Best Table Display Ideas for Trade Shows

Why You Should Have a Table at Events

Exhibiting at trade shows helps to get your business seen. If you are a small company or just starting out with a limited budget, starting with a table top display or small exhibit is a great way to test the waters and still get new eyes on your products or services. 

In 2019, visitor attendance was up 14% from the previous year, which shows that there is an increasing public interest in interacting with products and professionals before making a buying decision. These top benefits show why it is vital to have a presence at trade shows that are relevant to your business.

Create or Raise Brand Awareness

You want prospective customers to see your logo and brand as much as possible. Even small but eye-catching tabletop displays will draw customers to your booth and also help get your identity confirmed within your industry.

Reach Targeted Leads

Customers can get caught up in the atmosphere of trade shows, so work to gather and email address from leads or close as many deals as possible. And of course, make sure to follow up as soon as possible.

Establish and Foster Business Relationships

Even though other businesses at trade shows are often direct competitors, even events at smaller shows are still excellent networking opportunities. Be sure to look through the schedule of events and take advantage of side-events like luncheons, parties, and other gatherings. Attending these events will help you to build your professional network and learn about innovations in your industry.

Preview Competitors

Having a presence at a trade show is an excellent opportunity to see what your competitors are doing. Take note of which booths are attracting the most attention and why. How are they highlighting their signage and banners? What are your competitors using in their small trade show booths and tabletop displays? 

It is also essential to also take note of what doesn't work and learn from it. Which booths are people passing by? This information can help you enhance your show booths for future events.

Learn More About Your Industry

Many events offer breakout sessions and workshops for anyone interested in learning more about the industry. Much like networking sessions, make sure to take advantage of these opportunities. A deeper understanding of your industry will help you create a better impression, sell your products and stay competitive.

Important Things to Consider When Purchasing Table Displays

While the most important thing to consider is most likely going to be your budget, these factors are crucial in making your business stand out for all of the right reasons.

Quality

Table covers and tabletop displays are an investment, so you want to purchase quality materials that will hold up for several seasons. Make sure that your providers give you high quality printed graphics and logos so that those passing by your booth can see your business name and brand.

Ease of Assembly

Avoid frustrating your sales team with assembly problems; the best stands use easy to assemble exhibits. Displays like pop-ups have a frame that easily pops into place, saving time that can better be spent preparing for the day, reviewing leads, or walking the show floor.

Portability

Choose displays that are easily packed up when the show ends. If you are a small business, you may only be able to transport your display items in your car. Be sure to choose a booth design and exhibits that are portable and can be broken down into compact, travel-friendly bags and cases.

Booth Space

Different events may offer different space sizes. It is vital to choose a system of display banners and tabletops that will work within various space dimensions.

Choosing retractable banners and display products in different sizes to fit in large and smaller spots on the trade show floor will also save you storage space at the office or prevent you from purchasing separate, off-site storage space.

How to Make Your Trade Show Tabletop Display Even More Effective

Before we get into the best tabletop displays for trade shows, let's look at a few ways we can make our displays even more effective. 

Choosing the Right Display

Since tabletop displays come in a variety of different styles, it is up to you to choose the best. The one you select needs to be appropriate for the event. A larger, modular tabletop display with high-impact graphics is good for getting some attention. 

However, if it is a smaller trade show, then a briefcase display may prove to be the more appropriate option.

Create the Right Visuals

They say you only have three seconds to capture the attention of attendees passing by your booth at a trade show. This is why it is so important to have the right visuals in place. A more effective trade show display will have large images that tie into the overall message your booth is trying to convey. 

Include a company logo or tag line, but avoid using too much text on your signage, however, because clients can easily be overwhelmed with too much "stuff" to see - they are not going to read a brilliant essay written on your banner stands.

Why the graphic designing of your trade show booth is SO important

Branding is a constant. Consistency is an important factor for any marketing campaign which includes constructing an angled backdrop, retractable banner, or tabletop display for your product or service. Creating a consistent brand value in the years ahead helps build trust and reliability and also guarantees that the brand can easily be re-branded. Using consistent colors and fonts across all media and implementing corresponding layouts across all media are the most important recommendations for marketing. Remember, small changes are good, but more changes don't always improve things!

No Clutter

You don't have to aim to cover your entire table with flyers, brochures, and other information. Keep the table clear and eliminate the clutter. Too much clutter can distract attendees from the display. 

Printed Table Covers

If you have a logo, then a printed table cover is a good way to show it off. You can have your table cover feature one or two logos. It can be a complex design printed with full-color images or something simple like just the logo and tagline. It is a good way to set yourself apart from the competition and get noticed.

Use the Booth Space

Finally, for a more effective display at the next trade show, you need to learn how to maximize your booth space and use it more effectively. A literature display, for example, is a good way to share company information without littering your table with brochures and pamphlets. A lightweight and retractable banner stand is also a good way if you want to call attention to a new product. 

Best Tabletop Displays for Trade Shows

These trade show booth designs will help you capture prospective customers' attention and help your sales team secure new business.

HopUp Tabletop Displays

HopUp tabletop displays use lightweight frames and a single, large printed graphic to help you make your booth noticeable. Their economical price makes them one of the best table-sized show booth ideas for a small business. They come in several size and shape options to fit any table. You can choose from a straight or curved design, depending on how your preference and needs.

A HopUp assembles quickly. Graphics come pre-attached to the frame with velcro. These displays are collapsible, so you do not need any tools to set up a HopUp display.

