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How I (And My Feet) Survived My First Trade Show

the trade show floor

Well, my time had come, and finally, after years in the industry, I went to a trade show for the first time as an exhibitor and I lived to tell about it. I am usually behind a screen designing printed fabrics for trade show displays. Having the opportunity to see my designs in the wild was so exciting. While preparing for the show, everyone I spoke with stated one thing in agreeance “Wear comfortable shoes.” Even our blog has a post about it. Hearing so much about it, made me do some research. What I got was more than comfy shoes. I found help. 

Know Your Feet

Do you have high arches or maybe flat feet, are you perhaps prone to planters fasciitis? Finding insoles to best support you while standing for a long time on the show floor is a must even if your company is kind and has ordered carpet for your booth, it is still not enough cushion. Work from within and get fitted with a great pair of support. For my first show, I got a the DR. SCHOLL’S ® arch support courtesy to my flat soles. 

shoe examples

More Help – Supplements

Standing up for an extended period leads to low blood pressure it is harder on your blood vessels and heart to keep up with blood circulation, and as a result, less oxygen goes to your system, and your feet swell or experience lower-limb muscle fatigue. To avoid all that, I prepared with an amino acid L-ARGANIN. It is a powerful neurotransmitter that helps blood vessels relax and also improves circulation. It brings more oxygen to the extremities and prevents swelling and fatigue.

To my surprise, it did, in fact, work. By the end of the Trade show day, I did not feel like my feet ware made of concrete. I felt light as a feather. Because arginine also helps your kidneys filter toxins better, you should always dring plenty of water with it. I also took Turmeric Chocolate Supplement. Turmeric is an ancient superfood known for easing inflammation and boosting brain function. Wrap that in chocolate, and it’s a no brainer! 

chocolate supplement

After Care

Despite everything being at the trade show all day still takes a tole. Everyone knows to soak tired feet in warm water, but I went one step further, I brought with me a vile of tiger balm! Tiger Balm works by tricking nerve endings with cooling and heating sensations, interrupting other signals from muscle pain or itchy insect bites. It is much stronger than most similar products on the market. After going back to the hotel room, I would rub some on my heal and put up my feet for fifteen minutes to decompress.

In conclusion, when you know you will be standing up for long periods of time, be prepared, know your feet, take a supplement, and treat your self like the true trade show athlete that you are.

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A Guide To Our Most Popular Backdrop Kits

Let’s start from the beginning – CEB stands for Custom Exhibit Backdrops, and that is what we do. Hence we print large graphics on fabric mainly for trade shows and events. In this post, we break down for you our three most popular backdrop kits that are easy to use and easy to buy.

We print your images directly on durable and wrinkle-resistant fabric through the process of Dye Sublimation. So the image is bonded permanently so it can be washed, folded and conveniently stored without cracking or fading, and so it will hang beautifully each time it’s displayed.

The Standard – CEB Kit

ceb backdrop kit

The way it works is by attaching the valance hangers to the slots of the existing uprights of your booth, then draping the backdrop through the quickfold support and attaching the ends of the quickfold support to the valance hangers. In case the top slots of the uprights are damaged we included multi-purpose connectors to attach at the top of the upright.

The CEB kit consists of

valace hangers vs. connectors

The free-standing display – CEB PLUS KIT

plus backdrop kit

The plus backdrop kit has a frame to help you display your fabric backdrop in an environment that does not have pipe and drape like an event or a tabletop show, or it can be used as a stand-alone photo opportunity at weddings.

The Plus Kit includes:

To put the kit together, first, screw the pins into the bases put the uprights on it drape the printed fabric on the quickfold support and attach the hook ends to the upright’s slots.

setting up a plus backdrop kit

The Lite Kit

lite backdrop kit

The Lite Kit also attaches to the existing pipe and drape and is our most economical option. It attaches to existing pipe and drape via grommets and hooks.

The lite kit includes:

Furthermore, the grommets are evenly spaced placed along the top, one every foot, so when hung you won’t have any sag across the middle resulting in 11 grommets at the top. So we have different colors to best match your display bronze, silver, gold, and black. Our 10ft kit comes with 20 sign hooks and our 20ft kit comes with 40 hooks. It folds down and conveniently fits in a tote bag you can take anywhere with you.

Designers at bay

Now that you know about our kits let us help you design your backdrop. Always let us know if you are having trouble with your artwork and need some help you can start the design process here.

