Small companies have inherent budget constraints, especially for marketing. Since small companies need to stretch their budgets, they often look for the lowest cost display technology, and that road often leads to pop up displays and banner stands. And while these are great trade show displays, they have limited features and are not reconfigurable, so they may not be the best choice in the long run for a small business whose display needs may evolve.

Companies that may change their display needs over a few years may be wise to consider modular trade show displays, including truss displays and aluminum extrusion based displays. Although the upfront cost will be higher over portable displays like pop ups, modular displays have important advantages for small businesses going to trade shows, hosting promotions or conducting other types of face to face marketing.

First, modular displays have many more options than portable displays like pop ups have. From shelving, to cabinets, workstations, storage, retail racks, conference rooms, etc – modular displays offer thousands of ways to customize your trade show display without buying a brand new display and spending a lot of money. And, modular displays allow exhibitors to add and remove these accessories easily. So at one show your company might emphasize a lot of products using shelves and at another show (with possibly a different audience), your company might emphasize video set up demonstrations. With a modular display, this is easy.

Second, modular displays are reconfigurable – you can set them up in different shapes and size. So if you typically use a 10 x 20 space and have an opportunity to go to show in a 10 x 10 space, you can use a subset of your modular trade show display. Or, you can do two smaller shows simultaneously without having to buy or rent a new display. Or maybe your company realizes that it would be useful to have a private meeting space in the display, or a small storage room – you can buy the parts needed to build these spaces without buying a whole new display.

Modular displays also give you flexibility in the type and placement of media you use. For example, you might decide to use a large header in one show and in another show to use smaller vertical panels made of fabric. Modular displays can give you solutions to problems that were unanticipated when you bought the display because they’re flexible..

Finally, modular displays can help your company look more substantial and prosperous. You can break out of the “pop up crowd.”

The advantages of modular trade show displays come with some disadvantages. Modular trade show displays cost more than portables – sometimes as much as 50% more. And they take longer to set up, and often require hiring labor at the trade show venue to assist with I&D (installation and dismantle). But if your company is growing, or you can anticipate its trade show needs changing over the next few years, modular trade show displays can save you money in the long run and give your company advantages over its competitors.

Impact Displays offers a complete line of trade show displays and graphics, including an extensive line of modular trade show displays. Impact Displays is located at 1934 Junction Ave in San Jose CA. The Company can be reached by clicking here, by calling 877-217-2681 or by emailing to info@impact-displays.com.

Copyright Impact Marketing Displays LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Truss Displays have come a long way from the days when they were used for staging and lighting. Today, you can find trusses made of steel and aluminum placed in venues like lobbies, trade shows and retail environments. Working with truss takes more planning than working with a portable display like a pop up. But the advantages of truss – its ability to hold heavy objects, span long distances and accommodate a diverse set of accessories – make it the “go to” custom modular display in the industry.Truss displays can add strength and versatility to trade show exhibitors.

For those not familiar, Truss is a structural element composed of welded interlocking tubes (the idea is to mimic much of an I-beam’s strength without the weight). You’ll often see truss structures supporting lights and speakers in sports arenas or stadiums and at concert venues. It’s strong but lightweight. This has made it an ideal design for lightweight but strong marketing displays, including displays for trade shows, lobbies, dealerships, show rooms and lobbies.

The differences between aluminum and steel trusses are straightforward. Most steel truss is made of mild steel that’s finished with a powder-coat preparation of paint. Steel truss won’t rust when used indoors (unless the paint is badly chipped, exposing the bare metal. It can be made of square or round tubes and configured 2, 3 or 4 sides in the truss structure. Aluminum truss is lighter than steel and since aluminum doesn’t rust (it does mildly oxidize), it is ideal for outdoor applications where steel truss might rust. But aluminum and the welding techniques used make aluminum more expensive than steel truss, in most cases.

