How to Save Money at Trade Shows

When done properly, trade shows usually justify the cost and help to generate qualified leads that turn into new sales.  However, as with any marketing activities, you don’t want to pay more than you should.  These strategies can help save significant amounts of money every time you exhibit.

Rent your exhibit.  In addition to providing more flexibility at every show, renting lowers upfront costs versus owning your exhibit.  You don’t pay for storage, maintenance, pull and prep or refurbishment when you rent.

Hire an onsite supervisor from your exhibit house.  Experienced supervisors can lower labor costs by reducing setup time and minimizing onsite mistakes.  If you have issues on the show floor the supervisor has the ability to act quickly and help solve any problems.

Be smart about ordering labor.  Labor is one of the budget line items that can quickly swirl out of control.  Be careful to not request setup labor too close to your move-in time.  Just because your truck is scheduled to arrive at a particular time doesn’t mean that the freight will be delivered to your space shortly thereafter. 

Take advantage of early bird discounts.  The show contractors usually offer deadline dates for discounted pricing on electrical, rigging, drayage and other booth services.  These discounts can add up to a significant savings on your overall budget.

Consider using lightweight materials in your booth design.  Tension fabric is one of the most popular materials that help reduce shipping, labor and drayage costs.  There are a variety of other lightweight materials available (reference Exhibitor Magazine article)

Conduct a pre-show inspection. Make sure that your exhibit house fully stages your exhibit prior to the show, complete with graphics and lighting.  This allows you to spot any mistakes, missing components or damage prior to the show, or to possibly make small adjustments to the layout. 

Use cost-effective design and signage.  Incorporating high-level signage into your booth structure instead of a hanging sign can avoid expensive rigging charges, but still give you the visibility you need to be noticed on the show floor.

Properly estimate your electrical needs.  Be careful to order the electricity that you need in order to run your exhibit and demo equipment.  Ordering too much is expensive, but not ordering enough can create even more expense onsite.  (reference Exhibitor Magazine article)

Consolidate small shipments to the show.  Trade shows typically charge a minimum of 200 or more pounds for each individual shipment that you send to the show.  Consolidating several small shipments into one or shipping them with your booth properties will eliminate these charges.

Don’t miss inbound or outbound target times.  Shipments are normally targeted based on your booth number and location on the show floor.  It is critical that your shipper doesn’t miss these deadlines or hefty surcharges will apply.

Double check your billings at show end.  It is not unusual to find mistakes on the general service contractor billings which must be settled prior to the end of the show.  Carefully review every item on the bill and ask for backup on any questionable items.  Once the show is over it is nearly impossible to dispute these charges.

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Partner Voices
Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”  These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.  Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.  Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.