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Building Your Best Trade Show Booth Display

booth display idea

On the busy trade show floor, the visual impact of your booth display is what sets you apart. A successful display should be part branding, part psychology, part art, and part messaging. That’s where we step in. We help your display. We make sure your message is clear and elicits positive emotional responses through beautiful imagery and visuals.


The Branding

Branding does not just mean a logo, there is a lot more to it. It is a system of elements that speaks to your audience with a specific tone. Choosing the right elements to cohesively describe your products and services while keeping consistency across mediums is essential to preventing a fragmented experience. Ads, taglines, messaging, graphic elements, font choices, and mascots are all part of your brand. They’ll need to work in unison to draw consumers to your product while providing a personal experience that they enjoy.

The Psychology 

As human beings with working sensory systems, everything affects us – from colors to the usage of space, to body language and environmental surroundings. It is all mostly subconscious. People may prefer Target over other stores, but they can’t really tell you why. Is it the well-lit clean space or the red, playful elements vibrantly decorated throughout the store? Maybe it’s the clean product shelves and customer service? It’s all of these, but sometimes the customer just walks out feeling happy, without even realizing it shapes the way we live, work, and of course how we shop. Creating a booth display with the buyer’s experience in mind is a huge part of influencing buying decisions. Not just creating a cool display, but thinking about the user’s problems and solving them in advance.

The Art of the Display

Knowing what’s trendy is important. Tying trends to your booth display concepts are key, but art is not just what’s trendy or popular; it’s style and attaching meaning. Yes, it’s nice to be trendy, but what is this particular trend say about your company? Doing something just because it’s cool does not get you the recognition. This year it has become trendy for brands to take a stand. Could your brand benefit form that how can it handles thinking of all the options? In terms of color it is the year of pinks and purples. Those colors are linked to fun and creativity, which usually is a great thing. However, using it in a serious marketing campaign may hinder your image as a respectable brand.

The Message

Your message isn’t just about what you say, but how you say it. Engage your audience by eliciting an emotional response from them. It makes your business feel more human and less like a machine after their money. How do you do this? Investigate who is going to be at the show and craft your message to be relevant to your audience. Know the demographics. Research what specific problems your audience is facing to address the pain points your product/services will alleviate. Craft headlines and messaging that highlight the most relevant benefits to them.

You’ll want to do this for each specific type of show you exhibit at. Sure, while reusing banners displays can save money, a one-size-fits-all approach can alienate potential customers or leave some feel completely uninterested. By using multiple tailored messages, you’re more likely to successfully engage a wider net of your target audiences.

In Conclusion

Keep in mind we are incredibly visual beings. Colors and images can affect our behavior. Create your display with a cohesive concept in mind and a crafted message catered to the specific show audience. Consider your exhibit space and really think about how your customers are going to use it. We have experts that can help you win at the trade show. Fill out our form here and our team of designers will gladly put together a backdrop for your booth display.

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Much Ado About Banners

church banner production

Hanging fabric banners are the least expensive way to brand a trade show booth. Just as you are hanging signs on the existing trade show hardware, you can hang fabric. Custom fabric banners hang way better than vinyl and will not crack or peel. Therefore they are washable and dye sublimated. Pack and transport is a breeze the banners will fit in your suitcase with ease.

Sizes

sample banner sizes

What is a banner? A banner can be any size, any shape in other words as long as it is displaying your message it is a banner. We offer a variety of standard sizes and attachment options. But you can always contact us with your unique project by filling up this form. The maximum printable area ranges up to 120 inches subsequently the roll is 300ft. Ink is fast drying, vivid, long-lasting, washable and environmentally friendly. See all of our standard banner sizes here.

Methods of Attachments

grommets and pockets

In terms of methods of attachment, we have a couple of options. Banners come standard with grommets – in each corner or grommets all around. Each grommeted banner is packed and shipped with a set of hundred sign hooks. However, if you are displaying in a pipe and drape environment, you might want to go with a 4in pole pockets on top and bottom as well. The 4in pockets are a standard for trade show and work great with the existing pipe, or if you decide to purchase a CEB Kit which comes with 2 clamps and drape support to layer your banner on top of the existing drape.

banner examples

Besides for trade show and expos, banners can be used as way-finding systems, storefronts, conveying information and advertising.

Above Booth Banner Kits

If you are looking for a bit more visibility in your booth, we also have banner kits. The kit includes a base and a telescoping upright that can extend up to 14ft.