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EXHIBITOR "QUESTION & ANSWER", Overhead Banners

A longtime client recently decided they wanted to hang a round, tapered Fabric Banner over their booth space to increase visibility on the show floor. What do you need to know to avoid a disaster?

Before you do anything, check with show management to determine what restrictions, if any, the show location has regarding hanging signs and banners. The location of your booth, relative to the ceiling height in the hall, will determine how far down you can hang. Check the show manual, speak to a CS rep, but don’t assume you can do whatever you wish, the last thing you want is for show management to order the sign removed.

Scout the location; in older halls there are columns up to 4’ square that could be an un-welcome surprise, and they can’t move them! A solid obstruction like a column can block your banner from view, ruining its effectiveness. Work with show management’s operations director to detect these problems before it’s too late.

It will vary from location to location, but many shows want your hanging sign to ship in advance of regular show freight, so they can be hung while the show floor is clear. Sending the sign in late, when crates litter the show floor and I&D is working, makes it harder for the riggers to do the job, meaning you will pay more for this work. Again check the show regulations to see how they treat hanging signs and banners.

Finally – don’t forget LIGHTING. Unless your banner has internal lighting, you will want large "can lights" pointed at the banners on each side to get the effect you were hoping for. The riggers will also do this work, but remember, its additional labor, and you have more electric cost to consider. The cost to hang your new banner is expensive, and requires you hire riggers to do the work. Be sure to include this expense into the overall budget, to determine if you can afford it, before you (gulp) see it on the invoice.

Aren’t trade shows fun?

Richard Constant, CDI Group, Inc.