Trade Show Print Checklist: What to Order and When

Trade show print is unusually unforgiving. There is a fixed date, a fixed booth size and no possibility of a late reprint. Work backward from load-in.

The structural pieces

• Retractable banner stands. Set up in under a minute, travel in a padded case, and work in almost any booth. The single most useful item on this list.
• Table cover. A printed fitted or draped cover instantly makes a bare rented table look intentional. Confirm the table size with the organizer, usually 6ft or 8ft.
• Backdrop or tension fabric display for larger booths.
• Tabletop banner for counter-height messaging.

The leave-behinds

• Business cards. Bring far more than you think, in a case so they stay flat.
• One-page sell sheet. Easier to hand out and cheaper than a brochure.
• Brochure, only if your offer genuinely needs multiple panels to explain.
• Stickers. Disproportionately effective, cheap, and people keep them.
• Something with actual utility. A decent pen or tote survives the walk to the car; a flimsy giveaway goes in the bin at the door.

Design rules for a booth

Your banner is read from across an aisle by someone walking past in two seconds.

• The top third of a retractable banner is what people see over a crowd. Put the important message there.
• The bottom third is frequently blocked by a table or by people. Do not put critical information there.
• One sentence explaining what you do. Not your tagline, an actual explanation.
• Very high contrast. Convention lighting is inconsistent and unflattering.
• Do not fill the space. Empty area is what makes the message readable.

Timeline

• Four weeks out: confirm booth dimensions and table size with the organizer, and check their rules on banner height and adhesives.
• Three weeks out: finalize artwork for large format. Wide format needs the most lead time and is the least forgiving to reprint.
• Two weeks out: order banners, table cover and any structural pieces. Order leave-behinds at the same time.
• One week out: everything should be physically in hand. Assemble the retractable and unfold the table cover to check for damage.
• Two days out: pack a kit with tape, zip ties, scissors, a marker, extra business cards and a lint roller for the table cover.

Things people forget

• Check the organizer's height restrictions before printing a tall banner.
• Ask whether adhesives are permitted on booth walls. Many venues prohibit them.
• Bring a way to capture leads that works without WiFi. Convention WiFi fails.
• Print a small sign with your booth number for social posts.
• Order 20% more leave-behinds than your estimate. Running out on day one is worse than a small surplus.

See display options on our banners and signs page.