http://marketingsource.com/articles/ Articles at marketingsource.com Articles Library en-us http://marketingsource.com/articles/selling/art-of-selling/ita%80%99s-time-to-think-about-rollup-banners.html http://marketingsource.com/articles/selling/art-of-selling/ita%80%99s-time-to-think-about-rollup-banners.html Thu, 25 Nov 2010 22:47:13 -0600
With the array of online marketing avenues out there, it’s easy to neglect offline marketing practises. As important as it is to be Twittering and Facebooking, it’s equally important to be creating a consistent strong impression offline. And your marketing message needs to be visual. And if you are someone who hasn’t heard of the term Banner Stands or even better Rollup Banner, you may have a little catching up to do.

A Rollup Banner is essentially a portable movie screen. It sounds enticing already doesn’t it. When you attend your next Trade Show to pitch your company’s products and or services to potential clients, you want to walk in through the door with a Rollup Banner. The same goes for the next corporate meeting you present at. The first thing you should place strategically alongside briefcase, so that you don’t forget to take it with you, is your Rollup Banner.

The no. 1 selling feature of a Rollup Banner, oddly enough, is how discrete the Rollup Banner is. You want your presentation to flow seamlessly with the environment you present in, be it a corporate office or a stand at a Trade show. Carrying in boxes of set-up paraphernalia will just look clumsy because it suggests effort. The CEO and Procurement Managers are interested in the results and success story you can help create for their company. Your job will be to focus on the results you can help them achieve, all the while reminding them of the behind-the-scenes work you will be doing.Another feature of the Rollup Banner is that it has a nifty recoil or rewind mechanism. This allows for quick set-up and dismantling of the Rollup Banner.

The best way to determine how viable a marketing tool the Rollup Banner is to gauge their impact on you, as a consumer, when you next attend a Trade Show. Imagine for a moment you are now entering a room, filled with vendors, all trying to promote their products and services. You’ll probably stop for a moment, do a full 360 degrees turn to take in the room and look to see what catches your eye first.

Trust you me, that the first stand you visit will have the most attractive marketing visuals on that floor. I, personally, would be surprised if they didn’t have a Banner Display of sorts.After all, Trade Shows are a lot like window shopping. Sure you may go with an idea of what you’re looking for, and even with a plan, but that plan may very well be forgotten as soon as you see something that catches your eye.Be one of the companies that stands out. Be cutting edge. Set up that Rollup Banner.


]]> http://marketingsource.com/articles/selling/art-of-selling/dona%80%99t-banish-the-banner-stand.html http://marketingsource.com/articles/selling/art-of-selling/dona%80%99t-banish-the-banner-stand.html Thu, 25 Nov 2010 06:55:52 -0600
Offline marketing remains as important as it was years ago, if not more so. This is, in part, quite simply because, not everyone is on the Internet, surfing to buy something. Generations X, Y and Z may be technically versatile, but there is an older generation of consumers, many of whom do not even own a computer or laptop.

Whether you are the company CEO, Marketer, Marketing Assistant or in some cases all of the above in one, your job is to make your company’s brand visible. One of the easiest and most efficient methods today is the banner or banner stand.

Whether you are presenting at a sales meeting in the boardroom of a prospect or attending a trade show, in a matter of seconds, you can enhance your exhibition space by using a banner stand. Corporate banners are a cross between the roadside billboards and the tv slash computer screen. At a glance, an audience member or prospect passing by, can take in your company’s visual marketing messages – both in images and in words.

One feature that makes the banner stand stand out is its relatively new comeback. Banner stands have been in existence for a long time. This said, in recent years, marketing spend has been diverted elsewhere, and often to online marketing endeavours. Today, if your company invests in a banner stand, you are not only making a long-term investment but you are more likely than not to stand out as being innovative and original.

Test it out for yourself. Start tracking marketing endeavours of companies in a spy-on-the-competition notebook. Whenever you find yourself being on the receiving end of a sales pitch, jot down all the marketing tools being deployed. For example, as you are well aware, one common practise is the PowerPoint presentation. Then you have the business cards that are stacked on a table near the projector, or near the door. Sometimes, the business cards are accompanied by a colourful flyer promoting the company’s products and services.

Always look for the banner stands. You certainly won’t miss them because they tend to be attention grabbers. This said, you’re likely to miss seeing them more than not. This is because banners, in all shapes and sizes, be they retractable banners, pull-up banners or roll-up banners, have not been a mainstream marketing choice for years.

