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Promotional Item Ideas For A Trade Show Stand

When it comes to considering your brand's presence at a trade show or industry exhibition, it plans to prepare what you're going to do in advance.

According to figures shared by Eventbrite, the exhibition and trade fair sector was worth an estimated £19.2bn in venue and destination direct spend in 2015. Over 13 million visitors descend upon the various shows and exhibitions that take place across the UK each year. 13 million! If you've paid to have a stand at one of these hot-ticket events, it makes total sense to maximise its potential while you're there - and what better way to do that than by making sure it looks fantastic and catches the attention of everyone who walks past?

Which Promotional Items Are Best For Decorating A Trade Show Stand? 

The best items will keep your stand visible and on-brand, as well as making it memorable in the minds of exhausted customers and clients who have walked around exhibition halls for hours (over eight hours, in fact, according to research). When it comes to decorating your trade show stand, there are a few important factors you should consider, namely:

  • Who is your target visitor? Are you keen to attract the attention of potential customers, budding retailers or perhaps members of the press?
  • What impression do you want to give of your business? What aesthetic image do you wish to project of your brand and how can your stand space best project this?
  • How will you measure if the event is a success? Do you want to make there-and-then sales, garner lead generation or simply generate awareness for your business to a new audience? 

In summary, it's key to know what you want your stint at the trade show or exhibition - whether you're there for a day or a week - to achieve for your business, be it general attention, service sign-ups or something else entirely. One simple way to instantly attract attention for your stand is to carefully design it, making sure it catches eyes and grabs attention for all the right reasons. Browse our edit of the stand must-haves that will help make your presence that little bit more impressive!

Horizontal Pop Out Banner

Need to know: prices start at £68.42; dispatch from four working days. 

Whether you're exhibiting at an outdoor event or simply want a landscape banner, look no further than this branded pop-out banner, which is as effective as it is essential for brand awareness. Printed with your artwork, it's an instant attention-grabber that will make generating awareness for your company oh-so simple.  

Another bonus? if you look after it, you can use it again and again at upcoming events, too. 

Rectangular Polyester Tablecloth

Need to know: prices start at £64.25, with products out for delivery from 15 working days after artwork approval.

Sure, tablecloths aren't exactly the most exciting of items. However, what they lack in cool they more than make up for in practical. if you've booked a stand at an event, there's no guaranteeing the quality of what you're going to be presented with for your stand - it could be a scratched table or a dull counter-top that does absolutely nothing to enhance your brand.

Enter the promotional tablecloth! Printed with your artwork, our promotional polyester tablecloth is great for brightening up even the dullest of exhibition stands, as well as positioning your logo centre stage, too. Available in 27 colours and machine washable, it's one of our best-selling products for a reason. 

Roll Up Banner

Need to know: prices start from £49.30, with dispatch in as little as three days after artwork approval.

Another brilliant banner option - our vertical printed Roll Up Banner, which is great for printing with your most attention-grabbing artwork to create a display that people won't be able to walk past! 

Dependent on the artwork you choose to print, this is another product that can be used time after time at upcoming events - how's that for cost-efficient?

Promotional 10 Inch Balloons

Need to know: prices from just 8p per ballooon, with a seven-working-day leadtime.

Who doesn't love balloons? Our classic Promotional 10" Balloons will draw eyes straight to your stand, whether you use them to decorate your space or to hand-out to customers.

12 Litre Plastic Cool Bucket

Need to know: from £13.85 per bucket; lead time of 15 working days. 

If your trade show stand has a seating area, why not invite clients to unwind with a cold drink? As we all know, it can be exhausting trawling around exhibition halls - so providing your visitors with a spot of liquid refreshment will help keep your brand memorable. This promotional ice bucket is perfect for displaying on your stand, serving as a fantastic way to entice people over.  

It's up to you whether you wish to fill it with bottles of Prosecco or water - we have you covered either way with our range of promotional drinks. Alternatively, keen to serve your visitors a custom-made cocktail? Impress by whipping up your bespoke tipples in these American Style Disposable Cups, which are printed with your logo for striking brand awareness. Cheers!

Main image from Pexels.com

Written by

Katie Clark | Head of Digital Marketing

With over a decade in print and digital journalism, Katie possesses a wide skill-set that incorporates everything from SEO to PR. Joining the team in early 2019, her expertise lies in writing sparkling copy about promotional merchandise and related topics, as well as managing social media activity and developing creative solutions to keep the Total Merchandise brand at the forefront of people’s minds. With a background that includes event-planning and volunteering for charitable organisations, she has a first-hand appreciation for the needs and questions a customer might have when acquiring promotional products for their organisation. In her spare time, she loves reading, going to the cinema and learning to cook.

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