Across all industries, we can agree that exhibiting is expensive. The reason it’s so expensive is because it’s the most effective way to get your branding and messaging out to the people who need to see it the most. Whether you exhibit once a year or multiple times a year, there are many costs to take into account. There’s the trade show booth space, the all-in cost of your trade show booth rental, transportation, accommodations, per diems for booth staff, and potential hidden costs that pop up. Some of these costs are harder to control and can depend upon marketplace demand. To maximize your trade show budget, focus on what you can influence and control- the cost of your trade show booth rental. Try the following tips:
Plan Your Trade Show Booth Space Conservatively
One of the best ways to maximize your trade show budget is to start with the booth space itself. When you select a conservative space instead of a larger more grandiose space, you save yourself the pain of trying to maximize your trade show booth rental budget to fill that space. By selecting a conservative space on the trade show floor, you’re better able to work within a potentially tight budget for your trade show exhibit.
Work with a Full-Service Exhibit House for Your Trade Show Booth Rental
There are many exhibit houses to choose from when you’re seeking a trade show booth rental. However, not all are all inclusive or full-service. The difference with a full-service exhibit house is that they do not have to contract out to other vendors to fabricate, ship, or install your trade show booth rental. This can make a significant difference because exhibit houses that contract out to vendors want to make their cut on top of their price. That means that you’re paying even more for the same service- whether it’s installation and dismantling or shipping, fabrication, and more. Save yourself some money up front by working with a full-service exhibit house instead for your next trade show booth rental.
Start Your Trade Show Booth Rental Design Early
There’s great benefit to starting the design process early. Not only does starting the process early relieve your stress but it also helps you to take control of your budget. You’re better able to predict what your overall all-in trade show budget will be. You’re also able to avoid last minute rush fees on your trade show booth rental. The old adage says the early bird gets the worm and that happens to be true. By starting early, you’ll have more time to not only perfect your trade show booth rental design, but you could potentially take advantage of early bird pricing or discounts. Consider starting your design process between 8 and 10 months in advance of your next trade show to take advantage of these benefits.
Consider A Multi-Show or Multi-Year Contract for Your Trade Show Booth Rental
A great way to save on your trade show booth rental is to sign a multi-show or multi-year contract. If you only exhibit once a year, this makes great sense and allows you to make a bigger change to your trade show booth rental at the end of the contract. Alternatively, if you’ve got multiple shows within the year, this allows you to lock in your pricing for your trade show booth rental for all of these shows during the year. These kinds of contracts allow for price reductions that can help exhibitors to keep their overall budget down over time and realize the benefits of their trade show booth rental.
Strategize Where to Spend Your Money and Where to Scale Back
If we could all have the budgets of industry giants, we’d be in a great place. However, there are few exhibitors that could honestly afford the price tag associated with some of the show stopping exhibits on the trade show floor today. With that in mind, you can still have something truly eye catching and wonderful if you’re smart about where you spend your money on your trade show booth rental. Ask yourself if you need some of the pricier elements such as LED curtains circling your meeting space or if you can accomplish a similar look using sheer fabric and some overhead lighting. These are the kinds of choices that can affect your trade show booth rental budget significantly. It’s not the small items like removing a chair or two, it’s the complex design elements that you can accomplish in another way that affect your trade show booth rental budget.
These are just a few of our suggestions for maximizing your booth rental budget. In our decades of experience, we’ve seen it all and can recommend many different options for the budget conscious exhibitor. For more great ideas, consult your exhibit house partner, who can guide you through the process.
