Designing a retractable banner is a fun and rewarding experience. In this article, we’ve prepared 12 expert tips and 14 free customizable design templates to help you create a banner that perfectly conveys your brand and message. We’ve also included retractable banner ideas and examples that will inspire you to get started.

Where are Retractable Banners Used?

Retractable banners are versatile and portable, making them perfect for any indoor and outdoor space. They can be used in trade shows, exhibits, conferences, retail spaces, events, lobbies, and more.

Retractable Banner Materials

Before designing a retractable banner, it’s important to know which material suits your needs best. At Signs.com, we offer two (2) types of banner material:

• Vinyl – lightweight, printed with durable UV ink, easy to clean, and has a glossier finish than fabric.

• UV Fabric – lightweight, printed using a dye-sublimation process, washable, and has a smooth matte finish.

When choosing the material for your retractable banner, ensure that it aligns with your design goals, environmental factors, and practical considerations to effectively convey your message while meeting the demands of its intended use. Considering these factors will not only help your banner to stand out but also perform well.

1 . Sketch the Design

Sketching something can mean a few things. For some designers, drafting a design can be done on paper or whiteboard. Others prefer to use digital sketch programs like Google Drawings or Adobe XD. Whatever you decide to use, getting a general outline and feel of the design is the most important part of this step. You can also search for ideas online and use them as inspiration for your retractable banner design. Using Google search is a good place to start.

2. Focus on Your Brand

When designing your retractable banner, make sure that the logo of your brand is prominent and noticeable. Many banners use the logo as the focal point of the entire design, and most customers will recognize the logo quickly and know it is you. Put emphasis on your brand colors, and use them with complementing ones. The banner can also be an extension of your website, store, or any other promotional materials you create so consider giving them a unified look.

Click the template to use on Signs.com

Click the template to use on Signs.com

3. Use the Brand to Focus on a Theme

Most companies have branding guidelines that include the logo display, the hex color codes of their brand colors, and the brand-approved fonts. If you have a brand guide, use it to correctly get the logo file, style, colors, and fonts you’ll use in your designs. But if you don’t a have brand book, you can use the same logo, font, and color scheme featured in your store and website. Remember to note the color codes and fonts so you use them consistently in future designs. This will help establish a strong brand identity and make it easier for customers to recognize your brand.

Click the template to use on Signs.com

Click the template to use on Signs.com

4. Use Colors and Styles That Make the Banner Pop

While it’s common practice to use brand colors on marketing materials, there are cases when brands go off book when they want to announce a milestone like a big sale event or a launch of a new product. If this is something you’re looking into, read on.

Take your retractable banner design ideas to the next level by understanding the way that colors work in design. There are two types of colors: warm colors and cool colors.

Warm colors are your reds, yellows, oranges, and all similar colors. They evoke feelings of warmth and passion.

Cool colors are a little different — they are your blues, purples, greens. These colors evoke feelings of calm and can be soothing or refreshing. Use cool colors to give your customers a sense of calm when looking at your banner. Take advantage of the right colors with the right feel to make your banner pop.

Click the template to use on Signs.com

Click the template to use on Signs.com

5. Approach the Design With Balance

When designing a retractable banner, make sure to keep balance in mind. People read and view everything from left to right and top to bottom, so avoid designs that go against this. However, that doesn’t mean everything needs to be left aligned. Centering your design or headline can work great with some designs, especially with retractable banners. Their long and vertical shape allows you to use bold fonts and all caps in a strategic way.

Click the template to use on Signs.com

Click the template to use on Signs.com

6. White Space (or Blank Space) is Not Your Enemy

White space is not your enemy and is an essential when it comes to design. Use it to achieve balance between design elements. A design with 10 images that have no borders or space between them will never look as clean and balanced as one that has 2 or 3 evenly-spaced images. Keep the same in mind with text. Avoid using long paragraphs and consider breaking them up and shortening them. Spacing and staying away from the top and side edges of the design are important in conserving white space.

