1. Planning

Since most exhibit companies offer planning and brainstorming sessions at no cost, this part of the process is free – right?

Think again! You need to consider that every hour you spend planning for the trade show is an hour you or your team aren’t doing something else. Now, this is an unavoidable reality of life, but you still need to take this into account when you’re deciding how to maximize your time investment and minimize your hidden costs.

Evo revolves around a partnership mindset, so you get the most out of all aspects of your trade show planning.

2. Shipping & Storage

Shipping and storage are next up on our trade show costs 2018 guide. In addition to factoring these costs into your trade show attendance budget, you’ll want to make sure that shipping and storage are offered as auxiliary services by whichever trade show company you choose to partner with. Third party companies who strictly ship and store exhibits will charge you an arm and a leg for these services, because it’s their primary source of revenue.

Evo not only offers exhibit shipping at reasonable prices, but also puts control back in your hands by shipping absolutely anywhere you want. And if you’re a frequent exhibitor who’s interested in learning about storage options, we have a full range of storage and maintenance capabilities.

3. Sales Collateral

The third item on our trade show costs 2018 guide is sales collateral. You need to have some sort of sales literature to give to your visitors. Your sales literature might take the form of a product flyer, a one-pager, or a short sales brochure. In order to get this produced, you’ll likely have to work with a direct marketing company with its own creative, design, and print teams that will all need to be paid for their efforts.

One way to reduce your costs here is to plan out your collateral needs before you start talking to marketing companies. The more you’ve already done, the less they’ll have to do…and the less you’ll have to pay.

4. Teardown and Set Up

One of the most important components to our trade show costs 2018 guide is teardown and set up services. If you fail to invest in quality teardown and set up services, you run the risk of damaging your exhibit during either activity. This will either result in repair costs (if you’ve purchased your exhibit) or damage costs (if you’re renting your exhibit). And on top of that, an inexperienced crew that is unfamiliar with your booth might not be as efficient, which could result in unplanned overtime costs.

At Evo, we offer in-house set up and teardown services. Our crews have been professionally trained with every one of our exhibit models, because your peace of mind is our priority.

5. Floor Space

Floor space at the trade show venue is another expense that company owners sometimes forget to consider during their initial planning. So we’re covering it here in our trade show costs 2018 guide.

The cost of floor space will vary depending on the show’s location, venue, degree of exclusivity, the size of the booth, and the prominence of the placement (on main aisles and near the main entrance are more coveted) – just to name a few! Some trade shows offer discounts for exhibits over a certain size. It’s always a good idea to book your space as early you possibly can, and try to contact the organizer to see if any discounts are on offer.

Summing Up

Whether it’s set up and teardown services, sales collateral production, or floor space rental, remember to consider all the costs you’ll be incurring. And beyond being objective and realistic, be intelligent and partner with an exhibit company that will work with you to maximize your investment and minimize your costs.

At Evo Exhibits, that’s our specialty.