From hanging simple signs to creating elaborate displays, banner stands and display hardware help print service providers (PSPs) complete the end vision for customers. PSPs are wise to offer display and presentation options as part of the total package. Existing customers already create profit and banner stands and display hardware are a complementary service. Customers receive an inclusive solution that is often reusable, keeping them coming back for new graphics when it is time to change out the old.

Banner stands and display hardware are typically used in display and booth settings at trade shows and in point of purchase (POP) environments, yet their overall purpose to present or reinforce a message is well-equipped for almost any setting—from sharing an idea at work to advertising a show in a theater, or acting as an informative visual.

Eye-catching graphics set in strategic places help present an idea, promote a product, or share information. “Per the Council for Exhibit Industry Research, there are 1,790,800 events per year with over 204 million participants,” shares Dione Metnick, product line manager, LexJet Corporation.

Visual Impact Made Easy

Banner stands and other presentation options are used to deliver a message. “Anywhere people congregate is an ideal location to use portable display systems,” says Michael Kurilec, managing director, Expolinc. “Ease of setup and lightweight transport are two key drivers as to why portable displays and banner stands are particularly popular. Flexibility is another reason—they can be placed just about anywhere.” Expolinc takes pride in simplicity; no tools are required for setup, so changing out graphics is easy for the end user.

Schaumburg, IL-based Tradeshows and Displays Inc. started business in 1989 and prints posters, banners, and signs out of a 6,000 square foot shop. The majority of customers order presentation graphics needed for trade shows, POP displays, and other events. “We utilize retractable banner stands, static banner stands, fabric displays, and pop-up booths,” shares Jim Noon, president, Tradeshows and Displays. Expolinc is the shop’s number one supplier.

“Whether used in multiples or as solo setups where a company wants to reinforce a message in a presentation or a exhibit, banner stands offer great versatility because of their portability and large graphic visual,” says Terry Moore, sales and marketing, EXPOGO Displays & Graphics.

Matt Myers, business development manager, Neschen Americas, highlights three appealing traits of banner stands. “They are portable, therefore are able to be positioned anywhere, and set up or taken down quickly for short-term events or presentations,” he states. “They come in a variety of models and prices to meet any application or budget, and there are many design offerings for height and width, as well as single- or double-sided.”

Of course, banner stands are not the only easy and reusable display option. Visual Magnetics LP’s magnetic-receptive materials make it easy to change graphics, and are lightweight compared to direct to print magnets. They are also flexible. Graphics are stored or shipped in tubes without risk of damage and can be easily layered, repositioned, or removed.

Pizazz International Limited’s Pizazz Display Systems offers two standoff lines designed to mount panels on walls and other horizontal and/or vertical surfaces. “mono•mounts, the two-part system, are good for mounting graphics printed directly onto panels of different substrates such as foamboard and foam PVC,” explains David Pountney, director of marketing, Pizazz. multi•mounts are a patented three-part system designed for easy, fast, and safe graphic change outs.

RL Smith Graphics runs out of a 5,000 square foot shop in Boardman, OH. The company offers Pizazz standoff systems to customers, including the multi•mount version. The shop also utilizes a selection of acrylic and aluminum composites from Pizazz to create layers of colors and effects.

Beyond the Showroom Floor

The creative uses for displaying graphics with banner stands and hardware products is endless. Aside from trade show displays and retail environments, promotional and informational graphics are showcased at special events, festivals, sporting events, and fundraisers; during open houses; and in restaurants, hotels, corporate lobbies, dealerships, and financial institutions.

To market presentation options, RL Smith Graphics makes sales presentations to its largest clients. “We have one client who requested an estimate for 400 locations,” says Ron Smith, owner, RL Smith Graphics. “They run a monthly special showcasing different ingredients for a food service business. A 22x28-inch poster must be pinned to a wall, and our poster panel provides them with a solution to make the poster stand out,” he adds.

RL Smith understands the possibilities of presenting a system that enables a large graphic to be changed easily. The PSP fabricates changeable displays for a university sponsorship of a community room at a local convention center. They also make 30 banners for a customer who attends an annual convention.

Paradigm Display Solutions creates banner stands for a number of different environments, including a wedding reception where the couple displayed personalized photos and used stands to direct guests to the correct location inside a venue. “They moved the stand to the reception area and had guests sign the banner to be kept as a memento,” shares Mary Geesman, display sales, Paradigm.