Click the template to use on Signs.com

Click the template to use on Signs.com

7. Consider Different Banner Sizes and Types

There are many different size options available for retractable banner. Before deciding on a size, you may want to decide first on a type. Signs.com offers four different types of retractable banners: standard, deluxe, premium, and tabletop. Each type is different than the other and provides pros and cons.

Retractable Banner Comparison Chart

The standard retractable banner is an affordable large retractable banner; deluxe is even taller and sturdier than the standard one. Both standard and deluxe only offer single–side designs. The premium retractable banner is large, durable, and offers a double–sided option, while the tabletop retractable banner is a small banner that fits on a table. It is the most different of the four, as it is a smaller format and less expensive. Your retractable banner design size can then be determined by considering the sizes on our retractable banner page and our tabletop retractable banner page.   

Click the template to use on Signs.com

Click the template to use on Signs.com

8. Use High-Quality Images

One of the most important pieces of designing a pop-up banner is determining what images to put in your design. Choose high-quality images including your logos. Using low-quality images results in blurry and pixelated designs.

The metric used for digital resolution of your image files is PPI (pixels per inch). PPI is calculated by dividing the number of pixels in your image by the number of inches in your design. For more information on understanding dimensions and image quality please check out our guide on resolution. With most retractable banners, we recommend a minimum of 70 ppi and 300 ppi for table top retractable banners. Keeping correct dimensions and PPI in mind will ensure that your image files are suitable for signs of any size.

Click the template to use on Signs.com

Click the template to use on Signs.com

9. Try More Than One Design 

Retractable banners can be double-sided and will allow you to print different designs on each side, making it easy to test which one works best. Another way to accomplish this would be to order multiple signs and test them out at various events over time. Regardless of how you decide to do it, using various sizes and different displays will help you achieve the best results.

10. Use Complementary Signs in Your Display 

A banner design doesn’t have to be used exclusively for a retractable banner. When creating displays for a business trade show or a large educational or medical event, it’s important to use different signages that complement each other. Signs that pair well with retractable banners include tension fabric displays, X banners, step and repeat banners, table covers and table runners. All of these products can be found and designed on our trade show page. Choose complementary signs that help build the perfect display for your event, and make sure to use the same design themes, colors and logos.

11. Measure Success and Evaluate

Measure the success and evaluate how things went in your campaign to determine your ROI. Find out if the retractable banner you designed and displayed helped bring more leads or sales by setting goals based on activities you would like to see happen at the event you display your banner. Once you determine your conversion criteria, make sure to track it in any way you can, and take time to review and evaluate after the event.

Invite the people that need to be present to a 30-minute meeting, have a post mortem, and go over what worked and what didn’t. Use the data you’ve gathered to plan for the next event accordingly.

12. Contact Our Free Design Services at Signs.com

If designing is not your forte, take advantage of Signs.com’s free design services. Our professional designers will create the banner artwork for you while keeping all best practices in mind. For more information about Signs.com and how we can help with designing your retractable banner, fill out the form on our website. We will be happy to answer any questions you have and help you succeed with your designs.

Retractable Banner Examples

Not sure how to kickstart your design? Check out these retractable ideas to spark your creativity:

Complementary Banners

Mix and match retractable banners by using various sizes and shapes to create a 3D effect.

Switched Up Layouts

Displaying retractable banners with the same colors but distinct layouts will look more visually engaging and impactful. Additionally, using the same layout but contrasting colors will make your audience look from one retractable banner to the other.

Bold Imagery

Maximize visibility by printing one bold image that is as big as the retractable banner. This will draw more attention to your banner and make your sign pop.

Diptychs and Triptychs

Increase your display impact by two or even three retractable banners of the same size. This allows you to showcase a single large image with information spread across the design. This is an effective way to capture the eye of your audience and passersby.

Retractable Banner Designs

 Single-sided Retractable Banners

Our single-sided retractable banners may be the most affordable option, but they still do the job well. These are eye-catching and are sure to make any message stand out.  

Double-sided Retractable Banners

If you want to make the most out of your retractable banner, our double-sided option is a great choice. These are perfect for receptions, tradeshows, hallways, or any area needing visibility from both directions.