Stylistically, truss is unique – people generally either really like it or really don’t like it. But it is a substantial, distinctive look and that alone is reason to consider it. Unique advantages of truss displays include:

1. Truss can span long distances without support – often up to 20 feet. This is a great advantage if you are creating a large open space that will work better without intermediate supports in the span.

2. Truss can carry more weight than other types of displays. Depending on the length of the span and the position of the load from the nearest support, truss can support several hundred pounds safely.

3. Truss can be a structural element. Truss can be certified as compliant with local building codes, depending on the nature of the use. This allows truss to be used in situations like 2nd stories and tall structures.

4. Truss can accommodate a wide variety of accessories. These accessories include slat-walls for shelving and retail applications, brochure and literature racks, product demo stations, monitor mounts and storage areas.

When you consider a truss, you will have to factor in the following:

1. Truss is large – typically 6”-12” square. So storing and transporting require more attention than a smaller display.

2. Steel truss can be heavy. So you may have higher shipping costs and drayage than on other lighter displays.

Overall, the option of truss provides marketers with a range of attractive options. Truss can be bought or rented and is available in a number of standard configurations from 10 x 10 to 50 x 50. Custom designs are also available.

Impact Displays is one of the largest dealers of truss displays for trade shows. Impact Displays offers a full line of truss for purchase or rental, as well as a complete offering of trade show displays and graphics. Impact Displays is located at 1934 Junction Ave in San Jose CA and can be reached by clicking here, by calling 877-217-2681 or by emailing to info@impact-displays.com.

Copyright Impact Marketing Displays LLC. All Rights Reserved.

As companies begin to get back into the trade show marketing mindset, it’s easy to make decisions that cost more than they need to. But by concentrating on what matters most, you can attend the trade show and get great results without breaking the bank. In fact, you will often see a higher return (as a % of investment) if you spend less. Here are some areas to focus on to save your budget.

1. Don’t buy a new display if you own one already. Assuming your company’s display is in good shape, this is the easiest place to save money. No one notices if your display is brand new, for the most part. And displays start looking “used” immediately. So resist the urge to spend money unless your pop up display or modular display is broken.

2. Do buy new graphics for your current display. Graphics are the best way to give your company an image makeover at the trade show. Use the opportunity to change the messaging or highlight new products or services. Or maybe new locations. And unless you’ve replaced your graphics recently, they may look tired and you can take advantage of the latest printing and lamination technologies!

3. Avoid the giveaways. Promotional items are great – who doesn’t love them? But from chocolates to pens to balls, they’ve never brought in a qualified lead or customer. They’re great for bringing in people who want a giveaway (and who needs more of those!). If you find yourself with a little extra money in the budget, consider a banner stand or podium - they are better investments.

4. Don’t spend a lot of money on printed collateral (brochures, etc). Have a few, mostly so you can flip through them with a qualified lead. But don’t spend a bunch of money printing things people can take away with them – it will give them an excuse to grab them and leave, depriving you of valuable interaction.

5. Rent, don’t buy, unless you’ll use it more than twice a year. The rough rule of thumb is that for companies going to one or two trade shows a year is that it’s better to rent than buy. You’ll avoid the up-front expense and you won’t have to manage the display between shows. These days - you can rent pop up displays, modular displays, truss displays, counters, trade show flooring, etc.

You have to take the tips with a grain of salt – there are many situations where the opposite would be true. It just depends on your company’s situation. The most important decision is to Go To The Trade Show! And if this list helps your company economize and fund the budget to do that, we all win!

Impact Displays offers a full line of portable and custom modular trade show displays. You can find more tips to make your next trade show a success and have a better display buying experience.

Impact Displays is located at 1934 Junction Ave in San Jose CA and can be reached at info@impact-displays.com or 877-217-2681.

A couple of people emailed to say that the new Pop up display features we highlighted were great – but what basic features were essential and how can they reduce the cost of their pop up without sacrificing quality or usability. Here are some tips on these points.

