When you’re exhibiting at a trade show, every aspect of your booth must be well-thought-out. Otherwise, you risk not making the impression you want and falling short of achieving your goals for the event. When you’re looking for ways to boost the branding in your booth, consider adding portable exhibit table covers. These table covers add a touch of class and color, all while reinforcing your branding.
What Is a Portable Table Cover?
Though you’re not likely to use displays such as banners and flags at home, table covers are more familiar to most of us. At home, you might use a solid-colored or patterned tablecloth to dress up your dining or kitchen table. While a regular tablecloth, whether made from polyester, vinyl or plastic, may work great in your home, at a trade show, it’s likely to fall flat.
This is because trade show displays are all about branding. You want to present a consistent and professional image to your audience, and this image should include every aspect of your booth, including your table. A custom table cover from SpeedPro is the perfect solution to cover your table in a way that goes beyond a plain tablecloth.
Portable table covers come in a variety of size and material options so you can choose one that fits your table and seamlessly integrates with the branded elements in the rest of your booth. Typically, your graphic will be featured on the front panel of your table covering, though you can also select a full-coverage option.
There are three basic types of table covers that we’ll discuss more below. These include imprinted table cloths, printed table covers and display table runners. All of these options give you a way to cover your otherwise lackluster tables with a touch of class, professionalism and branding.
What Options Are Available for Imprinted Table Covers?
Imprinted table throws are made from polyester and come in sizes to fit both 6- and 8-foot tables. You can choose from economy options that leave the back open so you can easily access storage, or you can opt for a full size that drapes to the floor on all four sides. In addition to choosing the size you want, you can choose from seven color options, including:
- Black
- Gray
- Green
- Navy
- Red
- Royal blue
- White
Once you’ve chosen the right size and color for your imprinted tablecloth, you can select either one or two colors for your logo, which is printed on vinyl and transferred onto the polyester table throw. When it comes to your graphic, there are 21 colors to choose from, which allows you to find colors that closely match your branding. These colors include:
- Apple Green
- Black
- Blue
- Brown
- Burnt orange
- Forest green
- Gray
- Hot pink
- Kelly green
- Lemon yellow
- Medium yellow
- Navy
- Orange
- Red
- Royal purple
- Sapphire blue
- Sky blue
- Teal
- Vanilla cream
- Vegas gold
- White
What Options Are Available for Printed Table Throws?
Whereas imprinted tablecloths have vinyl graphics transferred onto them, printed table throws go through a process called dye sublimation. This means the ink is pressed straight into the polyester fabric. Unlike with the imprinted table throws, the color options for your logo are limitless. This isn’t the only way printed table throws allow for more customization. They come in size options to fit 30-, 48- and 60-inch diameter round tables as well as 4-, 6- and 8-foot long tables.
Printed tablecloths for trade shows come in several different types:
- Front printed: A front printed table throw is a popular choice that gives you the classic, draped look of a tablecloth with a full-color logo printed on the front panel. These table throws fit 6- and 8-foot tables, and you can choose from an economy option that is open at the back or a full coverage option.
- Fully printed: A fully printed table throw allows you to cover your entire table cover in a full-color graphic, not just the front. Fully printed table covers come in sizes for 4-, 6- and 8-foot tables, as well as 4-foot demo tables. Fully printed table covers are the perfect option if you want to turn your table into a high-impact display.
- Convertible: When you’re not sure what size you’ll need, a convertible table cover is the way to go. Convertible table covers are long enough to fit an 8-foot table, but if you want to reuse them, you can shorten the table cover to fit a 6-foot table by folding in the edges and connecting the tabs to the Velcro hidden underneath.
- Fitted: Most table throws drape at the sides of the table. Fitted table coverings, on the other hand, are made to have sharp edges and straight sides. They are made to fit standard 8-foot, 6-foot, 4-foot and 4-foot-tall demo tables. Fitted table covers are a great choice if you enjoy the look of clean lines.
- Outdoor: If you’re participating in an outdoor event, there’s a fitted table cover for that, too. Standard fitted table coverings are made from polyester, but outdoor options are made from water-resistant outdoor canvas. Outdoor fitted table covers come in sizes to fit standard 6- and 8-foot tables.
- Stretch: Like fitted table covers, stretch table covers do not drape. However, instead of following straight lines at the sides of the table, a stretch table cover clings to the table legs and zips at the back, creating a concave, contoured look. Stretch table covers are made to fit rectangular tables of 4, 6 and 8 feet, along with 30-, 48- and 60-inch round tables.
At SpeedPro, we partner with you to find the right look for your table displays. We have many options to fit your requirements, specifications and budget.
What About Custom Printed Table Runners?
Another option to consider if you want to add some branding to your table is a table runner. Unlike decorative table runners you may be used to, which run the length of the table, these custom table runners for exhibiting are designed to be draped across the middle of the table so your graphic is visible in the front. Table runners for display tables can quickly turn any table covered in a plain tablecloth into a branded display. Like printed table throws, runners are printed through dye sublimation.
