Top 10 Tips to Maximise Your Exhibition Budget

Whether you’re a first-time exhibitor or a trade show veteran, one of your primary concerns will be your exhibition budget.

There are lots of costs to consider when it comes to exhibition budgeting, and if you don’t monitor your expenses carefully, you will soon see your budget disappear along with your prospects of achieving a good return on investment. 

You could choose to purchase a budget exhibition stand, but these typically lack the impressive visuals you’ll need for a successful exhibition. Instead, to maximise your exhibition budget, we have put together a list of cost-saving tips to help you manage your costs effectively. Check out our top ten exhibit budgeting tips below:

One of the best ways to save money on exhibiting is to start your exhibition planning early. Although there is no such thing as “too early” when it comes to exhibition planning, we recommend 9-12 months for the best rates. 

In events, the earlier you book, the better the discounts. Organisers often offer early bird discounts to incentivise exhibitors to book their places. At some shows, this can lower floor costs by up to 25%!

Likewise, many exhibition stand design and build contractors offer discounts to early bookers, as it allows them to allocate resources and stagger production. Since floor space and the exhibition stand use the largest proportion of the budget, this shift alone can save considerable money. If you save 10% on every stand booked, you could save thousands across the year.

Early booking also impacts staff expenses like hotels and travel costs; however, the potential savings differ based on the distance of travel and the number of staff, among other factors.

A great way to maximise use of your trade show budget is to consider your entire exhibition calendar as a whole.

There are a few reasons why this is beneficial. The main benefit is for those with modular exhibition stands, as planning ahead means that the stand can be designed with the future reconfigurations in mind, requiring as few new panels as possible. This extends the exhibition stand investment!

As well as reconfigurations, some contractors offer discounts for package deals.

The most effective way of maximising trade show budget is to invest in a reusable, modular exhibition stand.

One-off disposable exhibition stands are extremely expensive, and after the two or three-day show, they’re thrown into landfill. This means you could be spending £10,000 – £50,000 per event. Modular stands are different, as you invest in one stand, which can then be reconfigured to a range of different stand spaces and sizes. Your first event may cost £14,000, but your reinstallation costs might be £4,500. This extends one investment across the entire event calendar!

If you have exhibited before, you’ll know that hidden/unexpected costs can very easily throw off an event budget.

This is why we always recommend carefully researching and anticipating factors which could become an exhibition spend, no matter how small or insignificant they seem.

Elements such as electrical costs, staff expenses, and travel fares may seem inconsequential, but they can lead to significant overspending if not considered during the planning stage.

Electrical fees are by far one of the most important elements to consider, as the costs can be much higher than a missed staff meal or train fare. Prices for sockets can cost upwards of £200, so if you have a lot of lighting features, it is easy to go over budget.

As these services have to be booked directly with the show’s electrical contractor, the rates you pay for this are out of the hands of your exhibition stand designer and builder. However, your contractor will be able to tell you how many sockets will be needed for your stand, giving you a rough idea of the costs.

If your electrical costs are over budget, you can reduce the amount of tech on the stand or use LED lighting.  This way, multiple lights can be connected to one multi-plug extension, reducing costs. Also, as LED lighting uses minimal wattage, you are often charged less.

Many companies include AV features and furniture hire in the overall stand cost, which can sound tempting, but usually means you are paying an inflated rate.

When contractors offer bundle deals like these, it usually means they have a limited library of options kept in-house, or, in most cases, it means they are hiring them from third parties and adding a huge markup to your price.

You can make significant savings on your exhibition budget if you hire these extra items separately yourself.

Exhibition companies that don’t offer these bundles will still have the same connections. They should be able to advise you on what products you need and put you in touch with the most reliable suppliers, allowing you to book directly at a lower cost.

This ties into the point above, as the key to maximising your trade show budget is understanding how exhibition stand contractors work, and where they are spending your money.

If you’re working with a contractor who subcontracts elements of the work, you will not gain the same quality-control measures as a contractor who works in-house. Since the company is handing over the work, they are also handing over control, which can lower the quality of your stand. And, since the contractor needs to pay the third party, you will likely be charged a higher rate. Essentially, you’re paying more for less.

To maximise the return from your investment, you are better off selecting a contractor who works entirely in-house.

One of the best ways to maximise your trade show budget is to break down your spending limits beforehand. When you have a clear number and guidelines to work with, it is much easier to be intentional and creative with how the budget is used.

There are many guidelines online about how much to invest in your exhibition stand, but your individual number will depend on your goals and objectives. Your exhibition stand might require from 25 – 50% of your total exhibition stand budget!

On a hire plan, like our Free-Hire Pro, the exhibition stand contractor will usually bear the responsibility for exhibition stand storage. However, if you’ve purchased the stand, storage is another potential cost to consider.

We always say, if you’re buying an exhibition stand, consider storage in the early planning stages. Storage costs vary based on the number of times you’ll need to retrieve the stand, its size and distance from your premises. Make sure to explore all options.

While everyone loves a full-service plan, where the contractor handles all of the logistics, installation, and dismantling, self-building can save you considerable money. You will bear more of the responsibility, and would need to participate in training, but if your team is happy to put in the extra legwork, it’s a great way to gain more out of your trade show budget.

At Quadrant2Design, we offer Buy-to-Self-Build and Hire-to-Self-Build plans, which give businesses full control of the build. Clients can move between our purchase and hire plans, and explore assisted install options, to suit evolving requirements.

The best way to ensure a good trade show return on investment is to invest in your exhibition stand design. This is the one area of your exhibition that you really shouldn’t cut corners, as your stand is the physical representation of your company at the show.

Your exhibition stand is responsible for making you visible in the hall, drawing in leads, and making an impression that lasts beyond the event.

By employing the tips above, you can save thousands on your exhibitions each year. If you can invest even just a small amount of the money back into your stand, to improve the design, include engagement features, add height or move elements, you will likely see a greater return on investment.

At Quadrant2Design, our stands are modular, and so, you can build on the design as your budget expands. If you would like to talk with one of our design consultants about how to make the best use of your trade show budget, contact us today. Email design@quadrant2design.com or call 01202 723 500 for a free, no-obligation design proposal.