Choosing a trade show equipment vendor-Part 4

Here you are the fourth chapter in our series of proper trade show preparation and introduction to the industry.

A good trade show equipment vendor will display much of the characteristics of a consultant - look for a dealer who asks you questions. The should consider your goals, your travel and setup requirements, and the type of product you are promoting. By analyzing your responses, these vendors should be able to recommend a specific type of display to best suit your needs.

The next step will be working on your trade show signage - colors, fabrics, and extras, along with any signs and graphics you might desire. If you require assistance with this step, be sure to ask the vendor if they can provide graphic design services. Not all vendors provide such services - in that case most will recommend a graphic designer.

Our author offers two types of vendors of which you should be cognisant. Most take pre-built display systems - pop-up, panel, and all the other types discussed here - and customize them with graphics and other accessories.

However, for companies with more specific trade show display requirements, there are custom exhibit booth builders who will design a display system with you and build it from scratch. These types of booths are much more expensive and are usually only purchased by larger companies who attend trade shows regularly.

The majority of trade show equipment is sold by vendors and directly from manufacturers to distributors. Working with distributors allows you to make direct comparisons, because they typically carry models from multiple manufacturers.

Manufacturers and custom booth builders are more likely to be able to make any repairs you need. Resellers of pre-built systems may be able to do simple repairs on-site, but may have to ship your booth to the manufacturer or other repair facility for more significant work. Be sure to ask how the vendor handles repairs, especially in emergency situations.

A Smash Hit Displays is your local trade show expert. Our success depends on the success of our clients so we take extra care to make sure your display and remaining booth space make the statement needed to garner the right kind of customer. We offer a wide variety of trade show merchandise from pre-built or custom displays to full graphic development and flooring. Just see for yourself: portable pop up displays, panel trade show booths, truss stands, fabric trade show exhibits, custom trade show booth, trade show flex floor and trade show display lights.