Many companies are now realizing the extreme value of exhibitions as a powerful marketing and promotional tool. Knowing how to plan for an exhibition and working your way through the myraid of different shows to choose from, the variety of exhibition stand types, and working through the logistically and organizational issues involved can at first be confusing for the novice. To help, we discuss some of the different types of exhibition stand below.

There are many types of exhibition stand, with new types being developed as we speak. There are though 5 or 6 standard types that are commonly sold and referred to. Modular exhibition stands, portable banner stands, portable pop-up stand, panel-and-pole stand and literature stands are all common types.

Modular exhibition display stands are often large (in comparison to pop-up and portable stands) and the frameworks are often rigid and more traditional. A lot of modular display stands are often custom made, i.e. for large exhibitions such as those you might see at the big exhibition including Earls Court, Olympia and Excel Centre (all in London). These stands can be expensive but dynamic and large.

Pop Up Display stands are quite different from modular stands. Pop up stands are much quicker to set-up, much smaller and thus portable and far cheaper than modular stands. A pop-up stands, such as the ‘Apollo' model by Clip Displays, is lightweight and can be put up within one minute.

Panel-and-pole exhibition stands on the other hand, can offer a sizeable exhibition stand yet one that is still affordable and also transportable. These types of stands are put up using panels which are clipped to poles and which can be assembled in a matter of minutes.

Banner Stands can be a good option if you are looking for an inexpensive yet professional display. Banner stands are often retractable and lightweight, with some models weighing no more than 4kg. Banner stands usually come with a carry bag with shoulder harness.

Choosing an exhibition stand depends very much on:

- Your budget

- The size of the exhibition

- Whether or not you need to re-use the stand

If you are attending a big exhibition in Earls Court then a modular stand, if your budget permits, could be the way to go. If you are a traveling salesman, looking to exhibit your goods in a quick and simply way, then a retractable roll-up stand can be better.