Runners are more versatile in the shapes and sizes of tables they can be placed on, which makes them a great option to keep on hand. Custom table runners for exhibits from SpeedPro come in widths of 24, 30, 36 and 60 inches.
What Are the Benefits of Using Portable Trade Show Table Covers?
Why should you consider getting exhibition table covers? Why isn’t a bare tabletop or a plain tablecloth enough? When you invest in imprinted or printed table covers for trade shows, you gain some valuable benefits. Custom table covers:
1. Add Professionalism
Your trade show booth should exude professionalism if you want to make the right impression on attendees. Inconsistent colors or branding will make your booth appear less professional, while a cohesive, branded appearance across all of your displays will help you appear professional and polished. A consistent image also suggests to consumers that your company is proud of its identity and is focused and intentional in upholding standards.
If you want to appear professional, you also want to use high-quality materials and sharp, vivid graphics. A fabric table cover with a professionally-printed graphic looks elegant and unmistakably professional.
2. Add Color
A plain tablecloth in a neutral color can also appear elegant, but it certainly isn’t going to add any interest to your booth. In a typical 10-by-10-foot trade show booth, you don’t have much room to make an impact, so you want to use every aspect of your booth to grab the public’s attention.
Adding color helps to attract that attention, and it makes your company appear more vibrant and energetic. A monochromatic look can work for some companies that want to appear ultramodern or dramatic. However, in most cases, making your booth colorful is a great way to get people excited about your company.
3. Provide Hidden Storage
Display table covers don’t just offer aesthetic value. They also have some practical benefits. One of these benefits is that they create a place to store objects you would rather not leave out in the open. That may consist of carrying bags or cases for other displays, boxes of extra swag items, personal belongings or anything else that would clutter your booth or detract from your display.
If you plan to station staff members at the back of the table, then an economy option is likely the best way to go since it will allow employees to easily access the items being stored under the table. If your table will be exposed on all four sides, however, you’ll want a full coverage option that conceals the items under the table.
4. Are Light and Portable
These table covers aren’t referred to as portable trade show table covers for nothing. They are extremely lightweight at just a few pounds and can be folded up to be compact. If you plan to cover multiple tables in your trade show booth, purchase a table throw carry bag, designed to protect your folded-up table throws and make them exceptionally easy to carry to and from the venue.
When portability is important, there are many types of displays for trade shows that you can consider that are made to break down compactly for easy transport. Table throws are one of the best options you can choose for portability.
5. Require No Setup
Once you get to your trade show booth, there are typically many items on your to-do list to get your displays put together so you can begin to market your business and make connections. All of the portable trade show displays from SpeedPro are designed to be quick and easy to put together, but it doesn’t get any easier than unfolding a tablecloth and placing it on a table.
This is one part of your display you can count on to be complete in seconds since it requires virtually no setup. It isn’t just standard table throws that are easy to set up. Even fitted and stretch designs are easy to slip over and zip up in no time.
6. Increase Brand Awareness
Increasing brand awareness is one of the top goals for companies attending trade shows. When you want to increase awareness of your brand, you have to inundate people who walk past your booth with your branding. The more branded elements in your booth, the more likely it is they’ll notice to whom this booth belongs.
You don’t only want people to notice your booth in the moment. Raising brand awareness also means people need to remember your brand. This raises the goal from simply making an impression to making a lasting impression. When you need your brand to be front and center, trade show display table covers can help you accomplish that goal.
How Can You Use a Table In Your Trade Show Booth?
If you don’t use tables in your trade show booth, then a table cover may seem irrelevant. If you’re not using tables in your booth, take a moment to consider the value a table, covered in a custom table throw, could add to your booth. Here are just a few ideas for how you can use a table in your trade show booth:
- Take information: To follow up on leads, you need to request email addresses or other contact information. Giving people a table to sit or stand at with a clipboard or tablet is a must if you want them to provide their information.
- Feature tabletop displays: With a custom table cover, your table itself automatically becomes a part of your display. It can also provide a surface for tabletop displays like folding panel displays or banner stands that can help you market your company and inform attendees.
- Display literature or a portfolio: If you have pamphlets, binders or any other form of literature that can help illustrate or speak to the work your company does, it’s a great idea to set these items out for people to look them over. A tabletop gives you a place to do so.
- Provide samples: Especially if your company sells food products, providing samples is a great idea. A table, especially a larger one, gives you the surface area you need to set out samples for people to take.
- Give out promotional items: Handing out promotional items, often called swag, is a popular marketing tactic for exhibitors. A table gives you a place to set these items so people can stop by to pick one up and hopefully have a conversation with a staff member.
- Host games and contests: Another marketing strategy people love is a game or contest. A table provides a place to host games, whether it be a prize wheel, a drawing, a guess-how-many jar or any other fun means of engaging people and getting their information.
When It Comes to Tables, SpeedPro Has You Covered
If you want to purchase table coverings such as custom table runners or printed or imprinted table covers for trade shows, SpeedPro has you covered with the high-quality materials and processes that lead to table covers you’re proud to show off at your next event. To get started finding the right table covers for you, contact a SpeedPro studio in your area.
