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.
Showing posts with label banners. Show all posts
Showing posts with label banners. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Monday, December 27, 2010
Seven Tips for Greener Exhibiting
Here are our top seven tips to lessen the impact your exhibiting and promotional printing has on the environment.
1. Plan Your Exhibit - You will be surprised at how much material, wastage, and most importantly money you can save but planning in advance how much of everything you will need to successfully exhibit. Make a note of all factors such as time, order of setting up your booth, how much promotional material to use, even the most efficient route to get to the venue!
2. Use a Company that Practices Green Printing - as the eco-friendly mindset permeates through the market more and more companies are offering their services for green products. Sometimes they are a bit more expensive, but is worthwhile as it presents your brand as a socially conscious business.
3. Give Customers Incentives Not To Use Materials - a prime example is that of bags, maybe give a customer a discount or access to exclusive content if they choose not to use a bag. An incentive for not using the material is preferable to a punishment for using it, such as a charge for bags as this can leave the customer with a negative experience with your company. Directing customers to a web site instead of giving them a catalogue is another way to decrease the usage of raw materials.
4. Recycled Materials - banners, booths, bags, plastics; just a small selection of products that are now available made from recycled materials. Again this does a positive thing for your brand image.
5. Rent Instead of Buying - there are many companies that offer full trade show booth rentals, which can be used several times. Obviously this limits how much customisation and flexibility you can have on your exhibit, but if you are an infrequent exhibitor this might be the option to go for.
6. Energy Efficient Lighting - lighting can play a big part in your exhibit, but nowadays many energy efficient light bulbs are just as effective as 'normal' ones. This is one of those small changes that multiplied by the annual exhibitors in the country can make a big difference.
7. Green Giveaways - prizes to win green products, sample of green materials or a prize for a customer reducing their impact on the environment. Build up customer loyalty and improve your company's image.
For more information on green printing techniques and policies visit this link for an example of recyclable banner printing.
1. Plan Your Exhibit - You will be surprised at how much material, wastage, and most importantly money you can save but planning in advance how much of everything you will need to successfully exhibit. Make a note of all factors such as time, order of setting up your booth, how much promotional material to use, even the most efficient route to get to the venue!
2. Use a Company that Practices Green Printing - as the eco-friendly mindset permeates through the market more and more companies are offering their services for green products. Sometimes they are a bit more expensive, but is worthwhile as it presents your brand as a socially conscious business.
3. Give Customers Incentives Not To Use Materials - a prime example is that of bags, maybe give a customer a discount or access to exclusive content if they choose not to use a bag. An incentive for not using the material is preferable to a punishment for using it, such as a charge for bags as this can leave the customer with a negative experience with your company. Directing customers to a web site instead of giving them a catalogue is another way to decrease the usage of raw materials.
4. Recycled Materials - banners, booths, bags, plastics; just a small selection of products that are now available made from recycled materials. Again this does a positive thing for your brand image.
5. Rent Instead of Buying - there are many companies that offer full trade show booth rentals, which can be used several times. Obviously this limits how much customisation and flexibility you can have on your exhibit, but if you are an infrequent exhibitor this might be the option to go for.
6. Energy Efficient Lighting - lighting can play a big part in your exhibit, but nowadays many energy efficient light bulbs are just as effective as 'normal' ones. This is one of those small changes that multiplied by the annual exhibitors in the country can make a big difference.
7. Green Giveaways - prizes to win green products, sample of green materials or a prize for a customer reducing their impact on the environment. Build up customer loyalty and improve your company's image.
For more information on green printing techniques and policies visit this link for an example of recyclable banner printing.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Chicago Streets Ahead with Lamppost Banner Auctions
Came across a novel idea regarding PVC advertising banner "recycling" where some lateral thinking has resulted in the city of Chicago auctioning street and lamppost banners to the public. The annual “Sharing It” banner auction, which benefits the needy, has seen banners from public events been sold to raise money for charities within the city.
