Summary:
- Banner stands are a versatile marketing tool, especially for trade shows and exhibitions. With Canva, you can easily design banner stands using their simple features and our free templates.
- Banner stand sizes depend on the intended location. Smaller sizes are ideal for indoor spaces, while larger ones are best suited for convention centres or other large public spaces.
- Add custom photos and text to your banner stand design in Canva by replacing the template’s placeholder images and text. Make sure your images are of print-quality resolution.
- Customize your banner stand with various font styles, sizes, and colors provided in Canva. Also, consider placing the key message where the largest and most attractive image is, as that’s where most people will naturally look first.
- Once the design is complete, save the image in the correct format and send it for printing. Little Rock Printing™ can ensure that your design gets the high quality print it deserves.
Banner stands are fantastic for trade shows and exhibitions, and are portable enough to be set up in a variety of locations. All that means they’re versatile marketing tools for a large range of businesses and other organizations. But creating and printing eye-catching banner stands for your audience demands a design that will distinguish itself from others—so what’s your best approach?
See also: Banners vs. Banner Stands vs. X-Banner Stands: What’s the Difference?
We’re here to help. Below, the Little Rock Printing™ team presents a comprehensive step-by-step guide you can use to create the perfect design for your new banner stands. Discover how to locate a template, select images, customize fonts, and more. Let’s get started!
See Also:
Getting Started with Canva
Canva is a complimentary online design tool that makes graphic design easy for anyone. With a significantly more approachable learning curve than other design programs and an impressively diverse feature set, Canva helps you generate visuals for all types of print and digital materials.
Using Canva is straightforward—simply drag elements from the toolbar on the left side of the screen and drop them into your canvas, where you can adjust their properties. We’ve designed print-ready Canva templates for banner stands and a broad spectrum of other products, including calendars, business cards, and more—so you’re never confined to just one type of print product!
Create your Canva account here if you don’t have one yet. Once you’ve done that, it’s time to select a template for your design.
Step 1: Choose Your Banner Stand Size
When you visit Canva’s banner stand design page, the first thing you’ll have to do is decide on the size of the stand you’re creating. You’ll have several options here:
- 23” x 63” banner stands are ideal for smaller indoor spaces like offices, where you’ll want to draw attention without taking up too much space.
- 33.5” x 80” banner stands are ideal for convention centres and other large public spaces where you’ll want to capture the attention of people at a distance and bring them over to you.
Both of these sizes are widely used in the industry. Selecting either option will guide you to a list of templates where you can find a solid starting point for your design.
For Best Results
- Consider your message and prepare some images beforehand (this will make choosing a size simpler).
- Consider signing up for a Canva Pro account if you don’t have one. This isn’t essential for creating awesome custom banner stands, but a Pro account will provide you access to additional stock images and premium options, giving you even more control over the final product.
Step 2: Add Your Own Photos
Any banner stand template you select will come with pre-set photos—but of course, you’ll want to provide your own! To do that, right-click the existing image and select “delete” from the drop-down menu that appears.
Next, go to “Uploads” on the left side of the screen. You can either drag media into this field directly from your computer or connect a social media account to import photos from it. Canva lets you connect Google Drive, Dropbox, Facebook, and Instagram.
Now you can drag your images onto the canvas itself, where you’ll be able to move, rotate, and resize them. To make one of your images the background for your banner stand, right-click it and choose the “set as background” option.
For Best Results
- Use a print-quality resolution for all images—at least 300 dpi.
- Drag the corners of each image to resize it so that it fits your design.
Step 3: Customize Your Banner Stand’s Text
Banner stand templates will have placeholder text along with images, so be sure to replace any text fields with your own words. You can also delete the fields you don’t need or add new ones if necessary.
For Best Results
- Ensure your banner stands include the primary information that aligns with your organization’s objectives. Most people will naturally read the section with the largest and most attractive image first, so that’s also where you should place your key messaging.
- Include the rest of your important details in a visible and accessible part of the banner stand—like your logo, call to action, and more.
Step 4: Pick Your Fonts & Details
Canva provides access to an extensive selection of different fonts (and you can even upload one of your own if you have Canva Pro). Simply click any piece of text on your screen, then click the font menu that appears at the top of the screen.
In addition to altering the font style for each piece of text, you can change the size, color, style elements (like bold, italic, and underline), add bullet points, and other features.
Canva offers you similar flexibility with graphics, backgrounds, and other elements of your banner stand design as well, so don’t hesitate to experiment! Remember, you can always hit “undo” if you do something you don’t like.
For Best Results
- Opt for easy-to-read fonts, especially in areas with smaller or longer blocks of text.
- Choose font colors that contrast with your background, and arrange text over areas with flat colors instead of busy backgrounds.
- Avoid placing too much small text at the very bottom of your banner stand—you don’t want people squatting or bending over to read it!
Step 5: Download & Submit Your Print-Ready Design
Once you’ve finished designing your banner stand, simply save the image in the correct format and send it to us at the same time as you place your order. Follow the steps below to ensure you send us a design that will look stunning on your new banner stands!
For Best Results
- Click “Share” in the top right of the screen
- Click “Download” from the drop-down menu
- Select “PDF Print” under “File Type”
- Select “Crop marks and bleeds”
- Select “CMYK” under “Color Profile”
- Hit the “Download” button at the bottom
Trust Professional Printers with Your Banner Stands
Designing custom banner stands is easier than you might think, especially when you follow the steps above! With Canva’s accessible tools and our top-notch print services, you can get banner stands that show off the best aspects of your business. Learn more about what to expect when printing with us or get your order started now when you contact Little Rock Printing™ and speak to one of our printing pros.
