PART I OF A TWO-PART SERIES ON BOOTH LIGHTING
by Bruce Baker
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What You See Is What You Sell
PART I OF A TWO-PART SERIES ON BOOTH LIGHTING by Bruce Baker |
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LINE VOLTAGE VS. lOW VOLTAGE |
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"Any lighting supplier should be on the cutting edge of energy efficiency while offering true color rendition," says Chris Brightman of Brightman Design about low voltage and line voltage. A line voltage system is one that you simply plug into an outlet and are ready to go. Line voltage systems are usually easier and cheaper than low voltage systems, yet, both have their advantages and disadvantages. Line voltage fixtures tend to be larger and heavier than the smaller, trimmer, low voltage systems. Weight and size is a huge consideration for craft show applications. A low voltage system requires a transformer to step the line voltage electric down from 110 volts to 12 volts. Some transformers are quite small and affordable, while others are very large, heavy and expensive. Make sure you know exactly what you are getting before you buy a low voltage system. Most of the experts I spoke with advise getting low voltage systems for many applications, because of weight, size, heat, modular effect and quality of light. |
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This Will Be a Two-part Article with the second part appearing in the July issue of TCR. Part I provides tips for identifying the appropriate lighting needs for the work on display. Part II will address some of the more technical aspects of display lighting, including bulbs and how the right bulb will work specifically for your display, as well as how much a lighting system will cost. |
Booth lighting is probably the most important aspect of booth merchandising. Most lighting professionals agree, however, that many craft artists underestimate its power to lure shoppers and drive sales, and it is often an afterthought when designing a booth. For this reason, many artists wait until the last minute to address their lighting needs -- a mistake that is likely to cost them sales.
Experts also agree that artists are mis-informed when it comes to deciding how much light is needed to effectively illuminate a display. There are so many misconceptions when it comes to booth lighting that I hardly know where to begin. Show lighting is complicated, there are no two ways about it; but it can also be broken down so you can easily evaluate your needs and purchase the best lighting system for those needs.
A good starting point: Free resources
The quest for good lighting is a journey, but there is more help available now than ever before. Most of it is free, especially if you have Internet access. If you are not online, the companies listed in the "Resources" box on the next page offer brochures or catalogs. There is a lot of educational information, as well as specific product information, on the Web sites of these suppliers. Check them out before you buy.
What booth lighting can do for your business
A good lighting system that functions at peak performance (for your merchandising method) will boost your sales more than any other item you can purchase. I always say in my workshops, "If people cannot see it, they will not buy it. Customers are attracted to the light and afraid of the dark."
A lighting system may represent a significant expense, but you will reap the financial benefits every time you use it. Most craft artists report to me a 25 percent to 100 percent increase in sales when they add even minimal lighting. If you look at these figures, there is no such excuse as "I can't afford good lighting." If you are in a good show, you can't afford not to have it! It often pays for itself the first show.
 Lighting needs will vary depending on the type of craft being sold. In this booth, a large amount of small-scale work needs to be adequately illuminated. Another consideration in selecting a lighting system is how to hang lighting in the booth. In this case, lighting is attached to the display's poles overhead. Photo by David Egan |
What are your electrical needs and limitations?
The first questions you should consider when determining your electricity needs are: Is there electricity at the shows you will be doing, and how much do you get? Many shows only allow exhibitors 300 to 500 watts of electric power to illuminate their booth. Any light is better than no light, but 500 watts will barely do the job. It is important that you and your neighbors take these limits seriously or your lights may be out more than they are on. Lighting experts agree that additional power that can be purchased in more modern facilities is worth the expense. In most cases, it requires 1,000 watts or more to adequately illuminate a 10-foot by 10-foot booth.
Most experts caution that considering watts alone can be misleading. An old-fashioned 10-watt floodlight will require 100 watts of power to burn. But a modern 50-watt halogen bulb will emit as much light as the 100-watt floodlight. Halogen bulbs yield better color rendition and less heat. More information on this topic will be discussed in Part II next month.
Know your lighting needs
Your lighting needs fall into many categories, so it is important to be able to articulate your needs to a lighting vendor. What are you trying to illuminate or what effect are you trying to create? This is a huge consideration. An artist trying to illuminate 500 pieces of jewelry in cases has a different lighting objective than one trying to effectively light only eight to ten pieces. These are very different jobs, and each will require special equipment, or at least different bulbs.
The color of your booth has an effect as well. Dark background colors in booths generally will require light, especially if there are many pieces on display. However, a very dramatic effect can be created by using one spotlight (with a very narrow beam spread) per piece in a dark-colored booth. Consequently, what you are trying to illuminate and what display effect you are trying to create are important issues to consider before buying any equipment.
RESOURCES |
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Eclectic Lighting and Electric Mark Sholtz (888) 830-9203 www.eclecticlighting.com Brightman Design Dealers Supply Inc. USA Light |
How to hang booth lighting
How your light fixtures attach to your booth is important. Some suppliers suggest using arm lights or lights supported by standards. Track lighting is perhaps the most modular method, but it requires some form of a suspended pole for attaching the track. If your booth is pole and drape (a wall system), attaching an overhead pole to support the track presents no big challenge. But if you do shows where you have no walls, it is difficult to use track lighting unless you provide some type of device to suspend the track. Many lighting suppliers sell this type of device at a reasonable price; however, in most cases, the bases of a suspension system will take up some of your floor space. Keep in mind that electrical codes require that your track needs to be suspended eight feet from the floor.
Recent electrical problems at shows dictate that all electrical devices should be three-wire, not two-wire systems. Many two-wire systems are still sold, but three-wire systems are the wave of the future. It is the belief of several lighting vendors I spoke with that three-wire systems can better endure the nomadic demands of craft exhibitors. Remember, touch fasteners (such as VelcroTM) are excellent ways to attach track lighting to metal frames or showcase lighting to your cases.
A word of caution
Make sure the system you buy is designed and made for your intended use (i.e., that it is appropriate for craft shows -- setting up, breaking down and moving about frequently). Most craft show applications require a system designed to be nomadic.
For this reason, I do not recommend purchasing a system from a large home improvement or furniture store. If you use it a few times and it falls apart, these stores will not be sympathetic because the system was used in a way that was not intended.
Bruce Baker is a jeweler, a gallery owner and a nationally recognized expert on booth design. He and his wife, Nancy Dunn, own two craft shops, Middlebury Jewelry and Design and Sweet Cecily, both in Middlebury, Vt. Contact him to arrange a seminar or to order his cassette, titled "How to be a Dynamic Craft Seller," at (802) 388-3434. Write to him at 40 Main St., Middlebury, VT 05753-1426, or visit his Web site at www.dbakerinc.com.
Copyright© 2001
JUNE 2001: TABLE OF CONTENTS