Local events create stand opportunities

Posted on May 30, 2012 by

The upcoming jubilee celebrations seem to have captured the imagination of the country and with many villages and towns undertaking events such as street fairs and fetes there are plenty of opportunties for local businesses to promote themselves in a unique b2c environment.

Floats and moving exhibition stands are popular for this type of event and create an opportunity for local businesses to promote their wares often in front of more people than usual. As a result, banners and banner stands are often used on floats and event space as a way of promoting a business message to visitors.

Having taken part in an event recently that involved using a float, I was surprised by the crowd and the captive audience of locals that were there to see all the promotional materials created. Its unusual to have such a large audience available, so making sure you have the right promotional materials available is important.

Large prints on banners make this job far easier and also mean that businesses can re-use them if and when needed. Freestanding banners are also useful in the same way, but in both cases you must make sure you have suitable anchorage points available for them to be attached to.

Besides this you will need to consider the space available on the float as well as the way people will travel around it – you don’t want obstacles created on a moving vehicle!

Of course, many of these products would look best in a red white and blue colour scheme this weekend, but if that colour scheme doesn’t suit your needs, then full colour options are also available!

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First time exhibitors – be ahead of others with a banner!

Posted on April 10, 2012 by

For those thinking about exhibiting for the first time, I have found that the realisation of the ‘to do list’ can have a snowball effect that is unexpected to most.

It all seems simple enough – book a space, organise staff, take some brochures, meet potential customers and respond to their needs after finishing. But then the additional jobs start to approach, things like organising accommodation, decorating the stand, what items you should give to customers, who you will be exhibiting next to, should you pay for advertising and so on.

For me, the most important single item (especially for first timers) is the stand itself. First time exhibitors often have a section of their own at larger shows where they are provided with a scaled down version of a normal stand in a ‘shell’ style with a few standard items of furniture, power sockets and carpet.

Like most people, when you hear the shell already has walls and a carpet, you could be forgiven for thinking you already have everything covered and filling it will be easy. However, making a shell look interesting and inviting is a whole other matter. At this point you should be thinking about banners, posters and display items such as brochure stands.

Corner Banner Stand

Corner Banner Stand

Banner stands often offer the best solution for a variety of reasons including their cost effectiveness and ease of installation and removal. Posters can normally only be used once and suffer from constant removal from walls, but freestanding banners are easier to manage and can be stored when not in use.

Besides this, some colour can be added with sample products, so maybe a display unit would be useful along with a selection of items that are likely to draw customers in.

Whatever your exhibition is about, the most important consideration is will your stand attract customers and does it offer anything to make them approach you? Special offers and exhibition exclusives often draw people in, so printing these details on banners clearly could be one way of doing this.

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Saving money on exhibition stands in 2012!

Posted on February 13, 2012 by

With 2012 looking to be one of the busiest years for London and its businesses it is no surprise that the number of exhibitions taking place around the UK seems to be rising.

Exhibition Stand

Exhibition Stand

More and more businesses are taking part in small and large scale events in order to increase their exposure and potentially add more people and businesses to their client base. But with marketing budgets at a low I wanted to think about ways of saving money whether you are new to exhibitions or have already completed several.

Exhibition Stands

One of the biggest costs for businesses at an event is the exhibition stand construction, design and dismantling. Whether you contract external designers to complete the work for you or have your own workers that do it themselves the time taken alone is likely to be costly.

I think that keeping the construction time low is a vital part of starting a successful event and as a result using a basic shell scheme (where available) that is provided by the organisers is a good starting point. This can then be dressed up by using freestanding banners, posters and a range of products from your company.

Brochure stands are often a useful addition and can make the space look inviting. Over or under staffing should also be considered. Over staffing can cause crowding on your stand and make it less appealing for visitors, but understaffing can mean that some visitors are not dealt with in a timely manner and therefore lost. This can be a fine balancing act, especially when considering costs as well but useful information can be obtained from previous exhibitors and organisers about visitor numbers and busy and quiet times at previous events.

Event Preparation

Make sure you have suitable leaflets, brochures and products available without overstocking. If you are purchasing promotional gifts or leaflets for a specific event then try to gain as much information as possible on visitor numbers and footfall expected on your pitch from the organisers.

Of course, far easier than any of these options is to re-use any products and stand materials you might have created for a previous event. Printed products that are not time bound are handy and when well thought out designs are used you can keep using them time after time.

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Finding appropriate stands for your banners and posters

Posted on December 22, 2011 by

If you are involved in the design and creation of advertising materials such as posters or banners then it is likely you have come across some similar challenges to me.

The first time I arranged the printing of a banner I hadn’t properly considered the installation location including where and how it would get in place. Now I have completed the task several times I have a reasonable understanding of what I need so I thought it might therefore be handy if I put together a short list of some of those considerations to assist others in their projects. This post covers my top tips for banner stands, banners and posters.

Considerations for Banners

My principal consideration with banners for various reasons is where will they go. The answer will assist in making decisions for all the other things I think about, including:

  • Will they need to be made of outdoor materials?
  • Will they need eyes installed in order to be hung outside?
  • Are suitable fixings available for them to be hung?
  • Can we access the area/s easily and safely for hanging them?
  • How long will they last in the bad weather?

