Great Ways To Reduce the Cost Of Your Exhibition Stands.

Depending on the information you provide to your stand builder and their ability to handle the complexity of the project, exhibition stands can be very expensive. Obviously, every stand designer has their own preferences for materials and finishes, but there are always ways to reduce costs. 

Starting early, defining your objectives, working with a local stand builder, buying a reusable stand and planning for the long term are the 5 most common ways to reduce the cost of your stand. These are some key points to consider if you are looking to save money, although not all of them may apply to your circumstances.

Define Your Goals

Stand builders know the direct costs of getting things done and the realistic timeframes required because they work in the exhibition industry on a daily basis. In this way, the stand designer will be able to offer the best possible solution (concept) for achieving these goals with the best possible return on investment. 
 

If your objectives aren't clear, this can be a long process with multiple iterations (a design may meet one of your objectives but conflict with another). It's a good idea to do some prioritisation of your goals; what is your absolute number one goal, and what are your secondary goals? Then "nice to have" goals are lowest.

Say you have a hero product and it is critical to have something that highlights its characteristics. In this case, the priority would be to create a bespoke product display stand that effectively showcases your hero product. This structure will help you get the stand design you want as quickly as possible.

Equally, if you have constraints, e.g. budget constraints, it makes sense to communicate these so that the stand designer can comeback to you with a solution that meets your budget; from there it will be a lot easier to find out exactly what you can remove or add to the design (as opposed to not communicating your budget constraints and getting a proposal from your stand designer, which may cost you twice as much, as well as additional time waiting for a new proposal).

Start Early

It's highly recommended to start early - we'd suggest giving yourself at least 3 months. This includes 1 month to approve the design and 2 months to build the stand (ordering materials and labour to build components etc). Of course, the more complex the stand you are designing, the longer you will need to allow. 

It is possible to complete an order more quickly, depending on the complexity of the stand and the schedule of your stand builder. However, not having enough time to build the design you want may result in a shortage of materials or a simplified stand. It's never too early to start thinking about stand design, materials or special orders, even if it's 6 months or more away.

Working With A Local Booth Builder

If you can find a local booth builder, you can save on freight costs, which can sometimes cost a fortune if you are shipping booth components across state lines (depending on pallet size, etc.). Another reason for using a local company is that it can maintain control throughout the process if there are unexpected delays or problems. For example, they will be able to quickly return to the factory and get a replacement if one of your carpet tiles is damaged.

It would be a different story if your contractor had to travel across state lines; all they had was what they brought. Local contractors will also be more cost effective because they understand how the process works (so they will only charge for what they need to) - sometimes if you have to travel across state lines there may be extra expenses that need to be taken into account that will add to the total cost (or an extra hourly rate charged to the exhibitor).

If you are used to working with a local contractor, which you prefer, but the event is in another state, it is possible that your contractor has local partners who can carry out some or all of the work on their behalf.

Long-term planning
Look through your diary and see which events are suitable for your business; if they look suitable, contact the organisers early to secure a good place and any early bird discounts - the more events you book the better, as this means you'll use your stand more often and get more exposure to your customers and industry companies (more networking and partnership opportunities). Also, the greater the number of times your stand is seen, the greater the memorability and the visual impact.

If you are planning to attend events on a long-term basis (several times a year, etc.), it would be very beneficial to share this plan with your stand builder. This will put them in the right frame of mind to suggest a solution that complements your long-term strategy. For example, instead of having vinyl graphics installed on site, you could have them wrapped flat around each wall, which means you don't have to cut the graphics where they meet (when the stand is taken down) - you would always have a professional and consistent looking stand. When it comes to branding, consistency is everything! So this could be the most effective way to reduce your stand costs in the long term.