Like it or not, your exhibiting budget is probably in a race with budgets for advertising, electronic media or direct mail: the best ROI (return on investment) wins. Here are some ideas to consider when designing your exhibition display, which can help you squeeze more out of your exhibiting budget and ensure it’s viewed as an investment, not an expense.
1. Plan Ahead
Don’t just organise your exhibit from one show to the next, instead plan for your entire annual show schedule – or even better for the next three years. Plan all your potential booth sizes for the period, and design all your configurations from the beginning. Figure out what graphic messages you will need to change according to product, division and/or vertical market.
2. Know When To Rent
If you are exhibiting at multiple shows, it’s usually better to buy your exhibit, unless you exhibit at one show in a space much bigger than the rest. At that bigger show, it makes fiscal sense to rent the additional components to fill out your big booth. No sense buying and paying to store all that equipment when you are only using it once a year!
3. Measure, Calculate, Adjust
Be sure to put aside one to three percent of your exhibiting budget to track what is working and what is not. Then you’ll better able to talk your management out of going to that unproductive show when you can prove it gets the worst ROI of your entire program.
4. Shift Unproductive Operating Costs Into More Productive Areas
You can create attractive and functional lightweight modular exhibits (even for your island exhibits) that can save you up to 50% or more on your non-productive shipping and handling costs. It may also reduce your refurbishing and I&D expenditure. Keep the savings or increase spending on graphics, pre- and at-show promotions, more booth staff, or on better ROI measurement.
Design your exhibit to compellingly communicate your marketing message and to provide a great workspace for your booth staff and experience for your attendees. Doing this will help you get the most out of your budget. Then you’ll be much closer to achieving your event marketing success.
If you have more exhibition display design ideas that will help your budget, please share you comments.