You also want to track your own reaction to the marketing measures being used. You’re likely to lean forward in curiosity when a retractable banner is opened and assembled before your eyes. And you’ll probably take a mental note of mentioning it to your boss. After all, it does seem like a nifty device, to grab people’s attention. And, I may be wrong here, but I somehow think, that no matter how good the PowerPoint presentation is, and the sound effects and video clips and animated, you’re likely to sign under your breath or even whisper to your neighbour: “Oh no, not another PowerPoint presentation”.
]]> http://marketingsource.com/articles/selling/art-of-selling/jazz-up-your-networking-events-with-a-rollup-banner.html http://marketingsource.com/articles/selling/art-of-selling/jazz-up-your-networking-events-with-a-rollup-banner.html Thu, 25 Nov 2010 06:08:45 -0600
I’ve often been impressed by the degree of preparation that goes into such events. Typically, networking meetings will open with each attendee doing a 30 second elevator pitch, briefly presenting the products and services their company provides. Then, one or two business owners are called upon to present on a topic pertinent to the group, be it on Internet marketing or Google adwords or sales conversions or different trends in the marketplace. This is then is promptly followed by a handing out of business cards. At this point, you’ll typically hear conversations turn practical: “My neighbour’s looking for his roof to be fixed, can one of your roofers give him a call”. “Our office manager needs to hire a temp, can Tom call her this week to set something up?”, as the attendees swap business leads.

Whether you are new to business networking or a seasoned veteran, you might consider investing in a Rollup Banner. If you haven’t heard of Rollup Banners until now, don’t be particularly surprised. Although they have been in existence for decades, it’s only in recent years that they have become the next-best-thing to the company PowerPoint presentation and website.

If you’re wondering what’s a banner, and more particularly what’s a rollup banner, that’s a valid question. It certainly leaves a doubt in a lot of people’s minds. A banner is like a canvas, used pretty much like a film screen to project the company’s image, vision and ethos. And once they have served their purpose, banners are folded or rolled-up into a neat compact size.

Rollup Banners a special breed of banners. They are banners which are retractable banners, meaning quite simply once you’ve shown your audience of potential clients the banner, it’s rolled up discretely. Think back to your school days when the geography teacher would show you places on a wall-hanging map. Rollup banners are pretty much the same concept.

What better way to jazz up your networking 30 second elevator pitch than to have a banner to show your audience? This would make what your business pitch much more memorable than if you were to hold up a business card, or even a flyer. It’s a common fact that the 30 second elevator pitch seldom appeals to the visually-oriented members of an audience because most presenters need more than 30 seconds simply to set up an overhead projector. The simple process of unclipping and setting up, effortlessly, a banner stand will get heads turning. And be forewarned, you’re as likely to get audience members coming up to you afterwards to ask you where you got your nifty banner stand,as you are likely to get business enquiries. And this is the ideal moment to hand out your business card and ask them to call you during the week.

Brand recognition comes with hearing and seeing the same business messages over and over. If every time you attend a networking event, you show the same banner, not only will you likely impress your audience with your dexterity, but you’ll start gaining a new following. One sure-fire technique to know if your sales projections are on target, or not, for the upcoming fiscal year, is to ask yourself how often you managed to get the company image into circulation. Image sells. Enquire about getting a company banner today.

]]> http://marketingsource.com/articles/advertising/make-bold-marketing-statements-with-pull-up-banners-the-art-of-winning-business-and-impacting-sales-using-the-banner.html http://marketingsource.com/articles/advertising/make-bold-marketing-statements-with-pull-up-banners-the-art-of-winning-business-and-impacting-sales-using-the-banner.html Thu, 25 Nov 2010 05:20:44 -0600
With the Internet being the no. 1 marketing tool, companies are now able to order pretty much everything from computer ink cartridges to door stops online. But as tempting as it is to purchase state-of-the-art equipment at discount rates from a small island supplier in the middle of the Pacific, we’re likely to pass. Companies will allocate budget spend on products and services they buy online. But ask any
procurement specialist and they are likely to say that prefer or only do business with a supplier they’ve met at least once. After all, proximity builds trust. Proximity offers the reassurance that, if unforeseen problems occur with the ink cartridges or door stops, the supplier is a trip-across-town away.

