A
close friend of mine recently had her first child – a healthy baby boy. When I
hear that a friend’s new baby is about to be born, I head to CVS or a newsstand
and purchase as many newspapers and magazines as I can find with that day’s date. The papers can be major
ones (Wall Street Journal, Washington
Post, New York Times, etc.) as well as more regional papers. For magazines,
I grab Time, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated
and my fave… TV Guide.
I place each newspaper and magazine in thick clear plastic bags (specially purchased for this purpose) to keep them airtight and clean. Then I put my cool little Time Capsule in a box and send it off. The baby might not appreciate it now, but he/she will when they grow up.
Unfortunately, I often don’t learn of the baby’s birth until a day or two later which totally thwarts my Time Capsule concept. When that happens, I buy a baby Levi jean jacket and have it embroidered on the back with something like Zampella & Son, Since 2025 (see image below). It’s a goofy but fun keepsake that will make Mom and Dad (and eventually the baby) smile for years to come.
What does all this baby talk have to do with me? Absolutely nothing. But ever since my friends Jackie and Gina recently had their healthy baby, I’ve had baby brain. So, without further ado, I present you with my new glossary of trade show terms about “pregnancy and childbirth”!
Enjoy! Please add your terms in the comments section.
Glossary A-C
Breech – When your graphics are printed backwards or upside down
C-Section – The third
level of Classic’s Gravitee display
Conception – When that
brilliant booth design first sparks
Contraction – Going from
a 30×30 to a 10×20
Cravings – Show hours are from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm and you’re starving
Crowning – Winning “Best of Show”
Glossary D-F
Dilation – What
happens to aisles during I&D
Embryo – Your client’s very first 10×10
Epidural
–
When you find time to get a foot massage from
the booth next door
False Labor – When show labor has to wait for your crates to clear material handling
Fertility – Your client gets their new budget and is ready to spend it
First Trimester – Your booth’s first of three back-to-back shows
Fontanelles – Conference Room walls using SEG fabrics
Full Term – You tell your Client you need artwork no later than 4:00 pm and you get it at 3:59 pm
Glossary F-N
Gestation
–
The time it takes your Designer to create the next award winner
Home Birth – Trade show exhibitors building their first booth in-house
Induced
–
Slipping labor a $50
In Vitro – A booth design that uses pillowcase graphics (tubes… get it??)
Labor – Sometimes late, usually painful, and never the same
Midwife – Your work wife who continually reminds you to
save your receipts
Morning Sickness – When your rookie booth staffer stays out way too late the night before the show
Natural
Birth –
When you suggest designing with Classic’s ecoSmart Sustainable Exhibits
Newborn – A new booth at its very first show
Nursery – The warehouse or dock where crates are stored during the show
Glossary P-Z
Pelvic Floor Exercises – How you prepare for being on your feet for 12 hours
Postpartum – Having to do a week’s worth of laundry after returning from a trade show
Premature – That one exhibitor who begins to dismantle their booth – 2 hours early!
Presenting – When the edge of your booth creeps into the aisleway
Stretch
Marks
– SEG graphics that have seen one too many shows
Ultrasound – The booth
next to yours that has their presenters mic set too loud
Umbilical
Cord –
That one extension cord that magically connects ALL your electronics
Water
Birth –
That $12 bottle of Aquafina water (so refreshing but so painful)
Water Breaking – Spilling that full $12 bottle of Aquafina water
Harold and Baby Shy
Who We Are
For over 30 years, Classic Exhibits has been designing and building creative custom solutions for our Distributor Partners and their clients. As North America’s largest private-label exhibit manufacturer, we have the unmatched capability, capacity, and creativity to create 3D projects ranging from 10 x 10 inline displays to 60 x 80 double-deck islands.
Classic Exhibits provides Distributors with live video to review their projects using the Peek-a-Booth webcams. Occasionally, we’re asked about that level of transparency, but we believe it’s important to Classic Distributors (and their clients) to preview their projects. It’s also a reflection of Classic’s Shared Success culture.
Currently, there are (4) hi-resolution pan/zoom webcams in the Purchase staging areas and (3) in the Rental staging areas. Once on the Peek-a-Booth website, you can select a specific cam and then navigate using your mouse or keyboard.
