You’ve booked your vendor table. Now What? In this article we’re going to talk about cheap yet stylish ways to build and brand your booth.
Going to conferences and conventions can be really fun and exciting. They’re amazing events that provide networking and friendship building opportunities for attendees and, if you decide to have your own table or booth, can also be great money makers…if you know what you’re doing.
There are lots of great articles out there that offer up tips and tricks for running your own booth. They talk about how to engage attendees without feeling like a used car salesperson and how to get attention from the parade of attendees that will be wandering past your table.
But in this article we’re going to talk about cheap yet stylish ways to build and brand your booth.
Building your own booth or table can be intimidating, especially if you’re convinced that you need to create something as elaborate as some of the setups you’ve seen at other events. Rest assured: you do not have to spend thousands of dollars on booth decor to create a display that people will want to visit. What you need is height, depth and multiple levels.
Height
You will be provided with one of those industrial sized folding tables and a banner and, if you’re in the middle of a show floor, curtains are likely what will separate you from the booths in back of you. A lot of vendors will choose to hang their banner up on the wall or curtain behind their booth as a way to add height and make sure that people know who they are. You can certainly do this, but you’ll catch more eyes if you bring your own banner. You can always hang the event-provided banner on the front of your table.
A branded horizontal banner that you can hang up across the back of your booth or behind your table sets your space apart from that of your neighbors’ and adds height to your display. Print it on sturdy material so that you can roll it up and reuse it again. And, in spite of what a local print shop will tell you, printing a hanging banner doesn’t have to be expensive. You can easily find online print shops that will print them out for less than thirty bucks.
Depth
Never assume that you need to confine your branding to walls and tables. Free standing vertical pull up banners can be placed behind and in front of your table to extend your display space. You can have these printed up inexpensively through print shops.
Another great way to create depth is to extend your display space by setting up shelving and merchandise space in front of your table (check with the event organizers before you do this to make sure you won’t be accidentally violating any fire codes). One of those $15 wire shelving cubes from Target is all you need if you decorate it well.
Levels
Speaking of those $15 wire shelving cubes, why not break them down and put a cube or two up on the table itself? A lot of vendors will set these up so that one cube opens up to the show floor for merchandising and informational displays and the other opens up back toward the wall and acts as a easily-reachable storage space for Square card readers, “bank” bags, extra tape, Purell, etc.
You can also use smaller shelves, like the kind that are branded for school lockers or inside of cabinets. These usually run less than $10 each and are easy to set up and break down for storage.
Remember: you’re there to make money, not spend it! A thrifty but beautiful display ensures that the money you earn on the vendor floor will be pure profit, not just making up for tabling costs.
Identity Magazine is all about empowering women to get all A’s in the game of life — Accept. Appreciate. Achieve.TM Every contributor and expert answer the Identity 5 questions in keeping with our theme. As a team, we hope to inspire and motivate ourselves and inspire you to get all A’s.
What have you accepted within your life, physically and/or mentally? What are you still working on accepting?
Going back to school and also choosing to work for myself.
What have you learn to appreciate about yourself and/or within your life, physically and mentally? What are you still working on to appreciate?
My work ethic and the determination I’ve had throughout my professional career.
What is one of your most rewarding achievements in life? What makes YOU most proud? What goals and dreams do you still have?
Achieving my education at an accelerated pace. Start a family!
We all have imperfections, so we think. The truth–we are all perfectly imperfect. What are your not-so-perfect ways? What imperfections and quirks create who you are–your Identity?
I can be a a little too worrisome sometimes and cause myself to become stressed out.
“I Love My…” is an outlet for you to express and appreciate all the positive traits that make you…well… YOU! Sharing what you love about yourself will make you smile, feel empowered, and uplift your spirit and soul. (we assure you!)
Identity challenges you to complete the phrase “I Love My…?
Puppy Kona!
Image “Business People Shaking Hands” by Ambro, courtesy of freedigitalphotos.com