Overall, the pop up market has shifted dramatically in favor of imports from Asia, especially China – this is why the prices of basic pop up displays has dropped by half in the last few years. As long as you’re working with a reputable dealer or reseller, there’s nothing wrong with an imported pop up – quality can be as good as US made displays. There are a few factors to look out for:

Are the hubs and aluminum tubing attached with rivets or screws? Screws, in all cases are better. First, you can field repair a screwed-in component. Rivets are more difficult since you either need a rivet gun or a screw/bolt that fits.

Is the aluminum tubing thick or thin? Thin “spidery” tubing is susceptible to bends, kinks and breakage. Target tubing with a diameter of 10mm or greater and you’ll probably be better off.

Do the lights use standard bulbs? This can be a killer – what’s the use of saving a few bucks on your pop up display if you have to buy expensive, specialty bulbs?! Make sure your lights use MR16 compatible bulbs – these are widely available.

Is the case rotomolded or blow molded? Rotomolding is a longer, more time intensive process that gives more uniform case thickness versus blow molding. So if you can get a rotomolded case, you are more likely to have a strong, durable case without thin, weak spots.

Are the latches lockable and recessed? You’re going to store and ship your pop up display, so it’s essential that you be able to lock the case with padlocks. And it’s essential that the locks be recessed so they won’t get torn off in loading and shipping.

You’ll want to make sure at a basic level that:

1. Your fabric panels are Velcro or hook/loop receptive.
2. The dealer/reseller has the capability to re-print the graphic panels (they stock hangers and kickers).
3. Replacement parts are available for broken or lost parts.
4. The pop up fits into a single transportation case.
5. The pop up is as close to 10’ in absolute width as possible.

You can economize by looking for lower priced pop up displays that don’t have features you don’t need – just make sure you’re buying from a reputable dealer that has sold a lot of the model and that it has the basic features you need.

Impact Displays offers a full range of trade show display and graphics solutions for companies attending trade shows and promoting their businesses. Impact Displays offers tips and buying guides to make your trade show more effective. You can reach Impact Displays at 877-217-2681 or at info@impact-displays.com.

Impact Displays is located at 1934 Junction Ave, San Jose CA 95131.

In the past five years, the display industry has developed new and exciting displays in both the portable and the modular categories. New graphic systems, materials and attachment systems have made displays more versatile, lightweight and durable.

In the portable trade show display category, pop up displays have seen an explosion of features and enhancements to make this work horse of small business exhibiting even more useful. Here are some features you may find useful – and may want to shop for- when you’re looking for a new pop up display:

Shelves and literature holders. Pop ups have graphic or fabric panels that attach to magnetic channel bars. In the past few years many manufacturers have created channel bars with slots to support shelves and literature racks. These are great additions – they can help you avoid the expense of a separate literature stand and keep your counter uncluttered.

Monitor mounts. Some pop up manufacturers are offering lightweight monitor mounts that attach to slotted channel bars. The mounts typically attach to standard VESA mounting holes (check your intended monitor to make sure it’s compliant).This means you don’t have to cut the graphics or have a monitor base or pole – it’s integrated. Since pop up displays themselves are lightweight, be sure you don’t mount a monitor that will cause your pop up to tip or become unstable, and consider sandbagging the (unseen) area between the front and rear faces of the pop up for greater stability.

Inset accent shelves. These types of display shelves add a sophisticated and custom look to the standard pop up. These are a great addition to your display, especially if you showcase retail products. Please note that your graphics will have to be designed to accommodate the inset cutout.

Impact Displays offers a full range of trade show display and graphics solutions for companies attending trade shows and promoting their businesses. Impact Displays offers tips and buying guides to make your trade show more effective. You can reach Impact Displays at 877-217-2681 or at info@impact-displays.com.

Impact Displays is located at 1934 Junction Ave, San Jose CA 95131.