How To Get A Great Trade Show Exhibit Without Going Over Budget - By: Chris Harmen

When you're faced with a restrictive budget, it may be daunting to imagine good trade show exhibits resulting from such meager funds. It isn't easy to create a strong presence with limited resources, but it is decidedly possible. For best results, you have to plan everything out in detail, be meticulous about tracking every last penny, and be willing to consider designs well beyond the usual booth.

The Importance Of Good Planning

Trade show exhibits and banner stands are only as good as the thought that goes into their design and use. A hastily chosen and assembled booth will never present as well as one that has been in the works for months, no matter how different their budgets may be. Unless you are competing against companies with a hundred thousand dollar display budget, you can outshine them even if they outspend you. It is simply a matter of putting more effort into your design so that every inch is utilized.

Build a scale model of your proposed space as soon as you complete the first draft of its design. Every subsequent change to the trade show exhibits should be registered on this model, and changed accordingly. The idea of the model is to ensure that no money is wasted on a unit that doesn't look right, or won't fit together well. You'll be able to spot potential problems before they become real issues. In addition, make sure that you have a scale model of your display surface. Use this model to explore different text layouts, determining whether or not they will be visually appealing without the full printing expense.

Tracking What You Spend On Trade Show Exhibits

As soon as you are given your budget, start keeping track of your expenses. Find out exactly what that budget covers, and record every item that could be considered a deduction. For example, if your model making and other planning is taken out of a separate budget, you won't need to worry. If it comes from your convention budget, you will need to keep a record of it so you know just how much you have left. There are many computer programs which can keep these records for you. Updating your budget electronically works well because you can easily share the information with colleagues or superiors, and because you will not have to worry about damaging or losing a single copy.

Out Of The Box Designs

The keystone element of successful low budget trade show exhibits is also the hardest to describe. It has an intangible component: excellence of design. There is no guaranteed way to achieve a standout arrangement. The best thing to do is learn about the success that others have had in the past, and hopefully become inspired yourself.

One company presented at a convention using only banner stands. These banner stands were very carefully designed, about three feet wide and nine feet high. There were three of them in total, and at the actual convention, they were displayed side by side. The graphics on these banner stands were designed so that they would span across the three, providing a lot of visual interest and a modern look. The banner stands were a fraction of the price, but the unit still looked like a big booth. Many companies have since copied this look, and it works well for them.

Another innovative design involved combining new banner stands with old trade show exhibits. One company used banner stands like miniature kiosks in the middle of their old unit. Because the new elements were interspersed amongst the old features, people didn't even know that the booth itself was the same one they'd seen last convention. The company spent hardly anything, just the cost of two or three small two foot by nine foot banner stands.

Combining these three elements to create great low-budget trade show exhibits is an art; it's hard to do it on the first try. If you are forced into it and don't feel confident, don't hesitate to work with a professional. The better design companies will offer you consultation assistance anyway, so it might be worth talking to them and getting their opinion. As you complete more low-budget units, you'll gain experience and confidence, and soon you'll be applying these three elements, balancing them, and producing amazing results.

About the Author

Chris Harmen is an author for Skyline, leading producers of trade show exhibits in New Jersey. Skyline specializes in banner stands in New Jersey and other low-cost display alternatives.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Chris-Harmen/89665

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