In this sense, it’s fair to say that the era of making sales presentations is far from over. This said, the art of making sales presentations certainly is changing. Emphasis is now placed on creating an arena for mutual win-win business dialogue. “Does it make sense for us
to do business together?” has replaced the “Here is what we can do for you...” mindset of the past. Active listening and paraphrasing is primordial. The sales representative needs to walk into a corporate boardroom, convey confidence and trust, and be ready to listen.

One of the power ways to create a statement is to come to a meeting carrying a corporate banner. The banner sets the backdrop for the win-win dialogue. It offers a vision of the business success which can be achieved by working together. A banner typically presents your company’s logo, service commitment and product range. Banners are bold advertising statements which take little floor space, however command a strong audience. And regular passers-by are likely, thanks to your corporate banner, remember your business name and brand.

The pull-up banner is a popular choice as it is compact, and can be displayed within a matter of seconds. The pull-up banner is called the roll-up banner and the retractable banner, testimony to the fact that it can be assembled in no time at all.

Pull-up banners just make good business sense. They are an eye-catching addition to your presentation, and oftentimes, bring better results than the larger poster boards or displays. A Pull-up banner has the added advantage of being able to weather all seasons. As they are made out of vinyl they can actually be left outside the storefront, even if it starts to rain. Pull-up banners also make a statement about your company’s eco-friendly attitude.

Banners come in all shapes and sizes and can be custom-made to meet your advertising budget. Contact a Banner Consultant today to find out how you can take your company’s presentations to the next level.

]]> http://marketingsource.com/articles/selling/art-of-selling/make-your-presentation-stand-out-with-a-retractable-banner.html http://marketingsource.com/articles/selling/art-of-selling/make-your-presentation-stand-out-with-a-retractable-banner.html Thu, 25 Nov 2010 04:20:27 -0600
Presentations are part of every business out there in today’s business world. Even if you are not selling something but simply need a platform to get your message across a banner stand is the way to go. This type of stand draws attention to the message and allows you to look professional as well. Retractable banners are eye catching and can really go far to promote your company.

Look at Me! That is what you are trying to say when you are doing a presentation or you are participating in a business meeting, trade show or exhibition. You want to be what everyone is looking at. You need to draw the attention of the crowd. A retractable banner helps you do just that. These stands allow you to share a dynamic message that will be a step above the rest of the crowd. It’s an investment you do not want to skip.

Worth the Cost Business supplies are expensive. It always takes money to make money and most places are always looking for ways to cut costs. Don’t let the retractable banner be where you scrimp and try to go cheap. Banner stands can be affordable and are worth the money you put into them. With all of the different types of retractable banners out there you can surely find one that will fit your needs and your budget. There is simply no excuse not to have one of these handy tools around at your next presentation.

Picking the Right One When you go to buy a retractable banner you want to make sure you chose the right model for you. There are a lot of variable that need to be considered before picking out a stand. Where will you be using the stand? Will you be unloading it and setting it up alone or will you have help? Is it an indoor or outdoor event? How much storage space do you have and how will you be transporting the retractable banner. These are all things you need to consider when purchasing a banner stand.

A Variety to Choose From Once you know what your needs are there are a number of stands you can choose from. There are scrolling banner stands, pull down stands, A-frame and L-frame stands and X frame stands. They are made from a variety of materials including fiberglass, steel, plastic and other durable material. All can be custom designed with your message – designed to meet your needs. As you can see there is no need at all not to have a retractable banner. It will allow you to make a professional, well done presentation anywhere at all. It provides pizzazz and customer appeal to sales and it can help you train your team at presentation meetings. Don’t hesitate to purchase one of these stands for your company.

]]> http://marketingsource.com/articles/selling/art-of-selling/pull-up-banner-stands-for-efficiency.html http://marketingsource.com/articles/selling/art-of-selling/pull-up-banner-stands-for-efficiency.html Thu, 25 Nov 2010 02:52:08 -0600
Money Well Spent

Company resources are costly. It generally requires cash to generate revenue and many businesses are constantly searching for ways to chop expenses. Do not allow the pull up banner stand end up being where you cut corners attempt to save money. Banner stands are very reasonably priced and are really worth the money you use to buy one. With the many various kinds of pull up banner stands available a person will certainly locate one which will fit the business needs as well as the spending budget. There's virtually no reason not to possess one of these useful pieces of equipment at your upcoming business presentation.

Capture the Crowd

Whenever you happen to be undertaking a presentation or you might be taking part in a company conference, trade show or exhibition you want to capture the crows. You should always be exactly what the group is focusing on. You must attract the eye of the audience. A pull up banner stand makes it possible to accomplish that task. These types of stands enable you to promote a powerful message which will be a notch-above the rest of the group. This is an expenditure you don't want to neglect.

