Customizing is the best part of any tent project. It’s when you get to show your customers who you are before you even begin a conversation. More importantly, it has the opportunity to make or break your personal brand.
My name is Nicole Falkiewicz, and for nearly the past five years, I’ve helped numerous brands bring their custom tents to life with TentCraft’s custom printing expertise.
Here are 7 tips to help your tent stand out at your next event.
Make Your White Tent Stand Out
Let’s start with the most basic design of all: A plain white canopy. In some instances, you might be limited to only using a solid white tent, which is sometimes required at trade shows or farmers' markets. In this case, you have to get creative to stand out from the sea of white popup tents.
My top suggestion for white tents is adding a peak flag, which comes exclusively with our heavy-duty MONARCHTENT. Think of the peak flag as the loophole to the white tent requirement. Your tent is still the basic white, but you can print your logo (and any and all colors!) on the highly-visible flag.
I’d also recommend a custom-printed banner with grommets to be used as signage inside your tent.
Custom printed flags with your logo can be staked into the ground, installed into a cross base, or clamped to the tent legs with a spindle. Different shaped flags can make a huge impact!
Keep It Simple
Sure, you can design a really elaborate canopy, but most of the time, simple is stronger.
A majority of our customers opt for a solid background color, a logo on the peak (the top triangular panel), and some basic information on the valance (rectangular overhanging piece), like your business’ name, website, and social media accounts. It’s best to keep the text on the valances bold and large, so it can be seen easily from a distance. Too much information crammed onto the valance can get lost as customers walk past.
Remember, even simple 10x10 tents can look really good.
Full Edge-to-Edge Printing
Custom, edge-to-edge printing is what we do best at TentCraft! We really can print anything with our high-quality dye-sublimation printer named Printy McPrint Face (I’m kidding).
Whether you’re looking for a carbon fiber look to represent your racing team, photos of decadent pastries made in your patisserie, a lovely landscape, or sizzling grill flames — you can literally print anything you can imagine.
Of course, the artwork needs to be a high resolution in order to effectively print on your canopy. Don’t worry, we have templates to help with all of this, and our art team can guide you through this process.
If you need some design direction, our sales team, client service reps, and artists are always happy to assist, and put together a mockup that knocks your socks off.
Wall Panels
Adding custom walls to your pop-up tent creates a more intimate space for you to interact with customers.
When it comes to wall panels, you have a few options. If your goal is to simply block the sun and wind (or separate yourself from your neighbor’s booth), a wall made out of a white or solid-colored polyester fabric does a great job.
Many people opt to custom print their walls for additional branding real estate. Full wall panels and half walls extend up to about waist height, and both can be printed single or double-sided.
I’ve worked with customers who used…
- A double-sided wall as a photo backdrop from the outside
- Half walls to keep products out of sight
- Full walls with clear vinyl windows to cut out the wind, but still be able to see what’s happening outside (a great application for a cross country team!)
- A screen to keep bugs out, but allow airflow
Make it functional: Counters, Table Covers, Lights, and More
The same way accessories can complete an outfit, they can also complete a custom pop-up tent!
Start with the goal of your tent:
- Are you serving food? A plastic counter is perfect for serving and keeping clean.
- Renting out ice skates near a rink? A heater or two can keep you warm.
- Need somewhere to hang your handcrafted quilts at a farmer’s market? An aluminum half-wall bar does the trick.
- Need an easy way to direct your attendees to the right check-in table? A custom-printed table cover is a great option.
Unique MONARCHTENT Roof styles
Want a pop-up tent that doesn’t look like your typical pop-up tent? No problem.
Our MONARCHTENT lineup comes in six different roof styles.
A hexagonal shape (MONARCHHEX) lends itself well to handling ticket sales from multiple lines. The awning of the MONARCHREACH tent juts out on all sides, creating more coverage from the sun for your customers.
How Else Can You Customize a Pop-Up Canopy Tent?
As I’ve mentioned a few times, the opportunities are endless. Here’s a quick lightning round of ideas:
- Tents positioned side by side. Opt to go with multiple tents for a nice layered look, as opposed to a single, larger tent.
- Potted plants. Decorate your pop-up tent like your living room. A few plants can make a big difference.
- Taller head clearance for lights. Our MONARCHTENT can have an interior head clearance of 8’2”, which is tall enough for a small lighting pendant.
- A doggie door fabricated into a wall. This is a cute idea for a pet-related brand.
- Wall panel dividers to create meeting spaces. This is a great idea for trade show booths.
Create Your Pop-Up Tent with TentCraft
Feeling inspired? Send me a note and let’s launch your custom tent project today!