One highlight was the sale of a Chicago White Sox 2005 World Series Championship street banner, which was sold for $515. This was from their world series run and was signed by pitcher Mark Buehrle aka 'Mr. Perfect'.
The live auction sells street pole banners produced by the city and other organizations that promote events, festivals, exhibitions & special occasions and theatre.
Other highlights from this year’s auction are Blackhawks playoff banners signed by Hall of Famers Stan Mikita and Denis Savard, Jersey Boys and Dirty Dancing banners courtesy of Broadway in Chicago and from the Museum of Science & Industry, banners highlighting the Harry Potter exhibit.
I'm not sure if anyone would start something like that here in the UK but until they do another option of course is to opt for an eco-friendly PVC free recyclable banners and reduce the harm banner printing has on the environment.
One highlight was the sale of a Chicago White Sox 2005 World Series Championship street banner, which was sold for $515. This was from their world series run and was signed by pitcher Mark Buehrle aka 'Mr. Perfect'.
The live auction sells street pole banners produced by the city and other organizations that promote events, festivals, exhibitions & special occasions and theatre.
Other highlights from this year’s auction are Blackhawks playoff banners signed by Hall of Famers Stan Mikita and Denis Savard, Jersey Boys and Dirty Dancing banners courtesy of Broadway in Chicago and from the Museum of Science & Industry, banners highlighting the Harry Potter exhibit.
I'm not sure if anyone would start something like that here in the UK but until they do another option of course is to opt for an eco-friendly PVC free recyclable banners and reduce the harm banner printing has on the environment.
Monday, September 20, 2010
A Guide To Choosing The Perfect Roller Banner
When choosing a banner stand system you will see many different options, including roller banner stands, and your first question will probably be "What exactly is a roller banner stand?". Simply put it is a system for displaying and transporting graphic banners for displays and promotions in retail outlets, trade shows and at events. The principle is very similar to a roller blind, with the roller banner being inside a protective case that also acts as a base so the unit can be free standing. Unlike a blind however, the roller banner is pulled up rather than down so it needs a pole to hold it up.
The main benefits of roller banners over other banner stand types are:
- They are easy to transport
- The graphics are protected
- Banners are free standing
- No tools are required
As with banner stand having different options, there are also different types of roller banners. As far as functionality is concerned there are two main differences, with two options for each feature choice.
The first option is the type of base used on the stand. You have options for stands with fold out feet or ones with a larger footprint that dont require feet. The fold out feet type of roller banner tend to be cheaper and a little less stable, but smaller for easy transportation.
Roller banner stands can also be divided into changeable graphics and fixed graphics systems. Fixed graphics again are cheaper and normally just have the graphics stuck to the roller unit, replaceable graphic systems have either a slide in graphic or a changeable casette. Changable casette systems are the most expensive but by far the easiest to use if your marketing message needs to change alot.
What issues should you look for when buying a roller banner stand?
Obviously roller banners have moving parts so you need to be careful you don't get to a show and find it is broken. Problems I have seen in the past include:
- The top bar coming off and the banner rolls up inside
the cassette
- The springs inside break and the system loses tension
- The spring units locks and the banner won't come out
- The spring does not have enough tension to hold the banner taught
- The pole at the back holding the banner up breaks
It's tricky when choosing a roller banner stand as many of these units look very similar online and it's only when you compare them side by side you can see where the money has been saved. My advice; spend a little more and make sure you get a reliable roller banner.
Just a quick note on graphics, it won't surprise you to learn that not all graphics are the same either. Two things to consider are the print quality and the materials used.
In regards to print quality this varies hugely depending on the equipment used; large format printng machines range in price from a few thousand up to well over a million. Printers also set up and run their machines at different speeds. My advice is to choose a reputable company with experience who have thier own printing workshop in-house rather than one that's subs it out.
