Banner Stand Buyer's Guide

The next time you walk through a bustling convention center, pay attention. Which booths attract the most attention and why? You may immediately notice charismatic promoters and free handouts, but oftentimes the underlying key to a booth’s appeal is at the subconscious level. Crowds naturally congregate around the displays that welcome passersby with eye-pleasing graphic design and high-quality marketing materials.

Banner stands are one of the most common, effective visual stimuli used at trade shows to assert a brand’s presence and command attention from prospects. Unfortunately, the market is over saturated with countless trade show banner stand solutions and it can be difficult to decide which product best meets your needs.

In order to make navigation of this perilous product landscape simpler, TradeShowPlus has compiled a holistic guide that outlines the bevy of differentiating factors that confront consumers and discloses a few industry secrets that will take displays to a new level. Read on to discover the various styles and accessories available to buyers and to formulate your own shopping strategy.

Setting a Budget

The most important determinant in your banner stand decision-making process is your willingness to invest. Large companies have the resources to pull out all the stops at trade shows and entice prospects with expensive displays. If you’re a smaller operation, however, you’ll most likely be limited by the size of your pocketbook. Luckily, there is an astounding amount of variety when it comes to price tags on banner stands. You can purchase a Phoenix Mini Stand for as little as $20 or a massive XL Grandstand for over $1,500. No matter your budget, you can rest assured that there are display options you can afford.

Selecting a Style

An important consideration when making your purchase is selecting a style that meets your desired specifications. Banner stands can be categorized into ten basic styles, including retractable, telescoping, X-stand, sail, rigid pole, tension pole, hanging fabric, outdoor, scrolling and tabletop. This guide will take an in-depth look at the most popular types. Each of these styles varies in their complexity and ease of setup.

Retractable Banner Stands

Also known as roll-up banners, retractable banner stands are undoubtedly the most popular style option due to their versatility and quick deployment. Retractable stands deploy using a spring-loaded roller mechanism. When you’ve finished for the day, the banner collapses down into a convenient to carry bag. If you find yourself exhausted after a long day at an expo, these retractable banners will keep you from expending excessive energy during tear-down.

Before buying a retractable stand, take note of whether it has a single-sided or double-sided base. A double-sided base features two roller systems and is ideal for marketing in areas with two-way foot traffic. With a double-sided base, two banners share the same center support pole but face opposite directions. If you’re looking to cram twice the messaging into less space, try purchasing an extra-wide retractable. Extra-wide stands may take two people to set up, but they offer unrivaled coverage.

Telescoping Banner Stands

While retractable banner stands are versatile, telescopic stands can truly be adapted to fit any situation. These stands feature extendable and collapsible poles that can be adjusted based on the space at your disposal. A potential knock on telescopic poles, however, is their stability. If you’re planning on using a telescopic banner in an outdoor environment, consider weighing the base down with sandbags to combat the breeze.

X-Banner Stands

An X-banner stand incorporates crisscrossing rods that join together to create a frame, keeping the graphic material taut. If you’re going to be using an X-banner stand, you’ll need time for planning and advance preparation. In order for your display to set up properly, you will need to design your graphic with a few specifications in mind. It’s important to print your graphic on vinyl fabric, as laminated material doesn’t provide the flexibility necessary to stretch across an X-banner frame. In addition, your vinyl graphic should be cut with a circular hole at each corner to accommodate grommets. The support rods are designed to slide effortlessly through the grommets and lock the graphic into place.

Outdoor Banner Stands

A lightweight banner intended for indoor display will get blown away if it’s installed outside. If you’re looking to attract attention in an outdoor atmosphere, you will require a banner stand with a wind-resistant and sturdy base. A popular option to keep banners rooted in the ground is a weighted base. Weighted bases feature hollow storage areas that are designed to be filled with sand or water.

Sail banners are commonly used in outdoor settings to advertise grand openings and special offers. These flags feature flexible fabric that flutters in the breeze, rotates with the wind and creates an eye-catching visual display. Installation is simple with sail banners—most feature a pointed base that can be driven straight into the ground. Best of all, the material these banners use keeps graphics from fading when exposed to rain.

Picking Accessories

By adding a few banner stand accessories beyond the included frame and canvas, you can ensure safe storage, decrease setup time and create a dazzling display. One must for any banner stand owner is a protective case like the OCB banner stand case. Investing in custom graphics can be expensive, and it’s vital to safeguard your printed material while the banner stand is stowed in storage. Other accessories to consider are lighting attachments, literature pockets and iPad holders.

If you’re hoping to shine at this year’s big trade expo, shed some light on your marketing materials by mounting a display light. These lights typically attach to the top of a banner stand and illuminate the graphics key messaging. When you attach an iPad holder, you will attract swarms of convention-goers by adding an element of interactivity to your display.

Selecting the right banner stand can initially be a daunting task, but you’ll feel confident in your decision after consulting our comprehensive buyer’s guide.

At TradeShowPlus, you will find everything needed to make your next trade show event a success. TradeShowPlus has been a top trade show display supplier for over 20 years and has over 2,500 products ready to be customized with your logo and message. Visit tradeshowplus.com today to view our full range of exhibit displays, banner stands,  outdoor event products and more ranging from popup, tension fabric and many other display solutions.

If you have any questions about our products or our printing services or need assistance in any way, please contact us by calling 702.747.4130 or by email at support@tradeshowplus.com.