Deluxe Retractable Banners

Deluxe retractable banners feature a sturdy base with sleek chrome end caps that stabilize on their own. This type of banner is the best option for showing your brand and offerings because of its professional look.

Premium Retractable Banners

Premium retractable banners come with a base that adds sophistication to any display. Unlike other banners, this banner has two support poles for added stability.

Related Articles

Give Your Banners an Edge: Signage 101

Why Vinyl Banners Are Reliable Everyday Displays

Do You Need Vinyl Banners for Business Advertising: A Checklist

Retractable Banner Design Tips & Ideas

What is a table runner?

A table runner is a piece of fabric that is placed on top of a table (with or without a tablecloth) and runs across either the width or length of the table, typically draping over the ends of the table. There are various uses for table runners, including creating a theme and ambiance for your display, showing off colors and logos in a smaller printed area than a full tablecloth and for home use and decor. Table runners are typically placed down the center of a table in both vertical and horizontal fashions. 

Situations in which you would purchase a table runner

So why would you add a table runner to your table? There are many reasons people order our table runners. If you have a trade show display booth for your company, you would likely purchase a table runner with your logo on it to show off your brand. For a wedding table, banquet table or any special event, table runners can provide a special design to add to the special day. Table runners are also commonly used in dining rooms in homes, which are typically generic rather than custom printed. Any time you have a table and want it to add to its look, a table runner is a great way to do so. 

Standard table runner sizes (and standard table sizes)

It is important to mention that there is no wrong table runner size. It all depends on how you plan on using the table runner and what you want it to look like. There is a difference in an event table runner for a trade show or wedding and a home decor dining table runner.  With event table runners, it is preferable to have the runner extend ¾ of the way down the table front. With a dining table runner, it is more common for it to hang 6 inches over the edge. Keep planned uses in mind when selecting the right table runner.

One thing that you will want to look out for is the length of the table runner. Ideally it should hang to the floor on the front and the back of the table. Signs.com standard table runners are all 90” in length. 

When it comes to the width, you can use your logo or print as a guide to what table runner you want to use. For example, a logo that is taller and more vertical, you could have a thinner width on your table runner and still feature the design. If you have a longer message or a wider logo, you could benefit from a wider width on the table runner. Signs.com offers various width options to meet your needs, including 24”, 30”, 36”, 42”, 48”, 54” and 60”. 

The standard event table is 6’-8’ in length and around 2.5’ wide. Below is an image that shows you what different width options look like on a standard 8’ table.

Table Runner Ideas

This is more than just a table runner sizing guide though. Here are some tips for fun ways to display your table runners. Feel free to get creative with your table runner displays. A few creative ideas that we have seen include:

• Put two different table runners in an X formation across the table. This works particularly well with a round table.
• For a dining setting, use multiple table runners across the width of a table. These can act as placemats and connect people that are sitting across from each other.
• With other tables for events, use a table runner down the center of the table to highlight a centerpiece or object.

Printing options for table runners

Many custom table runners for events, businesses, banquets and weddings are printed with a singular logo/image on the front ⅓ of the table runner. That is the classic set up, tried and true. It is important to note that Signs.com offers many different printing options beyond the standard frontal print.

Another cool way to display a table runner is by printing on the front and the back of the table runner. This works really well if people will be approaching your table from both sides of the room. It is also a clever way to have one table runner with two designs for a single display or one sided table. That way you have two different design options depending on the event.

You can also maximize your real estate with designs on a table runner. We print on any area of the table runner. Options for that include logos or images on the front and back as well as a different representation of your brand on the top. You can also use a background or fun design across the entirety of the table runner. If you can design it, Signs.com will print it. If you don’t have the resources to design it, just think it, and Signs.com will design it for you with our free design services.

Thanks for reading this table runner sizing guide. Regardless of what you are looking for, Signs.com is here to help. Our team is always available to answer questions via live chat, so feel free to reach out to us at any time. You can call us any time during the day at 1-888-222-4929. Let us know if you have any questions regarding table runners, their sizes and their uses. We would be happy to help you with all of your table runner needs.

Signage 101: Table Runner Sizing Guide

Susan purchased a fabric banner to use as a backdrop for her trade show booth.