Graphics are high-quality and machine washable so that you can clean them between shows. The hardware comes with a lifetime warranty that covers you against any manufacturer defects. 

Xclaim Tabletop Displays

Choose from several different frame configurations with Xclaim tabletop displays.

• 2x2 Display: Creates a 60-inch (width) and 60-inch (height) display
• 3-Quad Display: Creates a 7-foot wide display, with a 90-inch width and a 66-inch height

Compared to the Hopup's single large graphic, the multiple smaller graphics on the Xclaim booth design provide a way to highlight your trade show booth ideas and brand message in a unique fashion. 

The most popular frame shapes are stacked cubes, which stacks two display cubes directly on top of two other display cubes. The other popular show display configuration is the 3-Quad pyramid shape. 

These trade show booth ideas come in the standard Xclaim floor display frame size.

There are several fabrics, called skins, to choose from to print your graphics. Choose between regular and sheer skins or environmentally-conscious recycled fabric. Xclaim offers different skin shapes, including several flat options. 

Other options include angling the graphic skin so that one or more corners are in back while the others are in front, creating angled shapes and shadows to add a 3D flavor to your brand message.

Aero Tabletop Displays

Aero combines lightweight aluminum frames and tension fabrics to create unique shapes for eye-catching tabletop display areas. You can choose from many different configurations, depending on how you want your display to look. Some arrangements are more triangular, while others are more curved rectangles or circles.

You can quickly assemble the Aero tabletop at your event. Despite being lightweight, the black, powder-coated aluminum frames are very durable and will last you for many trade show seasons. 

The fabric graphics are machine washable for continuing marketing efforts. All Aero tabletop displays are designed and manufactured in the United States and come with lifetime hardware warranties.

Expolight Backlit Tabletop Display

If you are looking to set yourself apart from your competitors, consider LED backlighting. In this show booth design, the lights are mounted at the base of your frame and face up to create a bright, eye-catching display. 

The LED bar is made with reflectors that increase the brightness of your display. This backlit show booth will set you apart from other competitors who often skip adding lighting to their show floor presentation.

Unlike other displays, the Expolight backlit tabletop display uses magnets to attach a rigid graphic to the frame, so they are easily removable and simple to swap out or move around. The frame is assembled with a build-by-number system that does not require tools.

Fast Track Folding Display Boards

Fast Track folding display boards are one of the original displays used for tabling events and conferences. Their simple design takes seconds to unfold, and you can continuously change your material by attaching it to the Velcro-receptive fabric background.

Fast Track folding displays are high-quality and durable. Each display comes with a single fabric color. You can choose between blue, gray, burgundy, and black to match your company's brand and your table cover colors.

Choose between a 4- or 6-foot display and optional laminated header or body graphics. The Fast Track tabletop display comes with three permanently hinged panels that fold up into a compact shipping size, making it an excellent option for a small business or beginner still experimenting with table display ideas for their conferences.

Over the Top Table Display Headers

Over The Top tabletop displays add a back wall graphic to your table at an event that doesn't require you to be standing behind the table. These trade show booth ideas help to make your location visible and add to your display area.

The Over the Top frame is adjustable to fit a 6' or 8' table and is easily assembled with push buttons that lock the frame in place. Choose between three styles based on your company's marketing goals.

• Header: Creates a horizontal banner across the top of your table that still shows anyone who wants to stand behind the table.
• Short Wall: Creates a viewable display area with a 95-inch width and a 43-inch height
• Tall Wall: Creates a display with a 95-inch width and a 68.5-in height

Each Over the Top kit comes with a clamp system to attach your back wall graphic to the table, helping to offset and highlight your table covers and branding while saving space on the table for products, literature, and business cards.

High Quality Table Throws

Instead of just using a dull, plain table cloth, the best idea is to take advantage of the advertising space and put your brand on the table cover. Printed table cover options use high-quality full-color dye-sub printing on premium durable fabric. Graphics are printed using 4K print technology to give you the clearest, most vibrant representation of your brand to display on your custom table. 

A printed table cover is seamless, machine-washable, and wrinkle-resistant, so you can keep them clean between shows. Be sure to follow the care instructions to protect it from wrinkles and stains, to make sure it lasts for a long time.

Embrace Tabletop Display

The Embrace tabletop display is an upgrade to the Hopup display and provides a sleek, professional look at your trade show exhibit booth. The 2x2 quad show display comes in a collapsible white frame, so it is not easily seen through your graphic. 

It features silicone edged graphics that slide into the groove on the frame (unlike the HopUp, which uses a Velcro attachment) - this SEG graphic provides a clean, elegant graphic display for your event table.

If you are looking to take your Embrace Tabletop display to the next level, you can choose between curved or straight options. Embrace also offers LED backlighting options as an additional add-on.

Embrace trade show booths are available in large floor standing sizes, as well as a 60 inches square tabletop size to fit on both a 4-foot table or a 6-foot table.

Important Items for a Trade Show Table Display

When you participate in a trade show, you want your company logo and branding to stand out as much as possible. For this reason, there are a few important items you will want to make sure to have for a trade show table display. 

• Signs and banners

• Table covers and décor

• Giveaways and swag

• Company literature

• A company video

Best Table Display Ideas for Trade Shows

Trade shows provide excellent networking opportunities and are a great way to reach new customers. Despite their expense, investing in your marketing and displays will make sure you get a better return on event investment and help improve your exhibit booth experience to keep you ahead of the competition. All of the ideas mentioned above can be found listed on our Table Top Displays page.