There will be more about large formt print on the blog in future.
If you've gone through this article to find out more about roller banner stands and decided they don't fit your requirements you have many other options available. The most obvious solution is if there is a wall or side of a shell scheme system then your graphics can be attached to them without the need for any type of banner stand.
If thats not possible and you need some sort of stand the alternative to a roller banners is some sort of tensioned pole stand, in which case the banner and banner stand would be seperate. You put up the stand then attach your banner. Once they are up they look very similar to roller banners.
The advantages of a pole banner stand is that there are no moving bits to go wrong and on the whole they are cheaper than roller units. Its also easier to change the graphics without having to go to the expense of having a replacable cassette roller banner.
I hope this guide has helped clear a few things up about both roller banners and the options you have available to display your graphics.
The main benefits of roller banners over other banner stand types are:
- They are easy to transport
- The graphics are protected
- Banners are free standing
- No tools are required
As with banner stand having different options, there are also different types of roller banners. As far as functionality is concerned there are two main differences, with two options for each feature choice.
The first option is the type of base used on the stand. You have options for stands with fold out feet or ones with a larger footprint that dont require feet. The fold out feet type of roller banner tend to be cheaper and a little less stable, but smaller for easy transportation.
Roller banner stands can also be divided into changeable graphics and fixed graphics systems. Fixed graphics again are cheaper and normally just have the graphics stuck to the roller unit, replaceable graphic systems have either a slide in graphic or a changeable casette. Changable casette systems are the most expensive but by far the easiest to use if your marketing message needs to change alot.
What issues should you look for when buying a roller banner stand?
Obviously roller banners have moving parts so you need to be careful you don't get to a show and find it is broken. Problems I have seen in the past include:
- The top bar coming off and the banner rolls up inside
the cassette
- The springs inside break and the system loses tension
- The spring units locks and the banner won't come out
- The spring does not have enough tension to hold the banner taught
- The pole at the back holding the banner up breaks
It's tricky when choosing a roller banner stand as many of these units look very similar online and it's only when you compare them side by side you can see where the money has been saved. My advice; spend a little more and make sure you get a reliable roller banner.
Just a quick note on graphics, it won't surprise you to learn that not all graphics are the same either. Two things to consider are the print quality and the materials used.
In regards to print quality this varies hugely depending on the equipment used; large format printng machines range in price from a few thousand up to well over a million. Printers also set up and run their machines at different speeds. My advice is to choose a reputable company with experience who have thier own printing workshop in-house rather than one that's subs it out.
There will be more about large formt print on the blog in future.
If you've gone through this article to find out more about roller banner stands and decided they don't fit your requirements you have many other options available. The most obvious solution is if there is a wall or side of a shell scheme system then your graphics can be attached to them without the need for any type of banner stand.
If thats not possible and you need some sort of stand the alternative to a roller banners is some sort of tensioned pole stand, in which case the banner and banner stand would be seperate. You put up the stand then attach your banner. Once they are up they look very similar to roller banners.
The advantages of a pole banner stand is that there are no moving bits to go wrong and on the whole they are cheaper than roller units. Its also easier to change the graphics without having to go to the expense of having a replacable cassette roller banner.
I hope this guide has helped clear a few things up about both roller banners and the options you have available to display your graphics.
Thursday, July 08, 2010
PVC advertising banners - Hints and tips PART 1
Summer is well and truly upon us and fetes, sports events and garden shows need to capitalise on the weather and attract customers to their events. One of the most popular and cost effective ways is to use printed PVC banners. Despite new material on the marketplace by far the most popular are PVC banners. PVC banner material also know as vinyl is strong, cheap and totally weather proof.
If you type PVC banners UK or vinyl banners UK into google you will see a huge range of companies offering pvc banner printing.