Tell us about yourself.

Prior to starting WordTeasers, I was an advertising salesperson for a large educational publisher. I understood how to design and sell innovative educational learning programs for major companies like Apple Computer. Having a strong understanding of content development and a sales background has been instrumental to the success of WordTeasers.

But for years I had thought about starting my own business. I just needed a push to make the leap. That push came from an unlikely source, breast cancer.

As a survivor, I realized that I was up to any challenge and starting a business was worth all the risks. It was just a matter of coming up with a product that I believed in that would help kids of all ages learn something new while having fun. That product is WordTeasers!

What does WordTeasers do?

WordTeasers are fun conversation starters that get kids and adults talking, laughing and learning. The idea is simple! Pull a card from any WordTeasers deck, read the question out loud and let each person in your group answer it. If someone in the group doesn’t know the word or phrase used in the question, it’s OK to turn the card over and seek more information. But you still need to answer the question!

This quote from a customer sums up the WordTeasers mission, “What I love most about WordTeasers, is that it invites families to play together. Play is the brain’s favorite way of learning.”

Where did the idea for your company come from?

Some of the best products, like WordTeasers, are inspired by real-life experiences. The original WordTeasers deck (WordTeasers: SAT Vocabulary) was created for my son when he was studying for SATs. He was great at memorizing word definitions for his tests, but using those same words in context was a whole different story. So, I created a series of fun, engaging questions that incorporated his study words. As we began to work through the questions at the dinner table, we discovered that we all talked more, laughed more and learned more. WordTeasers was born!

Who comes up with the questions for the teasers? And how are those questions formulated?

The concepts for each WordTeasers deck are mine. The first deck was born out of a need to help my son. The subsequent vocabulary decks were a natural age progression.

Many of the other decks were developed because I like quirky information and facts. I’ve always wondered why we say odd phrases such as it’s “raining cats and dogs.” Where did that idiom come from? Funny sayings and old wives’ tales helped to satisfy some of my curiosity!

The writing is a collaborative effort. I have writers who work on the questions after I’ve decided on a theme. Once the questions are completed we try to talk, laugh and learn something as we play with them at meetings or in phone conversations. You’d be amazed how many times we toss out questions, because there just isn’t a fun way to answer it!

What is your unique selling proposition?

Two key words: education and connection!

Research shows that for young children, dinnertime conversation boosts their vocabulary by 1,000 significant words. Eating and talking, regardless of the meal or the type of family, is a more powerful predictor of high achievement scores than time spent at school, doing homework, playing sports or creating art. It turns out that sitting down for a nightly meal is great for the brain and WordTeasers helps inspire the conversations! It helps the family learn and connect in a really fun way.

What is one strategy for gaining customers that you have been successful with?

Trade shows, trade shows and more trade shows! WordTeasers is unique because it appeals to a broad audience. Consequently, we sell to a wide variety of outlets from gift stores to toy stores to bookstores to education stores, which means that we participate in a huge number of trade shows to reach our target markets.

Is there an area that you’ve struggled with in regards to customer acquisition that you believe is critical to future success? If so, how are you overcoming that?

As with most small businesses, WordTeasers runs very lean. We are sometimes stretched too thin to handle all of the trade shows and sales leads effectively. A few years ago, we started to work with a large rep group that has showrooms all over the country. This move has significantly expanded our reach and our trade show budget.

How do you compete with the bigger competitors that are similar to yours but have a recognizable brand and large marketing budgets?

In the beginning, I wanted to create slick advertisements, flyers and catalogs like the “big boys” do. But I’ve discovered that my customers respond more to a “homegrown” and folksy approach. My husband, who is a career marketing executive, used to make fun of our direct mail advertisements. However, that really changed when he saw the awesome sales results! One of the wonderful things about the gift and toy industry is that people are always looking for something new that has a unique personality. They really appreciate the homespun WordTeasers persona and react very positively toward our growing brand.

We have also significantly upgraded our overall trade show appearance over the years. We started out with one little vinyl sign, but have blossomed to a full-blown booth with wonderfully bright and colorful signage.  

What is one of the biggest challenges you have had with your business and how did you overcome it?