Banner stands are also an economical way to display information about upcoming events, which is why their flexibility appeals to the ever-changing entertainment industry. The Grand 1894 Opera House located in Galveston, TX uses Banner in a Bag kits provided by Paradigm to display promotional signage about upcoming shows. The main season for The Grand contains an average of 26 different productions, supplemented with a children’s series, as well as rental events.

The stands provide multiple uses and change out opportunities. “We re-order additional banners to fit these stands as shows rotate,” says Kathy Van Dewalli, marketing director, The Grand.

Van Dewalli designs and creates small print jobs in house. Large print jobs, such as brochures, window banners, direct mail pieces in large quantities, and banners for year-round advertising and trade shows are outsourced to local sign and print shops. “Vinyl banners are created each season that measure 18x80 inches. We hang these in our street-level picture windows to draw in crowds,” shares Van Dewalli. A different window banner is created for each show.

A Proactive Approach

The benefits of banner stands and display hardware are clear. There are, however, some issues for PSPs to remember when selling presentation options to clients.

It is important to review the details of the intended presentation with each customer to recommend the best method of display as well as assist with installation. “We discuss all of the details about each application with our clients and suggest the best options in terms of longevity and conditions under which it must operate,” explains Noon.

While stands are easy to set up and take down, Moore points out that special attention is still required. “Banner stands must be handled carefully so as not to damage the graphics or the hardware,” he says. “One must also remember that the main focus is the graphic itself, so the image must be eye catching and on point.”

“Portable displays are not as durable as permanent displays, and graphic options may be limited due to size and material constraints of the display hardware,” cautions Kurilec. “Low-cost stands may be poorly made and not function properly, leaving graphics sagging and unprofessional, which detracts from the message,” adds Myers.

It is important to remember the graphic is the main focus and the method of presenting should not detract. With hardware such as Pizazz standoff systems, visual impact is entirely on the graphic because there is no frame competing for attention.

Warranty is another important consideration. “Different display hardware products and manufacturers offer different warranties,” says Metnick. “It is important to understand the warranty and quality of the product because the last thing the end user wants is broken display hardware.”

It also helps to remind customers that the initial cost of purchasing display options is the most expensive part. Once a reusable stand or hardware is purchased, cost savings are realized through multiple uses.

For instance, an initial installation with magnetic-receptive material requires the Visual Magnetics InvisiLock magnet and MagnaMedia print media applied on top of the magnet. “This can make the first installation relatively more expensive than fixtureless installations of PSA vinyl or rigid board,” explains Dan Halkyard, director of marketing and product management, Visual Magnetics. “However, once the magnet is installed, the subsequent graphic change outs are less expensive.”

Cost to Get Started

The range of cost options, as well as quality, varies greatly for banner stands, portable displays, and display hardware. Many factors should be considered prior to purchasing a system, such as how often the hardware is to be used, for how long, where it appears, the need for graphic panel change outs, and how to successfully combine extraneous requirements such as lighting.

Banner stands from EXPOGO range from $350 for standard sizes—33.5x79 inches, to $995 for XL sizes—48x98 inches.

Pizazz standoffs are available in aluminum, brass, hybrid, and resin lines. Depending on the material, the recommended wholesale/trade price per standoff for the large size mono•mounts sell from $2.14 to seven dollars, and multi•mounts sell from $2.85 to $10.50 depending on quantity.

Paradigm offers a tripod adjustable stand with printed graphics starting at $65. The full ten-foot Expo Series Popup Display with end-to-end graphics, lights, and a case that converts to a podium sells for $1,295.

LexJet’s premium retractable banner stands range from $100 to $400, economy retractable banner stands range from $50 to $140, non-retractable banner stands range from $45 to $165, and pop-up display systems from $95 to $475.

There is a large price spread based on whether the stand’s intended use is short-term or long-term, whether transport and installation occurs repeatedly, and whether the graphic needs to be changed out frequently while reusing a single stand.

Coming Back for More

Banner stands and display systems offer an efficient way of marketing a message, product, or company. PSPs offering installation services, hardware, and presentation options as part of the overall package impress clients by helping them realize the full potential of their marketing strategy.