How to Design an Inexpensive Trade Show Backdrop

A trade show is an excellent place to meet new prospects and advertise a business. Without an attractive backdrop and signage, many prospective customers will pass you by.

Promoting a business at a trade show requires special equipment to attract visitors, including a backdrop, signs, lights, and other advertisements. There are now many companies that will build trade show displays in a variety of shapes and sizes. The problem is that these solutions often exceed a small business' advertising budget.

Visit a local provider of retail store equipment. In addition to the ideas mentioned in this article, you may discover many useful pieces of equipment to promote your business through simply browsing their inventory. We chose 4 pieces of black powder coated steel grid panels, measuring 8 feet by 2 feet. Also, we purchased grid connectors and specially designed lights that connected easily to the top of each grid panel.

Arrange the grid panels so that each stands 8 feet tall. Connect the panels using special grid connectors to form the shape of a letter "W." Use at least 3 connectors between each panel. This structure is very sturdy and will stand on its own with no support. To increase the strength and add additional safety, special "L" shaped footers may be purchased which attach to the bottom of 2 grid panels and hold them together in a right angle. Using two of these footers will allow the four grid panels to stand together, connected as a "W" shape.

 

Contract a local sign manufacturer to produce several signs with your company logo and some information about your products. If you provide the art work, this should be relatively inexpensive. The material called "sentra" is very sturdy and makes an attractive sign. The signs that were made for us used a white sentra board with vinyl printed stickers attached to it. Drill a hole in each of the upper corners to allow the sign to hang on the grid panel using cable ties.

Attach the signs to the grid panels and position a light above each one to illuminate it. This is very important as a dark sign looks very uninviting. Now all that is needed is a table, some sample products, brochures, and several sales people to work the booth.

• Don't spend more money than necessary!
• Visitors are attracted to brightly illuminated and attractive booths.
• Use your imagination to decorate your booth and make it unique.
• Do not hang heavy articles from the grid panels that may cause them to become unstable.
• Follow safe wiring practices when connecting lights and other electrical equipment!