You’ve decided to exhibit at a trade show, now what? Before deciding what type or configuration fits your wants and needs, you’ll first want to consider the following:
- Decide how many shows you plan to attend on a yearly basis – this plays an important role in deciding whether to purchase a custom exhibit or go with a rental.
- Establish your overall exhibiting budget to compare the cost of buying vs. renting.
- Evaluate your storage options – do you have a warehouse or a safe place to store a custom booth that will keep it in good condition over a period of time?
- Get quotes from companies on custom vs. rental booths and don’t forget to confirm what is or is not included with each option.
After obtaining quotes, establishing your budget and setting an estimate of the number of sales leads you want to attract to obtain the most effective ROI, you’re next step is deciding on what kind of booth will best fit your needs, a custom or rental booth.
Which option makes sense for you? Both renting and buying have pros and cons, so let us break it down.
Custom Exhibits:
Volume - If you plan to exhibit at multiple trade shows every year, purchasing a custom booth can be cost-effective in the long run. While the initial investment may be high, it can pay off in the end with repeated use over the year by eliminating repeated rental fees. Consider the pros and cons of the total cost over several years.
Return - Displaying your business with a custom booth greatly increases the chances of a return on your investment. The greater initial cost you have invested in a custom exhibit can pay great dividends for years to come. Various requirements and configurations are figured out at the front end, minimizing design and engineering costs for subsequent uses. Careful consideration goes into how the properties are crated, using cost effective materials and minimizing required assembly work.
Broad Use of Properties and Familiarity for Cost Savings - A custom exhibit is the better option for a large U.S. convention program as properties are generally transshipped from one location to another, resulting in significant savings on shipping and handling. Set-up drawings are created for various configurations and re-used (or modified), saving on CAD drawings. Labor crews become very familiar with the nuances of the properties and become very efficient with installation after continued use. Brand teams and agencies know what to expect and are able to repurpose and reconfigure booth graphics.
Corporate/Brand Consistency/Recognition - To achieve your precise standards and recognition by show attendees, go custom. The look, feel, and colors of your exhibit booth are tailored to order and will be more consistent with your various other marketing messages and advertising efforts. Your company/brand can have a consistent and recognizable appearance around the world, while adapting to the unique look and feel of the brands.
Impact - The custom design of exhibit booths tend to achieve a much greater visual response and draw more attendee attention and foot traffic than rentals. They often appear to be of higher quality workmanship and more sophisticated design – giving an impression about your company.
Custom Booth Breakdown:
PROS:
- Greater consistency in brand presence
- Show-over-show, long-term cost savings
- Ability to transship to multiple shows
- Larger programs typically benefit from owned/reuse property strategy
- No property inventory limitations or availability issues
CONS:
- Total upfront cost is greater and some capital expense may be required
- Reduced ability to customize for individual show needs
- Quarterly storage charges apply
- Some refurbishment needs to be built into annual budgets
On the other end of the spectrum, sometimes it makes more sense to rent rather than to buy custom. Maybe your budget does not align with purchasing a custom booth or you have a short turnaround in terms of design and set-up, or you can’t facilitate the logistics to send your equipment and materials to the location in time.
Rental Exhibits:
Lower upfront cost - What if you’re a small or start-up company with a limited budget, or you’re new to the trade show scene, or you only exhibit at a few shows and not consistently from year to year? Then renting can achieve more bang for your buck, avoiding the significant initial cost of a custom booth.
Flexibility - Rentals are less of a commitment and allow for the ability to change booth design, layout, and size as often as needed. You can modify booth aspects to specific shows, themes or audiences to keep a current, fresh feel tailored to your needs.
Logistics and Booth Support - Companies that offer rental solutions often provide installation, dismantle and support services, which significantly simplifies the process for your team and reduces added stressors regarding the setup, teardown and logistics of the process.
Bundled discounts on products and services - Some rental providers might offer packages that include the exhibit rental, graphics, material handling, shipping and labor.
Concurrent Shows - With a rental, you can avoid schedule conflicts and/or tight deadlines when you exhibit at more than one trade show at the same time.
Unusual Booth Size or Requirements - For a significantly larger or smaller booth size which is not expected to repeat, or a one-time requirement (like a big presentation stage), it may make sense to rent – at least some components.
Eliminate Fees - A rental program allows you to sidestep pull/prep and storage fees.
Maintenance - Wear and tear is almost always a certainty every time an exhibit booth is displayed. Renting gets you an exhibit that looks brand new at every show. You also avoid refurbishing and repair fees.
Organizational Changes - Rentals allow you to easily change and adjust your booth in the event your company goes through a merger, acquisition or rebranding, and other similar occurrences.
Environmentally Conscious - The ability to reuse rental properties is eco-friendly. Also, you avoid any potential disposal or recycling fees.
Rental Booth Breakdown:
PROS:
- Initial upfront cost-savings and no capital expense
- Flexibility to customize to individual needs
- No storage charges
- Typically appropriate for smaller programs
CONS:
- May result in an inconsistent brand presence
- Updating show-to-show could result in increased account, design, detailing, and I&D time
- Larger programs typically benefit from owned/reused custom booth strategy
- Lack of property options due to potential inventory limitations or availability issues
So which is best for you, renting or buying a custom booth? The best way to decide is to review your requirements, weigh your options and evaluate the pros and cons as they pertain to your specific needs. Looking for more information about rental booths? Request a quote today!
