There is nothing worse than unpacking your trade show booth at the convention and discovering that it's suffered some kind of damage during shipping.
Whether that damage is purely cosmetic (a mar on the front, or a warping of the material) or more serious and structural (a bent support pole), it can be hard to overcome that initial bad luck and have a successful convention presence.
To prevent damage from ruining your company's experience, read this how-to ahead of time so you'll be ready if your trade show displays ever end up running into a problem.
One: Don't Panic.
The worst thing you can do upon seeing that your banner stands have been damaged is to panic.
When you panic, your brain shuts down, and you're completely unable to think of creative solutions that will get your display show worthy again.
Take some deep breaths and calm yourself down before you do anything else.
Two: Come Prepared.
Whenever you attend a convention, there are a few things you should never be without.
The first is a basic tool kit.
This kit should include set-up essentials like a screwdriver and wrench, but should also have some emergency supplies like duct tape, masking tape, and crazy glue.
All of these supplies will come in handy if you ever find yourself in a position where you need to fix your trade show booth.
Like medical triage, there's only so much you can do without the proper tools.
Three: Bring Spares Whenever Practical.
If you are driving to a convention hall and have extra room in your car, don't hesitate to bring the extra trade show displays that you rarely ever use.
It is never a bad idea to bring a little more than you need.
At worst, they simply go unused while your usual unit is the star of the show.
If the unit you prefer is damaged, having your backup banner stands becomes invaluable.
Four: Get Creative.
When your trade show displays are damaged and you don't have a backup, it's time to start thinking outside the box.
If your problem is structural, you'll need to consult with a professional before you actually erect the trade show booth, as improper structure is a safety hazard and can be serious.
If the problem is simply cosmetic, you should try to fix it yourself, and you'll probably be successful.
There is no way to tell you ahead of time what you'll need to do in a particular situation.
No two incidents are the same, and no two fixes are identical either.
First, there's the idea of using banner stands to cover damaged parts of your exhibit.
In fact, if your trade show booth is too badly damaged, you might use banner stands as the entirety of your presence.
In addition, you can try covering the damaged portion, or perhaps putting it back together.
Rearrange as needed until you've got something that looks deliberate and presents a strong, positive image.
Five: Sell It.
After you've done your best to triage your trade show displays, it's time to forget that the incident ever happened.
If you aren't thinking about it and dwelling on it, your visitors probably won't even notice that anything is wrong.
Just focus on having a positive experience at the convention itself, and you'll still see success.