You’re attending a trade show to promote and showcase your products or services to a large-scale audience which means you have an array of trade show materials you need to have printed.

You begin jotting down everything you’ll need, including business cards, brochures, promotional merchandise, banners, display signage, etc. You then need to find the best trade show printing company.

There is a lot that goes into finding the best printing company, so let's take a look at a few things you should look for when looking for a company to print your trade show materials.

What to Look for When Looking for a Trade Show Printing Company

A One Stop Shop for All Your Trade Show Materials

When you attend a trade show, there are so many materials that you need to print to successfully promote your brand. Not only do you need business cards and a banner, but you also may need brochures, table tents, catalogs, wide-format tradeshow displays, and even a few promotional items to hand out.

With so many items to consider and the planning that goes into attending trade shows, the last thing you need is to keep track of multiple payments and shipments from several different printing companies.

Find a trade show printing company that doesn’t just print affordable business cards or just large-format materials. You need to find a printer who provides everything.

When taking advantage of a printing company that can print your small and wide format materials, you can easily keep track of your materials, save money by combining shipping costs, and you can ensure that all branding, from your brochures to your signage, is consistent.

Direct Mail Solutions with In-House Mailing

Some printing companies, like Kingston Printing, also offer direct mail marketing services which include mailing directly from their in-house mail center.

Direct mail services, including targeted mailing options, allow you to advertise your brand and increase the number of people who attend the trade show. On top of helping with exposure, when you choose a printing company with an in-house mail center, you save time and money by mailing your direct mail materials directly from their facility without having to run to the post office.

Web to Print Portal Technology

Many companies who attend trade shows attend more than one each year and some businesses have multiple locations with each attending specific trade shows in their area. Because of this, each trade show material, from pop-up tents and signage to event brochures and business cards, needs to be consistent with the brand.

Luckily, some printers offer custom-built online storefronts—also known as “Brand Portals,” "Ordering Portals," or “Web to Print Portals.” These streamlined and private interfaces save businesses money and time by storing their brand's trade show materials in one place. If you have a location out in California attending a local trade show, they can access your company’s Brand Portal and order materials that are brand-compliant and the exact same as your location’s materials in North Carolina.

For certain materials, individuals can even customize certain elements like names and contact information on business cards or addresses on flyers, while never compromising your brand’s identity.

Web to Print Portal technology also offers:

• Instant proofing
• A simplified and faster ordering process
• Instant pricing
• Faster turnarounds
• The ability to order trade show materials wherever and whenever

Inventory and Fulfillment

Look for a trade show printing company that has multiple facilities across the country. Having multiple facilities, not only means they can print and ship your materials from the closest facility, but they can also inventory your trade show materials in their warehouse, kit (or package certain materials together to save on shipping costs,) and mail from the facility that saves you the most time and money.

Warehousing is especially important when it comes to trade show materials. If you attend multiple trade shows a year, it’s cheaper to order certain materials like pens, banners, and event brochures in bulk but it’s not ideal to store extra materials in your office. Your printer can inventory them in the closest warehouse to you so that as soon as you need them, they can ship your trade show materials to you, or you can pick them up.

Quality Control

Choose a trade show printing company that uses advanced printing technology and top of the line materials to produce higher quality and consistent products. This will ensure beautiful prints you’re proud to present and it will mean that even if you order the same trade show posters as you did for your trade show last year, your new posters will be of the same exact quality.

Reordering Made Easy

Trade show printing companies that keep an online portfolio of each customer’s order is a game changer. This is beneficial because if you need to print more of the same items—for example, your business cards, trade show banners, or event brochures—then all you have to do is tell them what you’d like to order again, and they can help create a reorder for you of the exact same product with the exact same printing specs. You can even request to use the same art files as before.

Eco-Friendly Printing

Eco-friendly promotional products at trade shows are a huge hit and show that your company is environmentally conscious. So why stop the line at recycled cotton tote bags and reusable water bottles with your logo on them?

Look for a trade show printing company who is also an eco-friendly printer so you can show your support with sustainable practices all while reducing your carbon footprint.

A Responsive Customer Service Team

When it comes to the many trade show materials you need, it’s important that you find a printer who has a team of experts available every step of the way.

The trade show printing company you choose shouldn’t just be able to help you build a quote and order your materials. They should also provide you with options and insight into how you can get the best materials to meet your goals and budget. Your trade show printing company should feel more like a partner rather than a company providing products.

At Kingston Printing, we understand the importance of helping our customers find exactly what they need to have a successful trade show experience. That’s why our customer service team is easily reachable via email, live chat, or phone at 785-690-7222 to answer questions, discuss possibilities, or build a quote. On top of this and offering everything listed above, our advanced digital printing technology, superior offset printing press, wide format capabilities, and high-quality materials can produce everything you need for your next trade show or event.

Discover some of our most popular tradeshow materials today!