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We asked and over 400 of you responded with great ideas on controlling your show budget and getting the most from your limited resources. Here are some great reader ideas that can help you to meet your daily budget challenges.
Share with Partners
One of the most popular areas to find cost savings was using co-op or shared resources among manufacturers-distributors or headquarters-local branch offices.
You can share booth space…
Where it’s possible, I have adopted "Subletting" space to local distributors in my booth. This helps in two ways . . . 1. Increase the volume of booth traffic by using local distributor's contact database; 2. As a value-added service to our distributors for local exposure on a larger scale than they are normally used to.
Rick Dunlap, SMC Corporation of America
Or barter for good and services…
Instead of renting some equipment necessary for displaying the machines (dust collectors, etc) work out a deal with the manufacturer to do branding for them and get the equipment as part of the deal.
– Name withheld by request
Or support your channel partners…
I reuse graphics at key retailers across the country. They get use at the shows, but when it's time to change them out for another season, they don't get thrown away. The dealers love them because it helps them brand their own stores and concept shops.
Kristen Cole, InSport International
Plan Ahead
Another important way to save big is to take advantage of discounts that are offered for early commitment and for volume purchases.
I always look at the history of the past shows. Why did my budget get larger than expected - was I late in ordering material, did I sign up late for an annual show that is 100% guaranteed that I will attend year after year? The point is: it’s crucial to be aware of dates and to plan ahead when there is a large amount of money to be spent.
Mary Sessa-Lipsey / LexisNexis
Since we have many trade shows during the year, and represent many different markets, we can combine our orders for shirts or giveaways for multiple shows to get quantity discounts.
Marilyn Corey 3M
Do It Yourself
Of course, there’s always the great American fall-back, Do It Yourself. Among the more effective suggestions were these.
Be a self sufficient as possible. Trade show labor is an exorbitant cost to say the least. We bring our own tools and use our own people to set up and tear down as much as possible.
Sheldon Schiffner WILO USA LLC
I have cut down on rental equipment by supplying my own. While it costs a few dollars more to ship, overall, I save money. This allows me to have more funds for pre-show marketing promotions. An example is we have purchased our own carpet rather than renting. The color matches our booth & style, keeping our brand.
– Name withheld by request
Reduce Shows
Many of you have used show selection as an important tool in budgeting. Here are a couple of examples.
Eliminate shows which provide very few leads and minimal exposure to target buyers.
Judy Ernstoff, Nanonics Imaging, Jerusalem, Israel
I look at several factors to establish [and affect] the budget: 1) Cost to be at show and if they will allow us to have two staffers in the booth. 2) Determine number of attendees. If you divide the number into booth cost and it approaches $1.00, or less, this is a good to very good ratio. (This is always subject to the venue layout and scope of topics at show.). 3) Cost to travel, hotel and meals for the duration of the show. 4) I ask is this a show I want a booth at or just walk the floor. There are cases where sending one person for 1-3 days to walk the floor and maintain business contacts while gaining market intelligence (Trends, Interests, Regulatory Information, etc.) works well and costs much less.
George A. Ivey, Ivey International Inc.
Going to regional trade shows are usually much less expensive (better bang for your buck) and you can see many customers who do not attend the national and international shows due to cost and distance.
Aaron Robinson , Ariake U.S.A., Inc.
Design for Savings
Using booth size and exhibit design is another popular means to get the most out of your show budget and maintain your marketing goals. These exhibitors have summarized what many people related in their responses.
By using a banner stand with graphics that switch out, we now have more versatility with our displays, spending less money overall.
– Name withheld by request
Trying to make booth designs more flexible, ability to ship to more than one show in same package, saving on shipping, material produced for show.
Scott Prater, Mincey Marble Manufacturing
We have tried these options: using the same theme/graphics as our other divisions to save on graphics creation/production, scripting presentations in-house, choosing lighter exhibit property to save on drayage costs, printing smaller graphics on our in-house printers, buying carpet from an outside vendor other than the show services provider.
Emily Giesy, Oce North America, Inc.
More Ways to Save
The final group of responses was also one of the most popular areas for people to stretch those budget dollars. Using tactics that varied considerably but had the common effect of controlling the expenses these exhibitors maintained the power of their trade show marketing.
Decreased the amount of materials taken to the event and suggesting to the customer that we can send materials to them. This has saved on shipping costs, but the real advantage is that we have secured a lead for our database and potential future interaction.
Terri Lupton, CFIDS Association of America
Don't order items you can bring with you. A box under the draped table is free, the wastebaskets they "rent" cost $20.00 each. Don't order chairs...the sales people need to stand up anyway, or they appear unapproachable.
Dawn L. Mickens, Martin Marietta Composites
Instead of having giveaways for all attendees, we reserve higher-end giveaways for those prospects or clients that we have a good conversation with. This helps reduce the cost of wasted promo items. Also, we are always trying to be "organized shippers." We attend approximately 15-18 shows per year; by shipping from show-to-show we reduce the cost of shipping booth materials back to home office then on to the next show.
Kristine Cook, Westcore Funds
I always attend installation of our booth to monitor our labor hours. If set up takes place on Sunday, I request to do some of the set up on Saturday to reduce the amount of double time. Most of the time this option is available.
– Name withheld by request
Resist "add-ons" and have one decision maker that is responsible for the budget. If additional items are requested it must go through the responsible decision maker and be noted that it is not in the budget.
– Name withheld by request
Skyline’s Trade Show Tips sincerely thanks all of you who took the time to contribute your ideas and tips to help your fellow exhibitors.
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