| “Your true value depends entirely on what you are compared with.”
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Bob Wells |
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| Shopping Graphics ... apples to apples |
Nothing is more annoying than hearing that your price is ridiculously out of line. Nothing, that is, except when you hear the graphics are being printed on paper rather than fabric. Or a hundred other things that take you out of the realm of fair trade. Of course, no one does this on purpose – at least not in most cases. However, no one is going to readily admit that they are selling you a sub-level product. So you must become an educated buyer – even before you pick-up the phone.
In that vain – here is some quantifiable information in regard to to graphics to start your library of knowledge.
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The least expensive printing process is inkjet on paper. This is fine for a so-so image and a one time use. However – who buys for one time? We sell flex material or film using a photographic process such as Lambda or LightJet. This is top of the line, durable, and multi-use.
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Banners or images printed on fabric. Again there is a process of inkjet on vinyl, however the best process is Dye Sublimation, an offset process, using intense heat and pressure on soft fabrics. Inks are infused into fabric rather than laid on top of the fabric.
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Direct to substrates such as sintra, plexi, and acrylic. This is the newest technology on a flatbed using UV cured inks. This process will also handle substrates up to 2 inches thick and 10 feet in size. There is no lesser quality in this process, as the machines are not readily available at this time.
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Graphics – this could be a book, however basically there are a number of ways that graphics are printed based on your budget, durability issues, and the importance of your lasting image and the impression it makes. Graphic producers in major cities, at this time, seem to have broader access to more equipment and pricing seems to be more competitive.
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No matter how you do it there will always be a number of bills and checks written when attending a show. Unless you buy a “Turn Key Rental” that includes all known services for a show – you will owe a number of people money. And … believe me – you pay allot for the privilege of writing one check! This past weekend was no exception to this rule and caused some dastardly results for one of our clients.
Show setup was Saturday and Sunday in Orlando – Saturday morning the phone rang at our office and our client was looking for his graphics. The graphics we did not make because he had gotten “a deal” somewhere else. The only problem was that the “deal” had not arrived at the show. So here we are – the exhibit has been installed, ready for Monday morning with the exception of their graphics. Our hands are tied. If we had made the graphics and they were lost we could go to our graphics production office and produce them again, and overnight them to the show. However, we don’t have a file. This is a great example of putting all of your eggs in the same basket.
We literally could not help our client. He had no access to anyone in his graphic department. The “deal” graphic production company was closed, and unlike with our vendors … no way to reach them. That is a perfect example of buying certain items from your main vendor. Were we more money? Maybe, although our prices happen to be amongst the lowest across the country. This might have been a friend – or they might have purchased a lesser quality graphic – a non-multiple use. Whatever, it is now midday on Monday and they have a great booth and no graphics.
Buy a literature stand, plants, trashcans from anyone – but leave the essentials of your exhibition environment to one company. Piecemealing can be a little more cost effective – but only if it all works. Can your plasma resource mount to the truss in your exhibit? Will the rental furniture fit into your meeting room? Think before you save $15 a chair. And of course … graphics are key. So think long and hard before throwing this element to just anyone who can save you ten dollars.
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| Never Wear New Shoes to a Show |
It sounds so simple, yet at the end of the day many people do not heed this advice. This is really not an article … just a statement of fact. Break them in at home – it’s that simple!
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