Peek-a-Booth Controls
Pan/Tilt: left/right and up/down
Zoom: 32 X zoom
Photos: Take snapshots
History: View recent history
The Peek-a-booth link is in the footer of the Classic website. To access the webcams, contact a Classic Project Manager for the current username and password.
For over 30 years, Classic Exhibits has been designing and building creative custom solutions for our Distributor Partners and their clients. As North America’s largest private-label exhibit manufacturer, we have the unmatched capability, capacity, and creativity to create 3D projects ranging from 10 x 10 inline displays to 60 x 80 double-deck islands.
The trade show exhibit industry loves the word “modular.” And specifically, the phrase “modular trade show booth (or exhibit).” It’s a flexible term (pun intended), which can describe a $3000 portable inline display or a $300,000 custom island exhibit. Both are technically modular since they can be built using modular components or designed to reconfigure to another size or shape.
In other words, modular, as a feature and/or a benefit, depends on the context. Understanding the context is important when shopping for an exhibit and knowing what questions to ask the display provider – whether you’re shopping on a display website or meeting face-to-face with a local exhibit house.
Modular Trade Show Booth Options: An Overview
While modular exhibit designs have always been popular, more exhibitors are requesting modularity as one of their purchase requirements because of tight marketing budgets and rising trade show costs. They need solutions that offer more “bang for the buck.” This typically comes down to two things: 1. The ability to expand or contract a display depending on the show and 2. The ability to pack and assemble a display quickly and efficiently using a catalog of interchangeable and replaceable components.
Ask yourself, how much modularity do you really want? If all you really want is a 20 ft. inline display that configures down to a 10 ft. display . . . that’s easy. There are lots of choices from basic to boffo. However, if your goal is to transform a 20 x 30 island into a 20 x 20 island, a 10 x 20 inline, a 10 x 10 inline, and a tabletop display, then it gets considerably more complicated.
There are multiple ways to achieve that goal. The end result, however, may resemble a hippo-elephant-donkey-cat. And, if you’ve ever spent any time breaking down an exhibit at the end of a show, you know that the best-laid plans of organizing all those parts and pieces for the next “smaller” show is often sacrificed to make your 7:15 p.m. flight.
Understanding the Modular Definition in the Context of Trade Shows
Let’s consider modular from a different perspective — portable modular vs custom modular. In case you didn’t know, a portable trade show display can ship via UPS or FedEx. A portable modular display typically has more features than just a portable exhibit, such as modular counters, monitors, shelves, workstations, backlighting, etc. In other words, it’s more than just one big graphic.
A custom modular gets a little trickier depending if the emphasis is on “custom” or “modular.” Modular exhibit builders are often taking modular components and putting them on steroids. The parts may be bigger, fancier, and generally packed in small wood crates or roto-molded tubs. Each component tends to be lightweight to save on shipping but there may be lots of components. Custom builders are taking large custom components and either breaking them into smaller components or rearranging them to work in multiple pre-configured displays. Generally, there are more shipping crates, but the assembly time may be reduced. It will cost more to ship it, but you may save time on installation and dismantling.
The Advantages of Choosing a Modular Booth
Modular trade show displays are a popular choice for exhibitors whether they’re newbies to trade shows or exhibition veterans. Here are some of the advantages and benefits:
1. Versatility and Flexibility:
Mix and match components: Modular trade show booths are often constructed using interchangeable components, like panels, shelves, and counters. These components can be reconfigured to create customized layouts depending on the show. This flexibility offers exhibitors the ability to tailor their brand and budget to specific trade shows.
For example, one show may necessitate lounges and meeting spaces to interact with attendees while another show may prioritize interactive gaming or product demos. Modular design allows exhibitors to shift their marketing depending on their audience.
2. Cost-Effectiveness:
Long-term investment: Modular displays are generally more affordable over the long term since the designs are not configuration or size-specific. The reusability of the components means greater cost savings in the long run.
Reduced shipping and storage costs: The lightweight and compact packaging of modular components makes them cheaper to ship and store compared to bulky booths.
3. Ease of Use:
Simple assembly and disassembly: Modular displays are designed for quick and easy setup and takedown, often without requiring professional help. This saves you time and money on installation and dismantling at trade shows.
Freight: The lightweight components make them easy to transport, reducing shipping costs and hassle.
