Banner Stands | Product Spotlight

As part of our series on exhibition equipment, today we are looking at choosing a banner stand and using them to enhance your display and attract potential customers.

Banner stands are great for promoting your business or product at exhibitions, trade shows, events and at first point of contact areas such as receptions. The banner graphic is an instant way to capture someone's attention and with that comes the opportunity to market your brand or product directly to the consumer.
When deciding which banner stand to purchase for your event, you will be looking at three main categories:

Retractable Banner Stands
These units are the most popular, especially when transportation become a key requirement, e.g trade shows and exhibitions. They may also be called roll up or roller banner stands, and they get this name as the banner graphic simple retracts into the base and pulls out when needed in a matter of seconds.
The space this saves means they are easy to carry, transport and store and the graphic is fully protected when on the move.
Retractable banner stands often have a quick change cassette feature, this means that the graphic is stored in a cassette that slots into the base and can be changed over in seconds. Important if you have several banner stand graphics that get changed over regularly, such as seasonal promotions.

Tensioned Banner Stands
Ideal for permanent use, where the banner stand won't be moving often, such as in-store promotions or reception areas. A tensioned system usually comprising poles at the back of the unit keep the graphic taut and secure, perfect for high footfall areas.

Linked Banner Stands
These stands are great for creating large 'walls' of banner stand graphics as they are modified versions of retractable and tensioned banner stands that have a linking system so they can easily be attached to each other.
Flexible linked banner systems are also available, which means instead of a flat wall you can have curved or waved linked stands that look great when used in corners of your display.

You will often find selections of other types of banner stand such as outdoor, eco-friendly and large width, which are all self-explanatory.

There will be options available for all budgets, but it is definitely worth investing in a higher end banner stand if you are intending on heavy use over a number of years, such as at exhibition circuits.

Most retailers will give you the option of providing your own artwork for the banner stand or have an in-house design team that will take your brief and create a professional graphic for the unit.
Advances in printing mean that modern banner stand graphics have ultra high quality print finishes that can be produced much more quickly than the first banner stands that entered the market.

Professionally Designed Banners

If you are looking for a banner in a hurry there are many options available online, whereas a few years ago the high street was the only option.
Discount Banners is one such website that has just launched a range of professionally designed printed banners. These banners are printed onto reinforced PVC using eco friendly Latex links, reducing the impact that printing has on the environment, while maintaining high quality banner graphics.Vibrant and durable unlike solvent inks the latex banner inks give off no dangerous fumes, the only waste product is water.

This site has many designs available including; sale banners, grand opening banners, birthday banners, pub banners, sports banners, anniversary banners, as well as printed seasonal banners for St Patrick's Day, Valentines day, Mothers day, Halloween Easter and Christmas. In all there are over 100 individual banner designs. If you don't see exactly what you want they will modify a design for you. As far as banner sizes are concerned the standard size offered is 8' x 2' or 10' x 3' but they can print any size you like so check them out at www.discountbanners.co.uk to get your banner delivered.

How To Use Sampling Promoter Stands Effectively

Promoting new products in shopping centres or setting up food sampling for an in store trial can be a challenge. Display Hardware needs to be light, easy to assemble and economical while presenting a professional image. Often staff manning these displays are temporary with little training so a sampling stand that can be easily carried and needs no tools to erect is a must.

Promoter industries, pioneers of flat pack demonstration stands have the answer. Promoter lightweight sampling stands all have the same basic designs but come in over 14 different configurations. Flat packed they clip together to form a stable stand. From a basic podium style to a more elaborate display that has shelves for storage of literature and a graphics header.

Discountdisplays the display equipment specialist have linked up with Promoter Industries to expand the range of Promotional Counters. they offer. In addition to their best selling Original promoter discountdisplays have introduced 13 new products. The new range of Promotional counters come in a wide range of designs and sizes to fit all requirements and budgets

With their own large format print department Discount Displays offer a true one stop service. Whether you need a one off demonstration unit for food sampling or dozens of promotional counter for a shopping centre product promotion. Graphic for promoters can be printed direct to the panels or additional graphics panels can be made to for quick change-over when a campaign ends.

