Budgeting For An Exhibition

Understanding what return on investment to expect will help you to decide whether a specific show is right for you, but there are some costs that you can generally weigh up ahead of time. We discuss the best ways to budget for an exhibition.

One part of the exhibition process is establishing how much total budget you have to spend, and as we are aware, exhibitions aren’t cheap! So, it is worth identifying how you can create impact, and maximise the effectiveness of your event, even with limited budget.

Exhibition space costs can vary wildly, and it’s a good idea to scope out which tradeshows or exhibitions will really meet your needs and where you can save money. While some may offer cheap space – cheap doesn’t always mean value.

Appointment led shows can be more expensive but you are guaranteed meetings with potential customers, others can have large but mixed audiences so you need to choose the right one for you.

Consider if the show is likely to attract your target audience, what other benefits there may be, such as speaking opportunities or the chance to network with potential customers. Furthermore, within the exhibition hall, look at what areas will see the most traffic and footfall, such as where the entrance to the event is. See our tips on choosing an exhibition space that works for you.

TOP TIP Pay attention to placements near Walls, Pillars etc.  Anything that will block visibility of your stand will decrease the footfall. However, if this is all you have left, design a display that will work around the obstruction.

How much does an exhibition stand cost?

Please take a look at our display solutions to get ideas on how our T3 solution can be applied across a host of different spaces.

The good thing about buying a display system is that it is a “one-off” cost that will last for years with the only additional cost being for updating the design or graphics depending on your marketing objectives.

In addition, don’t forget to budget for furniture, carpet, power and any catering you require on your stand as part of your total budget as these things can easily stack up. Many of these extra’s you should be able to do via the exhibition organiser or through your exhibition company.

Don’t forget, with the world going digital and sustainable so dramatically after the last 18 months, perhaps consider lead scanners or QR codes so visitors can download info straight to their smartphones, or so you can show off your product or service on an iPad there and then. The stand engagement choices you make should reflect your target audience.

Remember to think about your stand design too. If your supplier offers a prebuild, although at a cost, it may save you money and stress in the long run. It will help you identify any problems with your display in advance before you get to the event. Otherwise, anything that requires rectifying on site is likely to cost you much more.

Our Top 5 Tips For Maximising Budget

A lot of trade shows run on a first come first serve basis, so it’s ideal to get ahead of the other exhibitors and it will give you time to promote and book meetings with either current customers, or potential clients.

Also sometimes organisers will offer early bird discount prices, so book in advance to take advantage, or play the waiting game and choose to book very late to bag yourself a space at a bargain price (organisers don’t want to have empty booth space on their show floor).

Identifying your event, and its location will determine how much budget you should set aside for travel costs. Not just for your staff, but for your display too! If your event is far away, ensure you have enough budget to accommodate your event team – and think about how they’re going to get there. Use comparison sites to ensure you are getting the best prices for accommodation and travel. If you’re looking to maximise your budget, why not attend and exhibit events that are closer to home?

There is lots to take advantage of with marketing your event, much that is free. Most events provide opportunity for exhibitors to upload profile information, web links, social accounts and images or video for visitors to check out prior to the event. This is either free or included in your exhibitor package costs. .

Additionally, social media is an ideal way to create some noise around your participation. Make sure you use the relevant event hashtags as well as your industry hashtags and include information about the show, dates and your stand location. Create a content plan for pre-show and for live updates whilst at the show, including good reasons why visitors should stop by your stand.

Make sure you send personalised emails to your client and prospect databases. Emailing is a cost-effective channel to reach your interested audience and is a great reminder touchpoint too. Provide good reasons why your audience should come to visit you and if appropriate to your event, encourage them to pre-book appointments with you at the show.

Paid media is also an option to amplify your attendance further but for a B2B show may not be a great use of budget,as there is so many free ways to reach your customers.

Opting For a Modular Exhibition Stand

Over recent years, modular displays have become increasingly popular within exhibitions. There are many reasons for this, including sustainability, ease of use, convenience of transportation and more. Perhaps one of the key reasons is the level of design capability now achievable with modular systems.

One of the great benefits of modular displays is that they don’t have to be throwaways. For your next exhibition, a well-chosen modular exhibition stand, means you can reuse your display as many times as you’d like. There is even the option to reconfigure your framework to fit different locations and different applications!

Opting for a modular solution means you can use exactly the same kit at multiple exhibitions in different sized spaces, you may simply need to pay for new graphics. Find out more about our T3 modular system here .

When it comes to designing your display, there are lots of ways to create maximum impact without over-spending. You need a balance between the functional requirements of your display space and having enough space to talk to visitors!

Whatever your budget, Tecna UK has a stand design solution , so please do get in touch with us to find out how we can help.

Author

Mandy Wooster

Head of Marketing, Tecna UK

Mandy Wooster has worked in the exhibition and events industry for over 20 years running exhibitions in Barcelona, China, Australia, UAE and the US for organisers such as RX Global. She has extensive experience in marketing, content, commercial and VIP buyer roles and is a double winner of the EXHIBITION NEWS ‘Best International Trade Show’ award.