One of the biggest obstacles I’ve faced was understanding supply, demand and lead time. When our first really big order came in, it far exceeded the inventory we had in the warehouse. At the time, I thought, “Oh no problem, I’ll just order more.” Little did I know that depending when you put in an order, the length of time it takes to get finished product into the warehouse varies tremendously, and not by days. If you order at the wrong time of year, you can literally add months to the printing process, not to mention huge cost implications. When I discovered that this big order was potentially only going to net me a fraction of what I had hoped, I almost threw in the towel! But perseverance and hard negotiating won out, and I found a printer who saved the day!

If you could rewind time is there anything you’d do differently? If so, what?

Well, there is a yin/yang part of me that wishes I had known how long it would take the company to take off, and part of me is glad that I didn’t know…because I might not have done it.

Even with the speed bumps I’ve hit, it’s been a great experience. I am amazed every day by the things I learned and the people I’ve met. There is nothing like seeing your own idea come to fruition and then sold in stores across the country.  

You mentioned the length of time it took your business to take off. How long would you say that length of time was?

I started the company 8 years ago. At that time, I thought that WordTeasers would be an overnight sensation! To some degree we were. We had instant success at trade shows and sold a lot of product, but we only had one title! We quickly learned that stores want more than one brand product to sell, and retailers also want to see if you have “legs.”  Longevity and persistence in the toy business is a good thing that proves you have staying power!

If you had advice for other SMB owners, regardless of the industry, what would it be?

Do your homework. Is there anything similar to your product on the market? If so, why is yours better? Where do you think you could sell it? What’s the right price that will both maximize sales and make a nice profit?

Go to trade shows and talk to people. There is no substitute for face-to-face learning. The toy industry in particular, is a very friendly industry and people are willing to share their “secrets” of success. Talk to associations like ASTRA and find out if they have suggestions to point you in the right direction.

Get your ducks in a row, make sure you have taken steps legally to protect yourself and your products, take a deep breath and go for it!  

You mention pricing your product so that you could still make a profit. Did you know right off the bat the perfect price? Or did you have to play with pricing for a while? 

Interesting question. No, I didn’t know right off the bat if we had the perfect price. Part of the decision was based on the cost of manufacturing the games, and part of it was a gut feeling. I have played around with pricing at local venues like festivals to see if a price change will affect sales, but my bottom line is the product drives the price. If customers feel they are getting their money’s worth, then they will buy it.

How do you “WOW” your customers?

Getting on the Today Show was one of our biggest wow moments recently. It was the result of having a great product, being persistent and never taking no for an answer!

Being on the Today Show is HUGE for a business owner. Congrats! So how do you wow your customers when they make a purchase from you or when you’re meeting them at trade shows? When a customer takes home a pack of WordTeasers how do you hope the product wows them?

I remember one event when a mother and her obviously bored and disinterested teenage son came up to my booth. She asked me what WordTeasers were and I went through my spiel. Her son was busy texting and not paying attention. She picked up a card from WordTeasers: SAT Vocabulary and read it to him. They started to talk. Then he read her a card and they laughed together over her answer. After a few more exchanges, where they were clearly talking, laughing and learning, she looked up at me and said, “Wow! That hasn’t happened in awhile.”  WordTeasers helped them make a connection…and that’s our “wow” factor!

What do you find is your most effective marketing strategy? 

There is no substitute for visibility! You’ve got to be “out there” to be seen. WordTeasers goes to as many trade shows and events that we can afford.

Do you find you have more sales at trade shows, through social media, PPC ads, or a different avenue?

Most of our sales come from trade shows and repeat customers.

What do you think the future holds for your business?

The future is bright for WordTeasers. We are hitting “critical mass,” people are recognizing who we are, and instead of asking what we do, they now ask what’s new!

Without sharing detailed financials can you speak to your growth to this point and why you think it will continue?

Since we started, we have grown more than 20% year over year. But this year, we will probably double our revenue!

Where can you be found online?

Website 

Facebook 

Pinterest 

Amazon 

You can also find us at retailers and in catalog websites from across the country.