4. Sustainability:
Reusable components: You can reuse the same modular components for multiple events, minimizing waste and environmental impact.
Durable materials: Modular displays are typically made from high-quality, durable materials that can withstand repeated use and transportation.
5. Contemporary Designs:
Modern and sleek aesthetics: Modular displays offer a clean and contemporary look that can make your booth stand out from the crowd.
Customization options: Many modular systems offer a variety of graphic panels, lighting options, and accessories to personalize your display and reflect your brand identity.
Overall, modular trade show displays offer a versatile, cost-effective, and easy-to-use solution for businesses of all sizes to make a big impact at trade shows and events.
Innovative Designs in Modular Displays
Below are examples of innovative modular trade show booths. But this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to modular design. Browse through Exhibit Design Search, a comprehensive database of over 1500 exhibit designs. But don’t stop there. Most displays can be modular if the exhibit designer understands your requirements.
These Symphony Portable Display fraternal twins offer multiple benefits. Not only can exhibitors easily switch between 10 ft. and 20 ft. inlines, but they also allow two slightly different 10 ft. designs. In addition, the Symphony’s modular components means they can add accessories like literature trays, iPad enclosures, and counters as their marketing needs evolve. Plus, it packs in flat-pack cases for convenient shipping.
Like Portable Modulars, Hybrid Modulars are often portable, but not always. This design series, with 10 ft., 20 ft., and island configurations, offers roto-molded cases for the inline versions but the option of a wood crate for the island. The assembly is similar to the Symphony mentioned before, meaning largely tool-free, so installation is easy. The overhead sign for the 20 x 20 island elevates the overall design will ensuring visibility throughout the show hall.
Modern eco-friendly exhibits are popular as exhibitors blend their trade show marketing with their corporate sustainable initiatives. These contemporary ecoSmart designs make it simple to shift from an upscale inline to a beautiful 20 x 20 island. The features multiple product shelves, large graphic options, and an open, welcoming architecture. There are even iPad enclosures for client engagement. The 10 ft. starts with
When it comes to customization and modularity, these three designs are like peanut butter and jelly. Perfect apart and together. The 10 ft. starts with a large lightbox and shelving. Then the 20 ft. expands on it with the addition of a locking closet and reception bar with locking storage. Finally, the island takes it to the next level with more shelving, more storage, and three casual meeting spaces.
BTW – Custom Modular doesn’t happen by accident. Exhibit designers are experts at creating inline and island versions when those requirements are shared during the pre-design intake meetings. Exhibits, unlike a loaf of bread, are typically not sliceable after the fact.
Modular Office Pods: A New Trend in Trade Shows
Modular Office Pods are a recent development for trade shows, events, sales meetings, or vendor conferences. The advent of modular wall systems, like the Gravitee One-Step, makes creating temporary private or semi-private meeting rooms much easier. These meeting pods incorporate large format graphics, locking doors, and accessories like monitor mounts, counters, literature trays, and shelving.
Maximizing Your Trade Show Impact with Modular Trade Show Booths
Modular is more than a recent buzzword. It’s a fresh take on exhibit design. Classic Exhibits has hundreds of modular designs for purchase or to rent. And each can be customized to fit an exhibitor’s unique marketing goals. Just ask.
For over 30 years, Classic Exhibits has been a reliable source of expertise for new and seasoned trade show marketers. The Classic Exhibits Distributor Network includes over 200 North American exhibit houses and display professionals. Find success on the trade show floor with an exhibit that reflects your marketing message. For more information, see www.classicexhibits.com and explore Exhibit Design Search or request a meeting with a Classic Distributor Partner.
Could you build your own trade show booth? Of course. But, let’s be honest. Do you really want to design and build a structure engineered to assemble quickly, pack efficiently, display graphics, and survive shipping?
That’s not to say you couldn’t do it, but why reinvent the wheel when there are specialized exhibit houses with ten, twenty, or even fifty years of expertise in engineering displays for portable, modular, and entirely custom trade show booths?
If there’s one “truism” in trade show marketing, it’s that experience matters and mistakes are costly. You’ll avoid the most common pitfalls by conducting research online, asking questions early and often, and working with a trade show professional. That professional could be an exhibitor in your industry with years of experience, a local exhibit house, or an exhibit industry consultant who can guide you through the design, build, marketing, training, and lead management process.