Which One to Choose

Whenever you proceed to purchase a pull up banner stand you ought to make certain you find the correct style to suit your needs. There are a lot of things you need to consider before you buy one. Where you will be setting up and taking it down is one factor. How much help you have setting it up is another. Then you need to think about transportation and storage. Many of the lighter weight pull up banner stands make this an easy choice.

The Pull Up Banner That Works for You

All the pull up banners are going to be custom designed with your message but you still have several types to choose from. One of those is of course, the basic model that pulls down from the top like a film projector screen and then retracts in the same manner. But you can also purchase a scrolling one that will display more than one message continually as it scrolls from top to bottom.

Which one you choose will be a matter of preference and your own individual needs. But with the variety of kinds available and the low cost on these stands today there is no reason not to buy one. It will be an asset to your business and you will be glad you did.


]]> http://marketingsource.com/articles/book-promotions/business/increase-your-productivity-with-a-banner-stand.html http://marketingsource.com/articles/book-promotions/business/increase-your-productivity-with-a-banner-stand.html Thu, 25 Nov 2010 01:00:16 -0600
Stand Out in the Crowd

A good advertising person knows the advantage of standing out in a crowd and a banner stand allows you to do that. Banner stands are highly portable and allow you to create an eye popping display in very little space and on short notice if necessary. There are so many different types of banner stands available you will have no problem choosing one that fits your needs. The display options are endless when using these types of displays.

Choosing Your Banner Stand

Before you chose which type of stand to buy you need to think of your company’s, or your personal needs. You have to store the banner stand, transport it, set it up and take it down. How often you will be doing that, the space you have to work with and the vehicle you use for transportation will all play into which particular stand you purchase. Whether you do everything yourself or have others to help with the set up can also be a deciding factor. You may be a small one man show who needs something extremely compact and portable or you may work for a large company and need a much larger scaled banner stand. Make sure you fully understand what you need before purchasing one of these stands.

Things to Look For

Banner stands are made up of all types of material these days including aluminum, fiberglass, plastic and wood. The nice thing about some of the newer materials is being lightweight doesn’t mean it isn’t heavy duty, in fact, just the opposite. Some of the more lightweight banner stands are extremely durable and heavy duty while being designed for ease of use. A compact banner stand is a very nice option for most people. It allows you to store it in smaller areas and can be more easily transported. You also want to make sure you can set up and take down the stand efficiently and quickly. The last thing you need is to have to spend hours trying to figure out how to get the stand up correctly. That time would be better spent creating an eye catching display. And when a long day is over you want to be able to go home as quickly as possible.

Different Types of Stands

There are several different kinds of banner stands including the roll up stand. This pulls down like a film projection screen and then rolls up for easy storage. A scrolling banner stand continually loops displaying different messages. A –frame displays are very nice for outdoor events and are extremely lightweight and portable. The X banner stand and L banner stand are two other types you might consider when purchasing a stand. ]]> http://marketingsource.com/articles/selling/art-of-selling/how-to-take-your-sales-presentations-to-the-next-level-by-using-banner-stands.html http://marketingsource.com/articles/selling/art-of-selling/how-to-take-your-sales-presentations-to-the-next-level-by-using-banner-stands.html Wed, 24 Nov 2010 23:54:06 -0600
The thing is, today, no matter how rehearsed you sound when doing a sales pitch, it’s gotten stale. Procurement teams have heard it all, from the polished sales pitch, to the mediocre sales pitch and even the dreadful sales pitch. And the good sales pitches are all starting to sound alike. It’s time to Up the Annie, and this means, in part, bringing in the props. What better prop than the Banner Stand.
Banner Stands are ideal actually because once you’ve set one up, you can literally forget about it. Forget you may, and yet, a Banner Stand will serve as a constant branding statement as you make your presentation. Banner Stands are literally like colour screen televisions that are frozen on one particular advert – your company’s advert. A typical Banner Stand has the company’s logo, its mission statement or business vision or logo, and reference to your company’s product and/or service range. As soon as it’s set up at the front of the room, a Banner Stand serves to enhance a company’s brand image and reputation.