For example:
BANNERS FOR ALL - Banners, Vinyl Banners, PVC Banners, Sign Banner ...We produce quality printed PVC and Textile Banners,Feather Flags and Sail Banners. Sail banners - Digital Vinyl PVC Banners - Vinyl PVC Banners. www.bannersforall.co.uk/ - Cached - Similar
Online Design Tools For Personalized Banners, Best Poster Design ... - Our PVC banners are also popular as sports event banners, ... Whatever you requirements or specifications,
www.quickstepdesign.com/ - Cached - Similar
advertising banner - printed pvc advertising banners vinyl - advertising banner - pre printed in stock Sale banners from discount displays. PVC vinyl advertising banner.
Confusing isn't it? So how do you choose? Most people think a banner is a banner is a banner, but since yours is going to be an advert for your company or event you want it to look good and last the course.
As with most things cheapest may not be the best. When you look at material the questions to ask when your looking for a banner printer are:
Is the material reinforced?
What weight is it?
How are the edges finished?
Does it allow any show-through?
Is it Fire retardant?
What are the eyelets made of?
Reinforced material is essential unless you just want a very short term small indoor banner. The PVC banner material has a nylon weave fused into it which prevents it tearing. The heavier the banner the material the stronger it is, the typical weight for an outdoor banner ranges from 300gsm to 500gsm.
Finally how is the material finished? For short term banners people cut corners by having their banner "straight cut" with either plastic or metal eyelets. This is OK if the banner is small, say 6' x 2' or perhaps up against a wall but eventually the eyelets will tear out.
As soon as one eyelet goes the whole banner can look messy and a crucial bit of information such as a telephone number or date may be hidden. The alternative is to spend a little more and go for a banner with turned edges. This is where the outer couple of inches of the banner are turned over giving a double thickness hem. This strengthens the weakest vunerable part of the banner and gives a much better anchor point for the eyelets.
I'll discuss alternate banner materials and printing techniques in my next article.
If you type PVC banners UK or vinyl banners UK into google you will see a huge range of companies offering pvc banner printing.
For example:
BANNERS FOR ALL - Banners, Vinyl Banners, PVC Banners, Sign Banner ...We produce quality printed PVC and Textile Banners,Feather Flags and Sail Banners. Sail banners - Digital Vinyl PVC Banners - Vinyl PVC Banners. www.bannersforall.co.uk/ - Cached - Similar
Online Design Tools For Personalized Banners, Best Poster Design ... - Our PVC banners are also popular as sports event banners, ... Whatever you requirements or specifications,
www.quickstepdesign.com/ - Cached - Similar
advertising banner - printed pvc advertising banners vinyl - advertising banner - pre printed in stock Sale banners from discount displays. PVC vinyl advertising banner.
Confusing isn't it? So how do you choose? Most people think a banner is a banner is a banner, but since yours is going to be an advert for your company or event you want it to look good and last the course.
As with most things cheapest may not be the best. When you look at material the questions to ask when your looking for a banner printer are:
Is the material reinforced?
What weight is it?
How are the edges finished?
Does it allow any show-through?
Is it Fire retardant?
What are the eyelets made of?
Reinforced material is essential unless you just want a very short term small indoor banner. The PVC banner material has a nylon weave fused into it which prevents it tearing. The heavier the banner the material the stronger it is, the typical weight for an outdoor banner ranges from 300gsm to 500gsm.
Finally how is the material finished? For short term banners people cut corners by having their banner "straight cut" with either plastic or metal eyelets. This is OK if the banner is small, say 6' x 2' or perhaps up against a wall but eventually the eyelets will tear out.
As soon as one eyelet goes the whole banner can look messy and a crucial bit of information such as a telephone number or date may be hidden. The alternative is to spend a little more and go for a banner with turned edges. This is where the outer couple of inches of the banner are turned over giving a double thickness hem. This strengthens the weakest vunerable part of the banner and gives a much better anchor point for the eyelets.
I'll discuss alternate banner materials and printing techniques in my next article.
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