Picture this. Two exhibitors. Identical hall, identical products, identical stands. One gives out a thin plastic bag which tears before the visitor can get to the exit. The other receives a well-made, neatly printed Cotton Shoppers bag which is carried home, unpacked and thrown on a kitchen counter where it remains several months. Same show. Quite another brand impression.
The bag survives the show. This is what it is all about.
The first mistake made by most exhibitors is in material selection. Polypropylene bags which are not woven are inexpensive, colourful and used when large volumes of bags are required. They work a day. But they are likely to accumulate in the corners and are seldom reused with any vigor. Cotton bags are pricier per unit and are carried around. Rope-handled paper bags are a nice touch on the day but fail at the weight and in wet conditions - a fact to be considered when using in UK outdoor shows or locations where there is a long walk to the car park amid rain.
Consider your audience, before making any decision. Organic cotton will be recognized and valued by a crowd of sustainability-oriented conferences. A construction or manufacturing-oriented trade show is likely to be more interested in durability than cloth qualifications. Look at the room, and select the material.
Size is worth thinking than what it is typically given. Visitors of the exhibition amass content in a short time span - brochures, product samples, branded notebooks, the free pen that drips every now and then. A bag, which is incapable of comfortably holding A4 paperwork, is practically useless in the first hour. Get larger than you believe you need to. No one is complaining of additional room.
The quality of the handle is an after-thought that can be very easily noticed. Paper handles of a heavy load are twisted, and cut into hands in a painful way. Bags that have short handles which do not extend to the shoulder are difficult to carry with other items. Long straight handles which can be comfortably placed on the shoulder - that is what really works during a complete exhibition day.
The positioning of prints has some interesting implications on visibility. A logo printed in the middle of the front face will be visible when the bag is hanging on the side of somebody. The design that can be read easily when the bag is held in front of the face lacks the majority of its walking-billboard capabilities.
The UK custom orders have a lead time of two to four weeks. It is a risk to leave bag ordering to three weeks prior to the show. Major exhibition seasons are busy times to suppliers. Get the order in early, have it proved and allow at least one round of amendments.