Your first trade show doesn't need a big booth. It needs two things: something tall that people can read from the aisle, and a table that looks like it belongs to you. Everything else can wait until you know the show is worth coming back to.
We print all of it, and our designers make the artwork for you, so you don't need a designer or a finished logo. Here's what to order first, in plain words.
First Trade Show Checklist
- read the exhibitor kit: booth size, table, height limits, deadlines
- a banner people can read from the aisle
- a printed table cover or table runner
- something to hand out, like business cards or flyers
- a way to collect contacts, on paper or on your phone
- your order placed two to three weeks before the show
Read the Exhibitor Kit Before You Order
The show will send you an exhibitor kit or a page of booth rules. Look for three things in it:
- your booth size, usually in feet, for example 10 x 10
- whether a table comes with the booth, and how long it is
- height limits for anything at the back or the sides of the booth
Those three answers decide which table cover fits and how tall your banners can be.
The Smallest Setup That Still Looks Like a Booth
One tall banner next to the table, and a printed runner on the table. That's it. People walking the aisle see your name from a distance on the banner, and the runner makes a rented table look like yours.
A retractable banner is the usual choice for that tall banner. The print rolls back into the base for storage and travel, it pulls up in seconds, and it comes with a travel bag. We recommend the UV printed fabric graphic, which stays flat at the edges.
Which Banner Stand
- a retractable banner stand: the default, easy to carry and set up
- an X-stand banner: very light, and the banner is quick to swap
- a wide retractable banner: up to 60 in across, for when one standard banner looks small against the back of the booth
- a table top banner stand: a small banner for the table itself, and it fits in carry-on luggage
Dress the Table
A plain rented table with boxes underneath looks temporary. A printed table cover hides the boxes and puts your name at the height where people stop and talk.
Choose the size of the table the show gives you. Go with an open back if you sit or stand behind the table, so you can reach your stock. A table runner over a plain tablecloth is the budget version, and still brands the front.
A Back Wall, When You're Ready
In a 10 x 10 booth, two or three large retractable banners side by side make a back wall that people can read from across the hall. After the show, you can split them up: one at the door of your shop, one at the next event, one in the office.
What to Put on the Banner
People read a banner while walking past, often over the heads of other visitors. So:
- your name or logo in the top third, where it's still visible over a crowd
- one line underneath that says what you do, in plain words
- your website or a QR code at chest height, where someone can scan it while talking to you
Everything else belongs in a conversation, or on a flyer.
We'll Design the Whole Booth
The design is our job, not yours. We design the banner, the table cover and the runner as one set, so the whole booth looks like one company.
Want to try it yourself? The banner stands and table covers can be designed in our online design editor, right in your browser on a computer, with a live 3D preview. Designing it yourself also saves 10% on the print (up to $10). Table runners and bundles are designed by our team.
Either way, someone on our team checks the files before anything is printed, and you get a proof to approve.
Once you approve, your order ships in 1-2 business days and usually arrives 2-5 business days later. The clock starts when you approve, so leave time for the design and a round of changes. If you already have a show date, tell us and we'll plan around it.
Why We Put Together the Booth Bundles
We put the most useful combinations together as bundles. You don't have to work out which banner goes with which table cover, and every piece is designed as one set:
- the Booth Starter, a large retractable banner and a table runner, $207.20, $51.80 less than buying the same pieces separately
- the Table Bundle, a 6 ft table cover, a runner and a table top banner, $312, $78 less than buying the same pieces separately
- the Retractable Trio, three large retractable banners for a back wall, $288.80, $188.20 less than buying the same pieces separately
- the Booth Bundle, two large retractable banners with LED lights and carry bags, $348.80, $87.20 less than buying the same pieces separately
Design is free when we print it, and ground shipping is free in the lower 48. The rest of our banner stands and bundles are in the shop.
Everything in This Guide
Bundle prices are compared with buying the same items separately.
