Trade shows are excellent venues to launch new products, new offers, and upgrades to existing product lines. Why? Because, presuming you select the correct trade shows, your target market is there, accessible, and primed to learn.

Yet there is another challenge: differentiating your trade show displays from the rest of the pack vying for attendees' attention. One way to set your company apart is to put as much attention into the development of your trade show display as you do the rest of your efforts on behalf of a successful product launch.

Trade show displays can make or break your success in attracting the kind of audience you want for the all-important launch. Starting from scratch to build a custom display ensures that your display will be fresh and in sync with the rest of the marketing supporting your launch.

Custom-built trade show displays allow you to be creative, dramatic, and highly relevant to support your launch in the most powerful way possible. There are virtually no limits to the design options you can use to make your statement and grab attention: graphics, materials, size, elevation, or AV components.

When you opt to build custom trade show displays, there are a couple of tips you may want to keep in mind:

Timing

Building a custom display takes more time than usual. Allow enough time to ensure that quality standards can be used throughout the process and that you are also not stressed out wondering if you will make it in time for your first round of trade shows.

Reverse engineer from the start of your trade show schedule. You will want to allow four to six weeks for large custom-built trade show displays and six to 12 weeks for a mid-size island or smaller.

Cost

One thing you will have to prepare for with the custom display is the cost. It is the most expensive to produce and has the highest operating costs due to size and number of packing crates.

Alternatives

If cost is the dominate concern, consider the following options which also can produce the attention-grabbing drama you want for your product launch:

• Custom Modular Trade Show Displays

Modular displays provide high quality exhibit imaging without the higher operating costs of custom displays.

Modular construction takes advantage of a large inventory of interchangeable pre-designed and engineered components such as back walls, counters, display pedestals and exterior panels. Lightweight structural materials such as aluminum, Plexiglas and high-grade tension fabrics provide simplified assembly, space-saving packing and often 400% lower shipment and handling costs.

The flexible design trend display components allow you to reconfigure the design or size of your trade show booths from trade show to trade show.

Custom modular trade show displays offer design and image quality with substantial savings in operating costs due to less weight and size and number of shipping containers.

• Portable Trade Show Displays

Yet another option is the portable system that offers trade show display versatility. Lightweight portable exhibits are ideal for trade show exhibitors who require ease of use and a variety of display configurations while presenting a distinctive creative image.

Easily set-up, the portable system has a skeletal frame with attachable laminate panels, which simply clip together in virtually unlimited structural styles. Accessories such as bridges, counters, alcoves and backlighting enhance versatility of the interchangeable portable systems.

The trade show portable systems can convert from tabletop to island exhibits in minutes and adapt to almost any trade show display situation with minimal effort. Usually your own booth staffers can transport and assemble the trade show displays themselves saving time and the added costs of drayage and contract workers.

Portable trade show displays are an especially suitable option for the first-time trade show exhibitor and for appearances at smaller, regional trade shows.

Your product launch is critical to your business. Give adequate consideration to the selection of the trade show displays that will support your launch in grand style - you won't regret it.