The arrival of a new year is always a time for reflection and goal setting. It’s a time when we vow to shake up our lifestyles, break old habits and start afresh – and you can also apply this philosophy to your marketing toolkit, specifically your displays.
When you’ve been in business for a while, it’s easy to get stuck in old habits, and if we’re honest, there’s more than a nugget of wisdom in the old ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ mentality. But in today’s fast-moving world, new trends emerge quickly, and if you’re not keeping your finger on the pulse, it’s easy to get left behind without even realizing it.
Of course, display hardware isn’t advancing all that quickly – if you’ve been using retractable banners for the last ten years, there’s no reason to change that as long as they still work for your business. But if you’re looking to stand out from the crowd in 2022, it might be worth adding a few different display styles to your portfolio – and thinking carefully about how you use them too.
Retractable to Rigid
It’s common for businesses to position a retractable banner in their reception area or lobby. These displays are primarily used for brand recognition and to welcome visitors to the premises. Hence, their messaging rarely changes, and they don’t need to be transported – yet they can sometimes be a hassle because they’re relatively light and easy to knock over. With the exception of premium options, they’re not designed for long-term use.
We suggest switching to a rigid media display such as our SmartWedge product is an excellent alternative for lobby marketing and has some key benefits. Firstly, the SmartWedge isn’t designed for life on the road, so it’s heavier and sturdier than most retractables. Second, instead of a cartridge base, it has a simple steel bracket that securely holds your rigid media within an impressively small footprint, so there’s less risk the banner will get knocked over. Thirdly, as a rigid media display, SmartWedge offers superior long-term durability. Your display won’t curl or fade over time, and provided you have somewhere to store them, you can easily have a small portfolio of rigid media panels that are easy to switch in and out as needed.
Show Sustainability
Today’s consumer is becoming more and more environmentally conscious – and they’re looking for brands that align with their principles on sustainability. If your business is talking about environmental responsibility, it’s vital to also walk the walk by selecting displays with a lower carbon footprint.
Specifying PVC-free materials for your banners is one way you can tread a little lighter. If you don’t need the weather-resistant properties of vinyl for your displays, why not consider a more eco-friendly tension banner instead? These metal frames are fully recyclable, while their fabric banner materials are often made from recovered plastic extruded and woven into a fine, lightweight yet strong material. When you’re finished with this, it can also be recycled where facilities exist.
Get Creative
Portable banners make a great alternative to fixed signage; there’s no doubt. But their potential doesn’t stop there! You can use pop-up banners and backdrops for a whole range of applications that extend way beyond simple marketing. Selfie backdrops, space dividers, privacy screens, wayfinding tools – combined with the services of a good printer, there’s really no limit to what you can do with portable displays. Don’t forget to make them interactive, too, by adding QR codes that seamlessly connect your customers from your offline to your online experience.
If you’ve got an idea but you’re not sure how to bring it to life using portable displays, we’d be happy to help – contact our sales team now for expert advice!