Expenses that every trade show exhibitor should know to stay on budget

Trade shows are an exciting way to make your company stand out among all competitors. We all know it’s a high-stakes investment to raise brand value, visibility, generate leads, and build strong relationships in the industry. But there is a specific company budget that clients stick to in order to accomplish all those necessities.

All other exhibitors are booking here and there without thinking about the extra costs that will flee from their pockets. So, this blog will help exhibitors manage their budgets and expose all the extra hidden costs they must know to keep their budgets intact.

The most overlooked cost by exhibitors:

Material handling or drayage cost.

Let us understand what material handling or drayage is. When the hired trade show booth builder company ships your materials to the show’s advanced warehouse, the role of show management begins. Drayage is the cost of moving your materials from the advance warehouse to the show floor hall. During the trade show, they keep your storage boxes in their place, and after the show, they will bring your storage boxes back to your booth area.

This is called material handling, and only the show management team handles it. Many first-time exhibitors are unaware of these costs and get worried about the expense.

Fees can range from place to place or show to show depending upon the brand of show management services. While trade show booth contractor companies can’t cover your drayage costs, only the exhibitor or company is allowed to move forward with this step. If your booth design is large or heavy, the overall drayage cost can skyrocket. So, before incorporating your ideas and thoughts, keep your design within your company budget.

Union labor rules & regulations.

Union labor is what you order from the show organizer that will build your booth. Once your booth materials arrive, union labor will set them up. Every venue has different rules and regulations. Not all exhibitors opt for union labor, some go with trade show booth builder company to ensure they will receive a high-quality handover of the booth.

Some exhibitors want to build their own booth irrespective of the fact that they know some facts. Each show follows different criteria. For example, some union labor rules won't allow exhibitors to build their booth without ordering labor services. This will definitely violate their guidelines.

But how to avoid it? It’s simple, once you hire a trade show booth builder like Exhibits Studio, a dedicated project manager will help you understand the rules and regulations of the show.

Design change and last-minute adjustments

It's important to keep your design up to date. Once your dedicated project manager shares the final design, make sure to reply to them and approve the design on time. Last-minute changes can be disastrous. Rushed work can compromise quality and deliverables as expected.

How to avoid this? 
Aim to lock your design at least 45 days before the show. This allows the trade show booth designer and builder company to create their best work without any rush charges.

Exhibit damage and gaps

During the trade show booth setup, materials may be missing or damaged. It's more common than you think, most materials are handled with forklifts and other machines. It can lead to broken TVs or damaged booth parts and graphics.

To avoid this, the best an exhibitor can do is take out insurance from the show management to cover any potential damages. Again the think which is very important is that exhibitor need to choose an experience trade show booth builder like Exhibits Studio. Our project managers are knowledgeable about these show management policies and can guide you effectively, without any risks.

Successful trade show with Exhibits Studio

Trade show success is not solely about heavy displays, AI-integrated products, or color theory. It's primarily about planning and keeping the exhibitor informed about all management rules and regulations. Make sure you're aware of all the hidden costs now. Exhibit Studio ensures you remain under budget with all the above taken into account. Our main focus is to turn our clients' visions into reality while keeping their budget and all risk factors in mind.

Work with Exhibits Studio within your budget, and count on us to support you every step of the way.