Cable Displays Popularity on The High Street

The window is the most visible and cheapest way for a shop to promote itself and one of the most popular ways to do this on the UK high street is through cable displays. Cable display systems are easy to install and offer a very versatile way of dip-laying changeable information in retail windows. All that is required is an allen key. The concept is simple; 1.5mm steel wires are stretched from ceiling to floor in the window of an estate agent or up against a wall in a travel agents. Small modern looking clamps are then used to connect the wires to poster display pockets, literature holders or even shelves. DiscountDisplays has kindly allowed us to include their fitting instruction for floor to ceiling cable displays which you can see below.  

Once installed a small spring at the base of the cable keep the whole system taut and looking smart. Poster holders are made from acrylic and are available in popular sizes such as A4, A3, A2. As a buyer of cable display you can either choose to buy the individual wire display system components or ready made poster holder kits or literature display kits.

Lectern products introduced

Discountdisplay expand their range of lecterns.
Check out the range of new lecterns and podiums at Discountdisplays.
Over 500 new products were added to the ever expanding range of affordable display products available on line at discount displays. These included a range of over 20 podiums and lecterns form budget lecturns for occasion use to clear acrylic high class podiums for conferences and events.
The range of lecterns and podiums has been chosen so that every requirement is covered by at least one of their products.

There is a choice of wood, metal and Acrylic lecterns and podiums ideal for conferences, lectures, sermons or for use at trade shows and exhibitions.

Designs vary from the very traditional to contemporary and include a couple of designs that are easily portable

Create a focus point with a pulpit whilst delivering a speech and have space to store notes and other small items. Wooden lecterns come with a one year guarantee and the top of the range acrylic podiums have a two year joint and workmanship guarantee

Some of the products are available from stock while some of the more bespoke designs take about 5 days. Several of the designs also allow you to incorporate your company logo on the front panel

These lecterns should prove popular with Hotels, Churches, Schools, Colleges and corporations for conferences.

Increase Christmas Shopping Conversions

Summer is officially over, and for retailers that means the countdown to Christmas has begun!
The busiest time for the high street it is vital to capitalise on the increase in shoppers by making your window display stand out from the crowd.

One tried and tested method of doing this is through printed Christmas posters. Designed to get the holiday message across in clear and succinct messages and promote any promotional events you have in store.
Posters come in a range of sizes for all window and in-store area, and are relatively cheap considering they are often shown in prime real-estate areas of your shop.

If you want a bigger media format to advertise your Christmas promotion why not try a printed Christmas banner. Usually made from hard wearing PVC they are ideal for in-store promotions as well as being placed outside for high visibility.

One crucial tip is to have your Christmas promotional strategy in place now so you are well prepared when the time comes, leaving you to focus on other areas of your business during its busiest period.

How To Enhance Customer Conversions With Cable Displays

Cable displays are a popular method of displaying posters, leaflets and products in shop windows. Most people will have seen these wire window displays in the high street, such as in estate agents or opticians windows. They offer a contemporary display solution to any commercial business and are available in formats that are ideal for window displays for shops, offices, banks, restaurants and exhibitions.

Suspended cable displays are a versatile system for shop window displays. They are simple; consisting of a wire cable usually 1.5mm or 3mm thick and end fittings that include a simple cable tensioning system. Even though the cable is extremely thin, it is still multi platted so is immensely strong; when correctly fixed, it has been tested to hold up to 140kg, far more than you'll need!

The popularity of cable shop displays at the point of sale is due to their affordability, versatility and ease of use. When choosing a cable display system the first decision is how you are going to fit it. The cables are universal but the end fittings vary. They can be floor to ceiling , floor to wall or wall to wall depending on where you are using them and what structure you can fit to. Once you have decided on the cable system you need all you have to do is decide what to display.

Some companies make this easy by offering ready made cable display kits but for more bespoke shop display solutions you can choose from  cable display shelves, cable display lighting, cable display cubes for showing off products, brochure holders and shelves.

So next time you're looking for inspiration have a look in shop windows to see what the big names on the high street are doing and what window display would work for your business.