The most popular Banner Stand is the Retractable Banner, more commonly called the Roll-Up Banner. It’s well-loved by all presenters who have had to walk into a presentation room, and have managed to set the Banner Stand up in a matter of seconds. Quite simply, the Retractable Banner helps make a perfect entrance statement. In today’s marketplace, potential clients want to see results, even before they’ve actually started doing business with a particular provider. This is why, walking into a presentation room, with authority, appeals so much. Quite simply, it suggests ‘we mean business’.

The Retractable Banner Stands are practical to bring along to any trade show or exhibition or even to any of the annual social events. With time, sales teams find that they start to use their Banner Stands as a centrifugal force. The sales rep. may initially step out from behind a sales booth or presentation table to walk towards a potential client. He or she may then do some active listening, and probe into the potential client’s needs or desires. And then, at a well orchestrated moment, the sales representative will turn to the potential client and say something like, “Would it be beneficial for you to see a little more about what we, here, at Company ABC, are about?”, all the while directing the potential client over to the Banner Stand.

Trust you me, if my friend were to present with a Banner Stand, I’m willing to bet that he would walk out of the presentation room, having closed the deal.

]]> http://marketingsource.com/articles/advertising/retractable-banner-stands.html http://marketingsource.com/articles/advertising/retractable-banner-stands.html Wed, 24 Nov 2010 07:36:41 -0600
Here are 3 reasons why the Retractable Banner Stand is as Popular as it Is:

The Retractable Banner is ‘Retractable’

The no. 1 selling feature of the retractable banner stand is quite simply that it’s retractable. Retractable means that it is easy to set up and store. Retractable makes for portable. The last thing you want to do is attend a marketing event, with a display the size of a flat tv screen that you have to carry in, with your briefcase.

Retractable Banner Stands are Inexpensive

Just think of the marketing alternatives for a moment. You’ve got the traditional business cards, fliers, posters, newsletters, samplers, to name a few. None of these are likely to attract a prospect, with the exception of the samplers, long enough, for a real business dialogue to take place. Flyers make it, with record time, into briefcases. Business cards often get slipped into a wallet without a second glance. And the samplers, all too often, are consumables. The banner stand invites a conversation around a business need, and it’s this dialogue that will be memorable and make and close deals.

Retractable Banner Stands are a One-Man Show

If your company is marketing your products or services, your no. 1 goal is likely to generate revenue. Maybe you cannot spare, several of your staff to man a booth at a trade show, and if this is the case, the banner stand can serve as an extra body. And you don’t need to send your most technically-inclined staff member to set up the your banner stand. After all, the Retractable Banner Stand, is known to be user-friendly and to only take under a minute to be set up. It is of interest to note that retractable banner stands are often motorized. The in-built motor serves to scroll the banner in a loop.

If you set up an appointment with a Banner Stand Specialist, you will want to talk about extension poles, telescoping legs, quick-change banner rails, and replacement banners. It goes without saying that you’ll need to talk about the height and weight of your banner stand, as well as the ideal thickness of the banner vinyl. Don’t forget as well to ask about the custom carrying cases.


]]> http://marketingsource.com/articles/trade-shows/banner-up-your-trade-show.html http://marketingsource.com/articles/trade-shows/banner-up-your-trade-show.html Tue, 23 Nov 2010 23:26:46 -0600
Here are 3 useful tips for your next Trade Show:

1. Know Your Visitors

Contact the trade show organisers and enquire about:

the demographics of the visitors who will be attending

the layout of the trade show

the space available for your stand and the size of display table you will have

2. Address a Problem that Requires a Solution

It is a well-known fact in sales circles that products that solve problems often offer a more sure-fire sale than products that don’t. This means you do want some of your sales literature to present your product as a solution to a problem or need of a particular niche market. But this is not enough. You want to spell out the positive impact of the solution.

Now you may wish to prepare a PowerPoint presentation, with sound and animated graphics. Whether you show the entire presentation is not key, it simply suggests that you have put thought and preparation into your being at the Trade Show.

3: Set up a Banner Display

You certainly want an eye-catching display that represents the professionalism and business vision of your company well. You are well advised to include pictures, alongside the more obvious company name and logo.

It is surprising the number of presenters could easily enhance their success story at a Trade Show, and sale conversion rates, by simply walking through the door with a banner display. It just makes their stand, and their company, ‘stand out’, as being cutting-edge.

A popular choice of banner display is the roll up banner. It’s portable and lightweight, and this suggests to your potential clients that you are mobile, and more than happy to do demos at their home offices.

We wish you success at your next Trade Show, and don’t forget to banner up. ]]>