The image your business conveys at a trade show is everything, so choosing the right display is a key decision!
Display Decisions
Trade shows are most definitely a chance for your business or brand to show its best qualities. The opportunity to network with like-minded business owners, attract the attention of prospective clients, and showcase your brand and/or products is unmatched by any other venue. So, when it comes to deciding between a modular display or a portable display, there are a few factors to consider.
Modular and portable displays are often confused as being the same. Although they do have some similarities, especially when it comes to comparing them to custom built display booths, there are some significant differences that set them apart. Choosing which type of display is best for your business is not only important to the image you want to convey, but also to your budget.
Knowing the difference between modular and portable displays will help you determine which is best for your business needs. Both are a great option, but after weighing the elements of each, one may stand out as the best for you!
Modular vs. Portable
When it comes to deciding which type of display to use at a trade show, there are a few main details to take into consideration. Time, money, and effort are the three presiding items when making your decision.
Budget
When considering the cost of either a portable or modular display, you should also consider your long-term goals for exhibiting at trade shows. Portable displays can be purchased for a few hundred dollars while modular displays will cost anywhere from $2K-$10K. The cost is significantly different, but modular displays offer greater versatility and longevity. While modular displays are more of an investment, they are not as expensive as custom-built displays.
Transportation
Moving displays from one trade show to the next, or from a show into storage can be costly. However, portable displays offer the least expensive route. Portable displays can fold up and in most cases be stored in a bag or wheeled suitcase–even in a carry-on! The cost to bring a portable display with you is almost zero!
Modular displays are more difficult to transport because they often weigh more than a portable display. A lot more. This means that the materials for a modular display need to be packaged and shipped which adds to the cost. Although still cheaper to ship than custom displays, modular displays do incur extra carrying costs.
Assembly
As you can probably guess, portable displays are easier to assemble than modular displays. Portable displays can be set up by one person in usually less than one hour. They are equally easy to disassemble and pack-up.
Modular displays need more hands-on help to get into position. If cost is a major factor in your decision as to what type of display to purchase, this may be an important element to consider. Modular displays can be more intensive to set-up and take down. Hiring someone else to do the assembly and take-down may be the better way to go when choosing a modular display.
Versatility
With portable displays, what you see is what you get. Which isn’t a bad thing, however portable displays are what they are. They give you easy access to signage at an event, but they cannot be changed in any way to make them more impactful. At smaller trade shows, this might be a good option. At large trade shows with a lot of participants, opting for a modular display may be better.
Modular displays allow you to reconfigure your space and your display from show to show. The pieces of a modular display fit together in a number of different ways, making it possible to change the look of your display.
Customization
Portable displays usually consist of banner displays, pop-ups and typical forms of signage. While they will be customized to some extent with your business’s logo, name, and/or color, there are limits to the customization that is possible.
Modular displays offer canopies, towers, kiosks, shelving, storage, etc. that can all be customized to fit your business’s needs. Although this is more of an investment, it allows you to redesign these elements with new graphics as you need. Having reusable design elements helps to cut down on long-term costs.
Making the decision between portable and modular displays depends on your business’s needs, budget, and long-term goals. There are benefits and things to consider for either type of display, but both offer a way to present your business in the best possible light to your audience.
Reach out to Earnest Images today with all of your display needs!
