How To Design An Amazing Pull Up Banner Stand

A GUIDE TO DESIGNING A BANNER STAND

Those who spend time at trade shows know how vital and valuable right banner stands can be. At their best, they cast your brand in an authentic and professional light. They’re the first thing people see as they pass by, and they’re your first opportunity to make a connection and grow your business. And, considering the number and type of people who trade shows, making a good impression is an essential and valuable thing to do! We would have to look at these Trade Show News Network statistics. The average person attending a trade show will spend 8.3 hours looking through

exhibits. Additionally, 81% of those attendees have buying authority. In other words, trade shows are full of potential customers, clients and business partners looking to connect with your brand.

How, then, are you going to separate yourself from the pack and make a real connection?

The answer lies in creating practical banner stands. While choosing a banner stand may seem like a simple task, banner stand design is of the utmost importance and takes some forethought, especially when the perceived value of your brand is at stake.

For this reason, we are making a guide full of tips to one of our favourite banner stand design tips. We’ll discuss font choice and colour, word selection and placement, practical branding and banner stand graphics and advice on actual banner stand construction, all of which combine to make your advertising display as helpful as possible.

If you follow our tips on how to design a great banner stand, we’re confident your brand will shine, and you’ll start seeing an immediate return on your investment. So what are you waiting for? Start making your job easier by letting the perfect banner do the heavy lifting!

Less Is More! 

The first and most important rule for a practical banner stand is to keep it simple. It would help if you used short, catchy phrases that are easy to read, comprehend and make a lasting impression.

Once you have them hooked with a bold phrase, you can start to go into more detail. A banner is a conversation starter — not the entire conversation. So don’t try to print all of that information on the flag.

 

Plus, you don’t want to force people to crowd around your banner stand just to read it thoroughly. Not only is that an ineffective way to reach new people, but it’ll also ensure there’s always someone standing in front of your banner, blocking it from view.

If they want further information they can take home with them, make sure you have a brochure they can leave with.

A good rule of thumb is to keep your text at two lines or fewer, with no more than ten words total. You can include additional information, such as contact details, but those should be minimal and should never introduce other concepts.

We also don't wish to be so unambiguous that people don’t know what you’re saying. Remember: You’re trying to invite people in with a banner. There’s a difference between piquing their curiosity and rendering them confused. You can do that by being direct and using bold calls to action.

The text on a banner should catch people’s attention so that you can step in and make a real, human connection.

Place Contact Info Up High

If you’re trying to reach new people who might be flying by, you don’t want to impede their ability to see your contact information.

Keep this in mind, though: A portable banner stand reaches the ground. If you leave your contact details at the bottom, it’s likely missed. Not only does this force people to look down, but if your stand ends up being set up for something, this valuable information might end up being obscured entirely.

At the same time, putting contact details up high is not the same as making them the essential item on your banner. You don’t want people missing your tagline because all they see is a phone number.

Instead, reverse the conventional writing logic, in which you state your considerable thought first and your secondary details underneath them. Place those details above your tagline on a banner, place those details above your saying, but keep them in an otherwise subordinate position by making them smaller.

Avoid Information That’s Likely to Change Detail's

When choosing secondary information, you also want to include any details that may change in the future. You don’t want to advertise or mislead people falsely.

You’ll need to ensure they don’t change regularly if you include prices. If you have a location change or expansion on the horizon, you may want to leave a physical address of your banner. You don’t want to spend money and time on an excellently designed banner stand only to find that you need to replace it because a few words or numbers are no longer accurate.

Don’t Be Tempted by Garish Colors

You want to grab attention. Therefore, you should use the boldest colours. Not so fast! While you do want your text to stand out, loud colours simply for the sake of volume can backfire. A poorly thought-out colour palette will only make your banner look unprofessional and poorly designed.

Instead, think about contrast and branding. What colours most consistently represent your business? How can colour be used to make your branding or product stand out?

For example, consider placid blues with a sharply contrasting white text if you want to give your customers a refreshed and relaxed feeling. If, instead, you want to evoke richness and luxury, consider mahogany and leather hues. In a sea of trade show banners, you aren’t going to win the race for attention by having the brightest neons — you’re going to do it by making high-quality design choices.

Choose Easily Readable Fonts

Have you noticed how leading companies are using increasingly simple fonts? While a highly designed font — full of serifs and flourishes — may make you distinctive, it will likely be for the wrong reasons. It will make you look dated and run the risk of getting your message ignored because it’s hard to read.

Even though we would be highly attracted to employ the wildest font available in your word processor, go with modern, bold and straightforward fonts instead.

Use Professional Images to avoid pixelation on banner stand images

Nothing ruins a banner quite like a pixelated image. Simply slapping an image found on a search engine onto your banner won’t cut it.