Considerations for Posters

Obviously posters are mostly indoors and as a result, the considerations for these are slightly different:

  • Where are the posters being affixed?
  • Do I need to use colours and methods that will not fade in sunlight?
  • How will they be attached to the wall?
  • How can I prevent them from being ripped or torn?

Considerations for Banner Stands

Of course, banner stands are slightly different, as you can alter the final product depending on the considerations you have, i.e;

  • Will the banner be outside? If so use an outdoor banner stand with suitable weights.
  • Does the banner need to be printed on both sides?
  • Do we need a banner that can be re-used?

Obviously there are still other considerations, but taking these questions into account has certainly helped me in saving time and money when arranging promotional installations.

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Banners are appearing for Christmas!

Posted on November 22, 2011 by

It never fails to surprise me how early the christmas decorations start appearing around the UK. Its only mid november and it seems the whole of my local town centre has a lit tree and street lighting ready for the festive season. Saying that, when the lights start appearing, so do the festive promotions and its no surprise that roller banner stands follow pretty quickly.

Roller Banner Stand

Roller Banner Stand

Shopping centres, high street stores and other businesses are preparing their client facing areas for the festive season and although the decorations themselves are a big part of the welcoming experience at this time of year, it is all done for one purpose – to entice customers.

Banner stands, posters and street signs are one of the easiest ways of providing details of a special christmas offer or festive message without breaking the bank or having to completely redesign your public spaces.

I have recently seen roller banners being used by shopping centres, businesses and high street stores to give customers information about special christmas offers they currently have available. Fortunately these banners can be installed and removed quickly and new artwork for casette stands is normally quickly printed, so there is no need to worry about the display months in advance.

With prices starting as low as £45.00 it is no wonder so many businesses use them outside of the exhibition industry (which is what they are really intended for). Saying that, if you had some printed for your shop window and are taking part in an exhibition or event too, then you might want to take advantage of a multibuy discount and get more for your money.

If you are looking for a low cost banner to compliment your business during the festive season, then why not look at purchasing a banner stand?

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Banners are popping up everywhere for the new season

Posted on September 30, 2011 by

As the seasons change and businesses (especially those on the high street) start to venture into their new range of products suitable for the winter months, you can’t help but notice the new and exciting window displays on show.

Pop Up Stand

Pop Up Stand

More and more of these stores are using Roller Banner Stands to add to the effect of their shop window display and many depict pictures of further products that are available.

Banners when used in this way are highly effective and I also recently noticed that even some of the empty high street stores have a stand in the window possibly being hired by other businesses as advertising space.

I often talk on this blog as if everyone knows what a banner stand is and how it works, but as it seems to be the season of making new purchases in this area I thought I would go into a bit more detail about them just in case you are trying to work out if a banner stand is the right choice for you. So here are a few frequently asked questions I have come across:

Are Banner Stands easy to install?

Yes, one of the principal advantages of a banner stand is that they are lightweight, freestanding and can be erected by one person. Most fold away neatly and can fit into a car boot, making the set up for an exhibition far simpler than dragging a huge bespoke stand with you.

Are there any Banners that can be re-used?

Yes, all banner stands can be used over and over again and depending on the type of material used when printing, they can last a very long time. Banner stand frames can be purchased whereby you can change the poster section, making it more cost effective in the long run.

What can I print on a Banner Stand?

Anything you want – whether it’s some business information, product information or some digital images, they can all be included. I would recommend ensuring you have a high quality digital image prepared for this as some might not be as good quality as others once they are stretched. Most banner stand manufacturers will be able to assist with design ides if you are not sure how you want the finished product to look.

Are Banners and Banner Stands expensive?

Like most products, it depends on the number of optional extras and size of item you purchase, but I have seen them available for as little as £45.00.

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Back to School for Banner Stands

Posted on August 30, 2011 by

Well it’s that time of year again, back to school for students and children and the holidays are coming to a close. But it’s during the holidays that educational facilities have been preparing for the start of a new term and have you ever considered that schools are also making excellent use of Roller Banner Stands and other marketing products?

Roller Banner Stand

Roller Banner Stand

Creating promotional items in schools might seem like a simple undertaking, but with so many items to think about it can be a hard slog for the education industry ahead.

Printed Banners in Schools

We all remember that first day feeling, not knowing where to go and who to speak to. Clever placement of banners and banner stands has been helping students to find their way around schools for many years.

Even I can remember arriving on my first day (some years ago) and following a banner to the assembly hall with several hundred other children. Of course, the banners are normally personalised with school logos and a bit of information about what to expect, but you can put whatever information you need on there!

Personalised Clothing in Schools

Uniform is becoming more and more important within a school with research indicating that uniforms help children to concentrate and feel part of a community.

Several personalised items are purchased by schools and these include pieces such as Sweatshirts, Hats, Ties and Fleeces and the choice of embroidery and screen printing means that budgets can be kept lower if needed.

Printed Promotional Items in Schools

Schools also increase their brand identity by supplying students and teachers with other printed promotional items such as diaries, school books and stationary (including pens, pencils and IT peripherals such as mouse mats).

These items are used at a constant pace by everyone within the schools and as a result items are normally purchased in their thousands. This is one of the many reasons that some promotional items are delayed in delivery at this time of year!

Of course many students have their own uniforms, stationary and the like, but having the option available to mix and match the school items with fashionable items is often the best way of encouraging the use of the schools equipment.

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