse of systems. The stand looks way better than a portable display, but will look similar to many other exhibits on the show.  Cost effective and best suited to companies doing either one off shows with limited, yet appealing budget and want a “better than portable look” without breaking the bank. Many companies buy a system stand to be reused over and over again on multiple shows per year. By changing graphic content and layout, companies can achieve a very flexible approach to having to cover many shows per year. Modular stands can generally be rearranged or redesigned to alter their look and appeal.

5. Custom Exhibits – Designed out of either system or timber these are the business when it comes to individual branding that fully represents who you are. But be warned, it doesnt come cheap. By its nature a one off custom designed stand will cost far more per m2 than say a luxury house. It is designed and constructed in a very short time and the resources needed to achieve this means it is cost heavy. Stands can be small from a few square meters to huge monster double storey stands with features such as lounges, meeting rooms, bars and even restaurants. Beware of taking the cheapest quote and rather focus on whether the companies you are considering are spending time to get to get to know you, your brand and what you are offering. Do they understand your brand and are they putting the time in. Have they a proven track record and do they put pride in their work. Will you get there on the shows first morning to find your stand builder still cutting and sawing after having been awake for 2 straight days

so to analyse your needs

1. What is your realistic budget.

2. How important is it for you to “trump” your competitor rather than focusing on your product or brand. Generally its best to forget about your competitor.

3. How big or important is the exhibition/ conference/ trade show and does it warrant the spend relative to ROI

4. Choose a display company carefully and one thats understands yourself and your needs

5. Carefully analyse the various proposals received not only based on budget, but also by how best they serve you

6. Beware of going cheap. It may be better short term, but its always tragic when a display system disintegrates at the 2nd or 3rd show

7. Printing companies do not necessarily understand what is needed for exhibiting successfully.

8. Will the company chosen follow through

9. A lifetime guarantee does not mean it will last your lifetime!

10. How many shows a year do you need to use the equipment. A good supplier will advise whats best for you not them!

Happy exhibiting