If you’ve been following the news about industry events, then you know how impactful they can be towards the growth of small businesses. Trade shows provide an excellent opportunity to create networks, promote brand awareness and make sales.
Trade shows offer an opportunity for companies to exhibit their goods and services. While many businesses are now done online, trade shows allow companies and attendees to discover new business relationships and products.
Exhibiting at a trade show is not as easy as it seems. It requires a lot of planning. You should begin your preparation at least two or three months before the exhibition. You can’t just wake up and take your products and services at a trade show and expect a successful trade show.
Competition is stiff and the chances are high that you’ll get lost in the number of booths available and eager attendees.
Luckily, trade show design companies help small businesses in not only designing their booths but also crafting a fantastic exhibit.
But you can’t achieve your exhibition goals if you don’t plan your trade show budget properly. There are a lot of costs that come with exhibiting at a trade that many business owners can easily overlook. Here are some tips to help make your trade show exhibit affordable.
1. Select Your Trade Show Carefully
When planning to exhibit for the first time, you can be easily tempted to attend a popular show. But remember your largest competitors will also participate in such shows.
The secret is to choose a show that your customers or target audience are likely to attend. Do proper research so you can find out the shows that your customers attend and then make your choice based on your findings.
Avoid imitating the “big guys” in your industry so you can get the best value for your money.
2. Avoid Rushing Into The Process
Sometimes you can be tempted to jump into the process. But, it is essential to take time to figure out the design that you need for your trade show booth. It can be costly to change the design of your booth due to varying opinions among the members of your team.
You’ll surely not want to go back and forth with several revisions, as it can be time-consuming and very costly.
3. Define Your Goal Clearly
Don’t ever forget why you are exhibiting. Knowing exactly what you want out of the trade show will help you come up with a proper budget.
Be sure to plan ahead so you can finalize your design on time while eliminating the need for unnecessary revisions.
4. Book Travel In Advance
We all know that the buzz that comes with booking travel services when many people are traveling. It is likely to be the case when you wait until the last minute to book your travel for the trade show exhibition.
We’d advise you to book your travel in advance so you can save money. Also, be sure to bring only the necessary staff. Bringing additional staff will cost you more when it comes to transportation, shelter, food, and more.
5. Don’t Miss Important Deadlines For Trade Shows
The trade show exhibitor’s manual will give you important dates and deadlines. Avoid missing shipping or installation deadlines because when done in a rush, they will cost you more.
6. Demand An All-Inclusive Bill
If you are unaware, many trade show exhibit firms require you to pay a one upfront fee and then charge you a separate bill after the show. But this is not always right.
We’d suggest you choose a trade show exhibit company that has a price guarantee. Yes, you might pay a separate bill for installation and dismantling, but there should be no hidden costs after the show due to the design changes you made.
Some trade show exhibit houses provide various exhibit options from system to modular exhibits and even hybrid designs. All these options can save you money if you don’t want to go for a fully customized trade show exhibit.
7. Consider Future Exhibits
Businesses grow and change. The size of your display space now might not be the same as the one you’ll need in the future. You can save some money by purchasing a custom modular exhibit that can be broken down into different sizes.
In this case, it will not be necessary to buy a new exhibit every time you attend a show. These types of trade show displays also help reduce storage and shipping costs as they are designed to minimize space and maximize savings. Take these tips into consideration and take your trade show displays to the next level on a lean budget!
