A Third Way, Part 1
Rent or buy? It’s the first question that budget-challenged exhibitors looking for a basic exhibit plan ask themselves, but it’s not necessarily the right question. The question ought to be: what kind of exhibit do I need to pass muster with my audience and appear sufficiently well established?
Too often, firms will go with a rental exhibit provided by the show’s general contractor. These exhibits are convenient and price pointed at about $36.00 per square foot, but they are nearly identical to the show promoters’ registration centers. This has two bad effects on a company’s exhibit marketing program. First, its “cookie cutter” appearance means that it will blend in visually with the rest of the show and other start-up exhibitors that are also renting -- rendering it as good as invisible. Just as bad, these exhibits prominently feature a cheap-looking metal extrusion as a building block. It’s not very attractive.
What should you do?
Fight for your budget! It’s crucial to set aside a budget that is adequate enough to create an exhibit that will send your company’s message. As an example, a 10’x 20’ exhibit budget should be figured at no less than $150.00 per square foot, so that means your dead minimum budget for this kind of exhibit will be $30,000.
Go with a Pop-Up: For companies on truly restricted budgets, pop-up exhibits are an excellent alternative. Aside from being inexpensive and easy to transport and assemble, they also provide plenty of free space for graphics.
Go with a Hybrid Exhibit: What do we mean by that? We’ll tell you in the Part II…See you next month!