The Frugal Exhibitor [ongoing]
These days it is scarce to encounter an exhibitor who does not want to save big money on their upcoming show. Nowadays, everyone is a frugal exhibitor. Marketing Impact is as important as ever, but saving money along the way is often a matter of diligence, not sacrifice. Let’s get the conversation started with a few cost saving ideas. This thread is one I plan on reincarnating week after week, as budget-stretching-ideas are a veritable “bottomless well” that, once flowing, may never cease. Today’s ideas:
Drayage - How many shipments MATTERS. If your exhibitor is sending 2 crates to a show (e.g. - for a 20×20 exhibit), and you expect to send a 125 lb. box full of giveaways for the show, SEND THEM TO YOUR EXHIBITOR. By bundling everything together in the 2 crates, you’ll save in the form of a leaner drayage line-item.
A/V - Ever evaluated your graphics costs in relation to A/V costs? It goes like this: How many graphic stills can you show in the course of a slideshow? If your 42″ screen takes up a little more than 2 square feet, but 20 different screen shots effectively communicate your message, then that screen is delivering 40 square feet of graphics. Compare that with what you’re paying for graphics, and you might discover that A/V is often the best and cheapest method for articulating more specified messages or information. This allows the booth to be a pure-bred machine for branding, and those graphics can be reused at subsequent shows- saving you even more money.
Riggers … It’s a rigged game. Hanging signs can be enticing - the idea that a sign 30′ in the air will draw attendees to your remote booth location. Often, however, the attraction is dulled by the overpopulation of exhibit hall airspace. More to the point, however, is the exorbident expense that riggers represent. Often a fairly inexpensive hanging sign will cost $5-$7,000 to hang. Riggers are also called in to do any work that needs to be done above 16-20′ in the exhibit hall. Pay attention to make sure that your design does not call for assembly of items in this height range. If the assembly can be done at ground level, then you’ll avoid the riggers hefty fee when the structure is at it’s full height.
I’d love to hear some thrifty ideas from readers - what’s worked for you in the past? Any ideas you can contribute will help us all!
First of all - great post. It’s nice to know exhibit houses are respecting our unique budgetary needs.
Second of all, while I agree with using A/V “instead of” loading up on graphics (much more bang for the buck) we should consider the cost for equipment rental, electricians and customized panels to mount the A/V (necessary, say, when using a rental exhibit).
Thirdly, you couldn’t be more spot on with the hanging sign thing. While these can allow for greater visibility, I’ve found using the most of your height limit WITHIN THE SPACE is always best. If, for instance, your space has a 20′ height limit, as your designer to create multi-sided branding AT that height. You still might pay for forklifts to accommodate the height but you’ll save in rigging.
Comment by Jen McFarland — May 7, 2009 @ 9:45 am
In this economy, exhibit houses that view a client’s budget as a free-for-all are going to be hard pressed to survive. In any economy, however, part of the task is figuring out how best to leverage a given budget towards a given goal.
You have a good point about the A/V. I find that A/V estimates are almost given lipservice - the components cost $x, and the setup is $x, end of story: We all know from shows that the reality is far from the simplicity we start from. With any labor quote, you need to watch that budget like a hawk. Some companies just decide to splurge on a flatscreen from Best Buy - use it at 4 shows and your investment is paid off. Labor is often an unknown quantity, but the cost of the component can be isolated and reduced if you expect to utilize video at all of your shows (and why wouldn’t you!?!)
Comment by Col. McCormick — May 7, 2009 @ 10:23 am
I think shipping is an under-scrutinized line-item, personally. We used to get a shipping quote that was basically useless because you’d get charged for your shipment to sit around at the dock before it can unload. Now we make sure our exhibit company has a transit company who gives a straight rate. If I can’t get that, then I plan my budget around shipping costs going 10-20% higher. If only we could spend that money on something that actually helped us at the show!
Comment by Greg — May 7, 2009 @ 3:20 pm
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Pingback by Reusable Graphics, Renewed Attendance | Marshall Yard: — May 11, 2009 @ 2:19 pm
We’ve been doing the drayage trick for a couple years now. It doesn’t necessarily save on drayage (likely it’s going to be the same number of crates, same weight…), but it eliminates multiple deliveries and special handling upcharges, and overall we have a better idea of what to expect from drayage costs. I HATE DRAYAGE. Does anyone have a feasible explanation of why it costs more to drive a forklift 100 yards than it does to drive a 53′ traylor halfway across the country? Unbelieveable.
Comment by Stephanie Winters — May 13, 2009 @ 8:21 am
[...] talked previously about how expensive rigging is - a reality faced by many exhibitors when they display at major convention halls [in [...]
Pingback by Visibility: Hang ‘em High, or Stand Tall? | Marshall Yard: — May 13, 2009 @ 8:47 am