How to Go About Building a Trade Show Booth
As with any marketing project, your trade show design and build should start with a comprehensive strategy. What are your goals, your budget, and the expected outcome? Your strategy will evolve. It does for everyone. Internal stakeholders, like sales, customer service, research and development, and your senior executive team, will share their distinctive perspectives on what success looks like for them.
It goes without saying that most organizations want to increase sales and find lucrative clients. Challenge them beyond that. What else represents “success” for the team? Meeting with existing clients, sponsorships at educational sessions at the show, insights about competitors, or even team building. Finally, consider both quantitative and qualitative goals. For example, sales leads could be a quantitative goal. Meeting new people at the show’s opening reception could be a qualitative goal.
Building a trade show booth is a process. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never participated in a trade show or you’re a seasoned trade show professional. Getting it right takes time and requires the input and expertise of people both within and outside your organization.
Once you’ve established your goals, you’ll need to decide on a booth size or sizes. The size will depend on the number of shows you plan to participate in this year and whether the size of the booth will vary depending on the show. For example, your industry may have one major exhibition. At that exhibition, you want a REALLY BIG presence. Say a 20 x 30 island. Then, there’s another show three months later, which while important, doesn’t require as large of a booth. In this case, say a 10 x 20 inline. It’s time to make an important decision… which we’ll discuss in the next section.
Planning Your Exhibition Booth Design & Layout
It’s time to either surf the web for displays or meet with your exhibit house account executive and designer. Or both. The direction you take may depend on your budget, your knowledge of trade show booths, or your timeframe. Endlessly scrolling through display websites has its benefits. You’ll see a wide range of designs, sizes, and prices, which may narrow down your choices. It may also clarify whether you want to work with an online supplier, a local exhibit house, or a portable/modular distributor. Let’s assume you’ve chosen the second option.
Your goals, strategy, and budget will serve as the foundation for the design. The exhibit designer will then dive deeper. Often much deeper. The designer will strive to understand your branding, your culture, your current marketing, and your products and services. They also ask about your previous trade show experiences and examples of what others have done that you admire or that make you cringe. They’ll also request a budget, which can be a specific number or a range. Many exhibit designers won’t even begin the process without a budget. It makes no sense for them to create the perfect $85K booth only to discover your budget is closer to $30K.
Armed with that information, the designer will get to work. Ideally, the initial booth design will fulfill all the requirements and “Wow!” you, but it’s not unusual to go through several iterations to fine-tune the exhibit design. Once you’ve decided on your design, it’s time to begin the next step – building the booth.
Comparing Different Types of Booth Displays
The expression “You can’t see the forest for the trees” comes to mind. It would be all too easy to get lost in the nuances between different types of booth displays and even between similar displays from multiple manufacturers. Let’s keep this simple. There are four basic types of booth displays. The differences are pretty straightforward.
Basic Portables
Basic or budget portables are inexpensive displays designed primarily as a carrier for graphics. Think banner stands like the Pronto or a pop-up like the V-Burst. Generally, they assemble quickly and are designed to ship via UPS or FedEx. Basic portables are not engineered for long-term use and replacement parts can be difficult to obtain. Not surprisingly, quality varies depending on the manufacturer.
Portable Displays
Like the budget versions described above, portable displays are engineered to assemble quickly and ship via UPS or FedEx. Portable displays, however, are designed to perform for years. Although they’re still primarily graphic carriers, they often include practical accessories like counters, monitor mounts, literature holders, and even iPad mounts. See the Symphony SYK-1023 for a 10 x 10 version and the Sacagawea VK-2114 for a 10 x 20 version.
Modular Exhibits
Modular = Reconfigurable for most exhibitors. There are portable modular displays, modular wall systems, and even custom modular exhibits. In other words, it’s less about budget or price than it’s about the ability to redesign a booth into multiple configurations. For example, The VK-5124 Island has all the necessary hardware for the 10 x 20 VK-2400 and the 10 x 10 VK-1362.
Even if you don’t need modularity, there’s a good chance your booth will be built with modular components. That’s convenient for several reasons. Replacement parts are readily available and most labor companies are familiar with modular systems.
