How to Save Money on Exhibiting

It’s no secret that trade shows are a powerful platform for business. They bring a wealth of benefits, such as increased brand awareness, qualified leads hoping to source products, lead generation and direct sales!

However, there’s no getting away from it; they’re an investment. Costs such as the stand space, stand structure, electrics, travel and staff expenses are unavoidable, and they can rack up. But don’t fret, in this guide, we share the best ways to save money while exhibiting.

While it sounds simple, the best way to lower exhibition stand costs is to plan and budget before the event. It’s important to be realistic about the amount that you want to invest in your exhibition presence, as this influences all the decisions that follow. By setting a clear, realistic budget, you can comfortably plan exhibiting costs and avoid any hidden costs or financial surprises down the line. Without this, it can be easy to overspend down the line.

Exhibitors can make significant savings by being proactive and booking floor space, exhibition stands and hotels early.

Many event organisers offer early-bird discounts for early bookers, and they can range from 5-25%! These discounts allow organisers to generate event buzz and immediate revenue, while rewarding proactive exhibitors.

Discounts are not just popular among organisers, but also among exhibition stand contractors. We offer early bird discounts as early bookings help us with resource allocation. Since these early bookings save us time and money, we always like to pass this on to our customers.

Hotels and travel fairs are often significantly cheaper when booked in advance, making this an easy area for cost-saving.

Don’t forget to barter with organisers, especially if you plan to attend more than one show organised by the same company; they may offer a bulk discount. Look out for offers like free catalogue listings, and promote your attendance on social media using the exhibition hashtag.

If you’re looking for significant exhibition cost savings, invest in a reusable exhibition stand which is both high-quality and reusable.

Custom-built exhibition stands are expensive and, unfortunately, disposable. If you are exhibiting at more than one exhibition per year, this can make your event calendar very expensive.

When you opt for a high-quality, modular solution, your investment is spread across multiple events, making it a more economical choice; however, quality matters.

Make sure the modular solution you choose is designed for long-term reuse, as the quality of the stand and design are what preserve your investment.

At Quadrant2Design, we offer three service plans: Free-Hire Pro, Hire-to-Self-Build, and Buy-to-Self-Build.

Modular exhibition stand contractors often offer hire plans, where you can invest in graphic panels and hire the hardware free of charge. This can be a more affordable option than purchasing outright or opting for a custom-build. On our Free-Hire Pro plan, exhibitors can save up to 60% savings of the initial purchase amount at subsequent shows.

If you want to save money at your exhibitions, consider using a “brand first design” on your exhibition stand. We already mentioned the benefits of hiring a reusable exhibition stand, but if you want to extend your investment even further, focus on using evergreen content and core branding for the graphic design, using AV and literature for less permanent branding. This limits the number of new panels that you will need to buy, extending your initial investment for as long as possible.

Here are some examples of brand-first designs:

It can be tempting to take your entire team to an exhibition. Events offer good learning opportunities, and a large team can make the process feel easier; however, the more staff you bring, the higher the costs will be. Focus on the quality of staff at your event, rather than the quantity, to bring costs down.

Discuss electricity costs with the organiser and your exhibition stand contractor from the get-go. Organisers charge anywhere from £200 to £800 for basic electrics, but can go above £1000 for very complex setups. Costs also depend on the number of sockets.

If you’re on a very tight budget, it is worth speaking openly with your contractor about your lighting options. While audio-visual displays and interactive features can certainly enhance a stand, they might be better left out of your design, instead focusing on LED lighting options, which are typically lower wattage and require fewer plugs.

Exhibition stand contractors sometimes charge a premium amount for late orders, so it is important to book early.

Branded giveaways can elevate your trade show appearance; however, they’re expensive to buy. If you’re thinking of including giveaways, either shop around for bulk discounts or take a more selective approach and offer fewer high-value products to higher-value leads. That way, your gifts are reserved for those who will really appreciate them.

Exhibition stand storage is one of those exhibition costs which is very easily forgotten during the exhibition planning process. With Quadrant2Design’s hire plans, storage is complimentary (so long as exhibitors exhibit at least once a year). However, for purchase clients, storage is an additional cost to factor in, and it’s best handled at the beginning of the process, where you have the time to find the most cost-effective option. Consider the frequency of retrieval, stand size and storage location.

It may sound simple, but one of the easiest ways to save money at an exhibition is to select a smaller stand. Sometimes exhibitors feel pressure to go big at their event, which can be fine, but when it comes at the cost of quality, it’s not worth it.

A small, but high-quality, well-designed stand is always more effective and will bring costs down significantly. For more info, read our guide: How to Make a Big Impact in a Small Stand Space! 

We hope we have been able to help you pinpoint some of the areas in your exhibitions where you can reduce costs. While modular, reusable exhibition stands can bring the greatest return on investment, all of these tips can have a significant influence on your overall exhibiting costs.

If you’re calculating the cost of exhibiting, you may also be interested in maximising return on investment, or measuring your trade show return. These guides give you all the information you need to know!

At Quadrant2Design, our exhibition stands are custom-designed to meet your individual brief and budget. Speak to one of our experts for a unique design proposal and quote, which is completely free and without obligation. Give us a call at 01202 723 500 or email us at design@quadrant2design.com for a free, no-obligation design proposal.