With companies in every market reducing their trade show marketing budgets, financial resources are limited. Reserving space, setting aside time to attend trade shows, and paying for travel and lodging for yourself and your staff can put enormous strain on a dwindling budget.
Meanwhile, the costs associated with the design and construction of your exhibit can balloon if you’re not taking steps to control them. Today, I’m going to give you a few ideas for controlling the costs of your trade show exhibits.
Rent Your Booth
If your trade show marketing plan includes more than a few shows each year, renting an exhibit is probably inappropriate. Instead, invest the money to have an exhibit created that will deliver the impact you need while supporting your brand. On the other hand, if you’re only attending 1 or 2 events each year, reduce your expenses by renting your trade show exhibits. By doing so, you’ll save money on construction and storage. There are a number of trade show vendors who can accommodate your needs and budget.
Buying A Used Exhibit
New trade show exhibits can be expensive due to the time involved with designing and building them. Because used exhibits have already been constructed, you can buy them at a significant discount. In fact, there are many trade show vendors who specialize in pre-owned booths. Those booths are kept in excellent condition and can easily support your banners and other displays.
When your trade show marketing budget expands in the future, invest in having a new exhibit designed. Until then, used trade show exhibits can meet your needs while preserving valuable cash flow.
Avoid Rush Fees
A lot of exhibitors underestimate the time involved in planning for a trade show. As a show approaches, they start to rush. Details begin falling through the cracks. Between renting trade show attractions, training your booth staff, and letting your customers know about the event, don’t forget to plan the design of your trade show exhibits. If you leave it to the last minute, you might face rush fees which can eat into your budget.
Low Budget Doesn’t Mean Low Impact
You can control your costs without sacrificing your exhibit’s impact. Consider renting your booth or buying a pre-owned alternative. If you’re have a new exhibit designed, plan it well in advance to avoid rush fees. Also, it’s worth noting that there are plenty of trade show contractors who can help with installing and dismantling your exhibits. Call the event organizer and ask whether those services are available. A limited trade show marketing budget doesn’t mean that you need to limit your booth’s impact on the floor. Think creatively and plan in advance. You’d be surprised by how much you can accomplish with a small budget.
About the author:
Jonathan Edelman provides helpful advice about trade show strategies. With years of experience in the trenches, he is an expert on booth displays, follow up techniques, and using trade show marketing strategies to boost revenue.
