Five Ways to Blow Your Trade Show Budget

Trade shows are a great way to connect with current and potential clients, but unless you know what you are doing, it can be an budget disaster. Here are five simple and correctable problems:


1. Always read the Exhibitor Manual

Never ever pass it along to someone else to fill in and send out, because you will never know what is in the package. Do you know the drayage rate, the electrician rules, the shipping time frame? If you don’t know, you are wasting your money because you do not know when you are paying fair value or being overcharged, when to complain legitimately, and when to just walk away.

2. Never wait until you are there

Floor prices are your penalties for not thinking ahead. If it costs you $200 to contract before the show when you fill out the forms in the Exhibitor Manual, it may cost you $300-$400 when you walk onto the floor and decide... now I want carpet cleaning, extra electrical or another service.

3. Know the Show Rules

Think you can just build your exhibit yourself? Sorry the Fire Marshal says take it down. Fire codes are local to the exhibit city. Grab fabric, load the exhibit space with literature, etc.? See the Fire Marshal. Hang your own sign or lights? See the local unions or labor force. It will cost you floor prices – or taking down your whole exhibit if you do not know the rules of the show.

4. Staff the booth properly

The wrong staff will send the wrong message. Trade shows are unique and unless there is a clear definition of your purpose at the show, and you have matched the staff to your expectations and the expectations of attendees, it can be a big waste of money.

5. Do not ignore pre-show promos

YOU will be at the show but have you told anyone else? How about your clients, prospects, folks you met at last year’s show, folks you want to do business with? It is so much easier to attract attention before the event than after the show... so let them know you will be there and what you can do for them at the show, as well as after the show.

Take it from me...correcting just one of these can save money. Correcting all five can provide substantial savings.

By Russell Irby, Tradeshow Director and Consultant

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