f you've attended a tradeshow, conference or annual meeting lately, you've probably noticed that more companies in the payments industry are taking a more participatory role in the numerous events happening around the country.

Presentations, breakout sessions, equipment expos and networking at trade shows are all ways to increase industry knowledge, but considering the investment in travel and staff time that companies make to attend the events, having a booth brings a better return on that investment.

Tradeshows are one of the best marketing tools around. Exhibitors gain access to an audience that's not only captive, but highly targeted. As attendance numbers at industry gatherings go up, organizers of regional and national meetings have also reported increases in the number of vendors that pay to display at their events.

In fact, would-be vendors expressed so much interest in having booths at several recent shows, planners had to either find overflow space to accommodate them, or turn them away. The message is clear: Tradeshow expos are the places to be.

But most companies don't have dedicated event planners on staff. What happens when your company decides it's time to make the leap from attendee to exhibitor, and elects you to pull a booth together in time for the next show? The pressure's on: Colleagues want a dramatic look that stands out, but they certainly don't want to blow the budget to decorate the booth.

Here's your secret weapon: Digital Industries of Jacksonville, Fla., is a company that specializes in large format graphic printing and is a complete source for fabric, vinyl and paper products for banners, displays, signage and other promotional wide format applications.

Digital Industries offers five turn-key tradeshow exhibitor packages that bring high-quality graphics and booth displays to smaller companies that don't have convention center-sized budgets.

The idea is to be the one-stop source for tradeshow gear and make it easy to create as impressive a booth as possible, said Jim Burns, Digital Industries' President.

"Going to a tradeshow is a major investment, and the expense can be burdensome," he said. "We have everything you could potentially need at a very competitive price. We want to take the confusion out of your endeavor."

Ranging from "Bronze Economy" to "Platinum," the five packages include combinations of accessories to make any 10' x 10' booth space stand out: table covers; retractable banner stands and "pillowcase" covers for an "all ad" look; banners; carpets; table-top posters; directors' and captains' chairs; four-color brochures and fliers; literature racks to put them in and even a shipping container to make sure it all gets to the show intact.

The company will also create curved tension fabric structures for backdrops and overhangs to add drama and depth to booth spaces and embroider shirts for a coordinated look.

Burns said that one of the strong points of Digital Industries' program is the reasonable cost. Companies can have a complete booth set-up for as little as $1,499 for the Bronze Economy package; the others are $1,999 (Bronze); $4,499 (Silver); $5,399 (Gold); and $6,999 (Platinum).

Digital Industries does all printing in-house. This includes everything from the large format fabric printing to 1,200 x 1,200 dpi color laser printing for brochures and binding for annual reports or financials. On-staff graphic designers work with clients to build a look from the ground up or to ensure the proper processing of electronic files.

Digital Industries specializes in a print process known as dye sublimation, which clearly and brightly recreates the design and colors on fabric in wide and superwide formats.

Dye sublimation takes colored ink from a solid state and turns it into a gas. Through high temperatures on a giant heat transfer press, the ink is gassed into polyester fabric. Unlike screen printing, where the ink lies on the surface, the gasses are actually infused into the threads of the fabric, dyeing each filament for vibrant, long-lasting color.

The resulting "color pop" is far superior to other printing methods, and fabric has several significant advantages over vinyl or paper, Burns said.

"It's wrinkle-resistant, you can fold it and launder it," he said. "You can squirt mustard all over the table cover, throw it in the laundry, and reuse it over and over."

To learn more about Digital Industries' turn-key tradeshow packages, visit the company's Web site at www.digitalindustries.com or call 888-955-4040 and ask for Jim Burns.

If you've been handed the assignment of planning a knock-out booth for your company, don't despair. Here's another secret weapon that will make your job easier: Burns offered readers of The Green Sheet a discount on tradeshow materials when they call and mention this article.