Editor’s Note: We’d like to thank Susan for taking the time to do this interview and for the great example of perseverance and networking that the WordTeasers brand is. Susan hit the ground running with her idea by attending trade show after trade show. Doing so provided immense brand awareness with consumers and stores in attendance. The simple, yet catchy idea caught fire, which led to more demand for the product than actual supply. Susan’s explanation of the product and subsequent demonstration of it at trade shows teaches a crucial principle of hands-on customer service. This creates a lasting connection between the business and the customer, which in this case led to return customers for the company. Researching the toy industry gave Susan the ability to tailor her product and create unique selling points that lead to the success of WordTeasers; research should be implemented in a small business development plan. We send our best wishes to Susan and WordTeasers and look forward to seeing this creative, fun card game take the country by storm.

Small Business Success Story – WordTeasers

Attending a trade show is a lot of work – you’ll be walking for miles, talking to dozens of people and gathering tons of information. It can be overload… but it can also be fun if you know what to expect before you get there. In our article this morning, Attending a Trade Show: Plan Ahead, we talked about pre-planning before you get to the show. Once you arrive, it’s important to have a game plan in place so you can make the most of your time and meet the goals you made back at the office.

When You Arrive

After you check in and get your badge, you’ll head to the entrance of the show. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you walk in the door: some trade shows fill as much as 80,000 square feet of space, with hundreds of booths.

I accompanied Kirk Green, CEO of Ferrari Color, for a walk-through of the ISA show, where he shared his trade show floor strategy with me. Kirk likes to start on the left side of the show and work his way down every aisle, taking notes of booths he wants to visit later (Kirk is a veteran trade show attendee, so he was able to do this mentally–I had to take physical notes in order to find stuff later). Kirk pointed out that shows tend to group vendors from specific industries into sections. He’s able to get a feeling for available offerings in each section and focus on those with the most relevance.

As you work your way through the show, you’ll see sales people hanging out in the front of booths, trying to catch your eye and draw you in. This is their job, and they do it especially well at the beginning of the show when everyone still has lots of energy. Avoid getting drawn in during your first run through—you’ll end up spending way too much time talking to people otherwise. If he’s interested in looking over a booth more closely, Kirk steps across from the booth in an unobtrusive spot where he can’t be seen by the sales rep. He doesn’t stop to talk—he just keeps moving at a rapid clip in order to get through the entire show.

Kirk is usually able to get a quick glance of all the booths in the show before lunch. Then he finds a table at the food court and grabs a sandwich. He reviews his findings while eating and makes a general plan for what to see that afternoon, and what should wait until the second day. After lunch, Kirk grabs a free tote bag (these can be found at many vendors and sometimes even at the entrance to the show) and heads off to get more information from the companies he’s interested in learning more about.

Kirk advised me to pay attention to the small booths in the back of the show (the less expensive trade show real estate), “Pay attention to small, fringe booths because you might find something unique or clever. Some of the first software we found was in a small 10×10 booth. Everyone focuses on the big boys, but some of the smaller companies may have some really interesting things.”

When talking to sales reps at the show, Kirk tries to be selective about which information he gives and takes. He says, “Only have your name scanned if you really want to get info. The sales rep’s job is to get everyone’s name. If you know his product is something you don’t want, do everyone a service and say ‘It’s not something that applies to us.’ Take a few select materials—don’t lug brochures, magazines and books all around the trade show floor. Use your smart phone to capture information so that you can visit a company’s website later to get more information.”

After the Show

Once you get home, go through all your collected material and photos while your memory is fresh. Draw up an action list to make contact within one week. Kirk makes sure that everyone at Ferrari Color is updated about the show. He says, “If there’s more than one person in your office, take opportunities to convey the information you gleaned at the show to the rest of your team so that everyone can benefit from your attendance.”

Attending relevant trade shows is well worth your time and money, if you plan ahead and work the show thoroughly. When asked why companies should bother to attend trade shows, Kirk told me, “Trade shows are a great way to stay updated. You get a sense of scale and scope of your industry very quickly that you just can’t get from magazines or Internet.” We agree.

Attending a Trade Show: How to Walk the Show