Custom Exhibits
The term “custom” has two meanings in booth design. When someone says, “I would like a custom exhibit,” they usually mean a design unique to them and/or a booth constructed primarily of wood. In reality, custom or customized booths can include everything from a 10 ft. inline to a 125 x 250 ft. double-deck island. While wood construction may be a significant percentage of the construction, it’s just as likely that engineered aluminum walls with tension fabric graphics will be the structure. Either way, it will ship in wood crates and include both fully or partially assembled components. The VK-1362 10 ft. inline and the VK-4017 20 ft. inline are excellent examples.
Selecting Quality Trade Show Booth Construction Materials
Wood Construction. Trade show exhibits are more like Hollywood sets than permanent buildings. They’re expected to look amazing but assemble quickly and easily. Wood panels with cam locks and fully assembled counters, workstations, and pedestals are ideal for a truly custom exhibit.
Aluminum Construction. Lightweight, durable, and versatile aluminum extrusions are the backbone of modern trade show exhibits. Sometimes, they’re visible, but more often they’re the hidden structure for fabric graphics, lightboxes, monitors, shelves, and storage. Modular wall systems, like Gravitee, and LED lightboxes, like SuperNova, are ideal as rental structures.
Laminates. Thank goodness for laminates. They offer exhibit designers unlimited colors and textures at a fraction of the cost of paint, stains, wood, and metals.
Tension Fabric Graphics. Fabric graphics, specifically dye-sublimated fabric graphics, are the material of choice for most inline and island exhibits. Need backlighting? Fabric graphics are the best choice. Need a large image with vibrant colors? Choose fabric graphics. Need something lightweight, durable, and nearly indestructible? Yep, fabric graphics are the best choice.
Direct Print Graphics. Colorful, easy, widely available, and cheap. Direct print graphics are ideal for both smaller prints on counters or pedestals or larger images on modular wall systems.
Vinyl Graphics. Like direct print graphics, vinyl graphics are colorful and widely available. They’re often used for accent graphics on counters, charging tables, and pedestals, but they can also be practical for larger hard structures where a specific color, pattern, or message is required.
DIY vs. Professional Trade Show Booth Construction
Whether you want to save money and/or you have the skills necessary to build your exhibit, building your own exhibit may be an option. Before starting, however, it’s important to understand the following:
Does the show have specific regulations regarding the size or format of inline and island exhibits? Most do and the exhibit must conform to those regulations or the show organizer will require the exhibitor to make modifications onsite. If modifications cannot be made, then the exhibitor will not be allowed to install their booth. In those situations, which unfortunately do happen, the exhibitor won’t have a sales presence on the show floor, will still be responsible for all expenses, including paying for their booth space, and will own an exhibit that may not be able to be used at future events.
Is the booth designed to be shipped in cases or crates, assembled quickly, and durable enough to survive shipping? Display manufacturers have spent the past 50 years engineering structures designed to be lightweight, pack efficiently, and survive trade shows.
Electrical and lighting for trade show exhibits must adhere to very specific guidelines. These guidelines are mandated by the convention center. In most cases, the convention center has a contract with local union electricians which defines what the exhibitor can (and cannot) do on the show floor.
Building a Trade Show Booth with Classic Exhibits!
The exhibit industry is nothing if not competitive and creative. Over the years, it has evolved to meet the needs of trade show exhibitors for high-quality displays in a wide range of styles, prices, and construction.
Since 1993, Classic Exhibits has been North America’s leading builder of quality trade show exhibits for professional exhibitors. Browse through 1,500 contemporary displays or request a custom design personalized to your trade show marketing goals.
Find success on the trade show floor with an exhibit that reflects your marketing message… at a price that will make your CFO giddy. For more information, see www.classicexhibits.com.
Fifteen years ago, Classic Exhibits made a commitment to sustainable exhibits with ecoSmart Sustainable Displays. Our commitment hasn’t waivered with over 150 eco-friendly islands, inlines, and accessories.
We invite you to explore ecoSmart Sustainable this month. Our Summer Savings Promotion features over 25 contemporary eco-friendly designs. Effective through 8/31/23.
The sky’s the limit for our ecoSmart Sustainable Displays. All of our ecoSmart products are designed and constructed with the most environmentally-friendly materials available.
If you do not see a design that meets your specific needs, let us know. We have an exhibit design service. Allow us to create a unique, custom display that is specific to your needs.