This may require a little more investment to ensure that your image is professional and at a high enough resolution. But remember: When you’re investing in a banner stand, you should focus more on return-on-investment rather than the base price.

We also recommend using more detailed images. A cluttered idea isn’t much better than cluttered text. Remember: You’re trying to grab a person’s attention and then make a lasting impact. Overwrought design choices are less likely to make the kind of connection you want.

Be Wise About Size

When designing your banner stand, you want to be mindful of the size. Bigger does not always mean better, although you don’t want to be undersized, either. The key is to make sure your banner stands out and is easily seen but doesn’t overwhelm the physical space where it’s on display.

If you have a more prominent position or area you plan to show, you want to fill it. But if you’re a minor operation or have a limited space to operate in, you don’t want a banner that becomes ungainly.

Take a few minutes and think about what your size needs are. You want to fill as much space with your banner as possible without overcrowding. You don’t want to invest in a banner stand that becomes hard to use because you decided to choose the most prominent option.

Explore Different Shapes

Like size, you also want to think about your display's form and presentation style.

If you’re looking to pop really, a spring back-style banner can give your screen a dynamic feel. On the other hand, if you wish to have something grander, a thin and straightforward construction will let your image speak for itself. A double-sided banner is a great way to get a lot of brand exposure in a smaller space.

Another great option that gives you a lot of shape versatility is a stretch fabric banner. These can be made to replicate your products' shape or create visual effects, like the feeling of depth. Regardless of the style you choose, be intentional and figure out how your design will coordinate with your banner’s construction.

Consider Your Audience

The tone and style of the perfect rollup banner stands will change depending on the target audience. If you’re trying to reach a younger audience, bold graphics and a little bit of attitude can go a long way. But if you’re trying to get people to trust you, especially in an industry where sensitivity is a job requirement, a snarky attitude probably won’t get you very far.

Target audience

So let your design choices reflect the audience you’re aiming for. That may mean your banner is a little less bold than others. However, regardless of who you’re trying to reach, you want them to think you’re authentic, and that starts with representative design.

Think About Usage

You also want to consider how often and where you plan on using your banner stand. If you intend on taking it down and putting it back up regularly, then high-quality construction and durable materials are a must-have feature. Similarly, if you want to use your banner stand indoors and outdoors, you want to make sure you get one that can stand up to inclement weather.

Remember: A sun-faded or raggedy-looking banner will work against you rather than for you. You want something that pops and looks new, no matter how often you use it.

You may also want to think about getting a banner that can be utilised for multiple purposes. For example, you might get a flag for trade shows and then use the same banner in your showroom when you’re not on the road. This is yet another way you can increase your return-on-investment while also being consistent with your messaging and branding.

Finally, you also want to consider setup and teardown. If your company consists of just one person, you’ll want to consider a banner stand that’s easy to set up and transport on your own. Retractable banners are especially suitable for this type of situation.

Coordinate With Other Promotional Materials

Lastly, consider how the branding will coordinate with the other promotional materials you’re handing out at your booth when designing your banner. If you’re going to be getting brochures printed simultaneously, try to find a way to pull the same message and imagery across your materials. Consider how their design elements can be elevated in a larger banner format if your brochures already exist.

Remember: If you have people leaving with something in their hands, you want it to conjure up memories of the whole experience. Coordinating between banners, brochures, and even t-shirt branding is one of the most effective ways to do this.

Turning Your Designs Into Reality

Now that you’ve got the perfect banner stand in mind, it’s time to get the thing made. Luckily, here at VIVID Exhibits, we have the experience and infrastructure to ensure you get the perfect banner made at a price that works for your budget.

We have some pull up banner stand options to choose from, including double-sided banners, spring back banners, telescopic stands, stretch fabric displays, extra-wide and retractable banners.

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You don’t have to limit your design with so many stand options. Instead, you can find the perfect display option for your needs and brand. Additionally, our banner stands are designed to be used indoors and outdoors, giving you the display versatility you need. Plus, our ultra-durable materials ensure your colours will always pop.

However, if you’re still unsure of what direction to take your design, our professional design support is here to help make sure you have the best banner for your needs. Our designers are super easy to work with and have years of experience working with some of Australia's most recognisable brands. You’ll be getting the best, industry-leading advice out there.

Also, we offer a range of other design help services to ensure that the reality of your banner exceeds your expectations. Plus, we price match! Make sure that you get the most value out of your banner stand.

Our courteous and customer-focused team is excited about making your brand shine regardless of your needs. So, if you’re curious about our process or are ready to get the design process moving, contact us today!

We’re confident that if you apply these design tips and work with us, you’ll be making the kinds of connections that will let your business grow, whether on trade show floors or in front of your own business. So let’s get that banner made and get your name out there!