Banner stands are free-standing structures that display a banner. These come in several sizes, from large outdoor banner stands to small tabletop models, but most are about the height of a tall person. Banner stands are flexible, lightweight, easy to set up, and highly portable—which makes them ideal for trade shows. Although many models can be quite elegant and even include literature racks, they’re usually used as supplemental to a larger booth instead of making up the entire display.

Pop-up displays are an extremely popular choice for trade shows because of their portability and ease of set-up. They usually consist of several accordion-type folding frames sheathed with vinyl, plastic, or fabric panels printed with the company’s graphics. The panels pop into place to make an angled or curved wall at the back of your booth. Pop-up displays are free-standing and can often fold into one or two carrying cases. The entire display is relatively lightweight and easy to set up. However, because the whole display must be opened to make it stable, you usually can’t adjust the size.
Panel displays
or “stackable” booths consist of rectangular panels sheathed in fabric. The panels are connected to make a wall, and unlike pop-ups, they can be assembled in many different ways—so you can adjust the size and shape, to an extent. Panel displays usually use heavy-duty bolts to lock in place. They’re heavier and more complex to install than pop-ups, and usually require two or more people to set up. They’re also sturdier than pop-ups, and are a good choice for a company with a heavy product or one that plans to rely on computer monitors or video screens at trade shows.

Modular displays are high-end trade show booths that give a unique, custom look without the cost of a custom design. Modular booths are more stable and sturdy than panel or pop-up displays, and can support heavy plasma or LCD screens. They are usually adjustable in terms of height, size, and shape. Most modular displays must be shipped to the trade show in crates; they’re too heavy to be carried in, even in pieces. Modular displays aren’t as easily portable as panel or pop-up displays, but they can give your business an extremely professional and polished look.

Custom-designed booths are the supreme examples of trade show displays. Trade show equipment vendors often offer custom design as part of their services. You should go with a custom design if your needs are quite complex. Custom designs can include conference areas, theatre and stage space, rotating towers, interactive media, and more. These are big-budget items—expect to invest over £10,000—but they can have a huge payoff, too. With a custom booth, you can be assured that nobody else will have a display like yours—and you have ultimate freedom to design features that attract customers.

Typically, the type of trade show display you choose depends on the size and shape of your space. The three types of space available at a trade show are in-line, island, or peninsula.
In-line space is usually 3 metres wide by 3 metres long, with neighboring displays on both sides and a back wall draped in fabric. Roughly two thirds of all exhibitors use in-line space of this size, although there are sometimes size variations of 3 by 6, 3 by 9, or even 3 by 12. If you’re using a smaller in-line space, a pop-up or panel display should be perfectly fine—augment your display with an effective banner stand for best results. For larger in-line space, a panel display may be best, as it’s more flexible and can be expanded to fill the space.

Peninsula space is exposed to visitors on three sides, usually with a fabric-draped wall on the fourth side. Businesses in peninsula spaces often use modular displays adjusted to add interest on three sides, with a display wall on the fourth side including information and graphics.



Island space is exposed to visitors on all sides. The space can be as small as 6 metres long and 6 metres wide, or it can be hundreds of metres in size. Because most pre-made booths depend on a back “wall,” most businesses in an island setting use a custom booth designed to appeal to visitors on all sides.

You may have the best product in the world—but if you don’t get your display right, your next trade show may not be the success you deserve. Spend some time and talk to an exhibition vendor about your company’s needs and goals for your next trade show—it’s sure to pay off.