Attending a trade show is a major opportunity for your business. If you do it right, it's a chance to make significant headway on your marketing goals—reaching out to new customers, learning from industry peers, and even forging key business-to-business partnerships.

However, trade shows can also be costly. Between travel, lodging, meals for your team, and your on-site marketing efforts, the dollars can quickly add up. It's tough to prove ROI immediately, as many of your gains will be intangible and only show over the long haul.

That’s why it's critical to draw up a budget before you hit the road and head to the show. Take a long, critical look at your financial expectations and make sure there are no glaring areas where you're over- or under-spending.

Doing the Groundwork to Budget Effectively

Planning for a trade show exhibit can feel overwhelming, especially at a large event where there’s so much to see and do. It’s hard to narrow your focus and come up with a concrete plan, but that’s exactly what you need to do. If you don’t, you risk over-budgeting your money and your time.

Trade show planning is all about making the most of the limited resources you have. According to the Queensland Government business and industry portal, the first step should be to carefully research the event you're attending and create a straightforward list of your top marketing priorities.

Once you’ve clarified your objectives, you can begin to create a budget. Allocate resources in a way that maximises your impact with your target audience. Identify who you're aiming to attract, then structure your plan around achieving that goal.

Spending on the Right Strategic Elements

When budgeting for a trade show, the first thing that comes to mind is usually the cost of the trip—travel, lodging, meals, and so on. But once you're on-site at the event, there's much more to consider.

You need to be sure you’re spending on the right things to get the most out of the show. According to Trade Show Advisor, your budget will be determined in large part by the size and scope of the exhibition. Most trade shows rent out space by area, charging a set amount for each square metre covered. Once you've determined how much real estate you can afford, the rest of your budget will naturally fall into place.

Once you’ve secured your booth space, it’s time to think about the specific ways you'll fill that space. You'll need a booth, utilities like lighting, and of course, stand designers to create a custom stand that will help draw your audience in.

Going the Extra Mile for Elegant Design

One of the most important elements of your trade show budget is booth design. If you have a high-quality, eye-catching booth, it will immediately draw in potential clients and help you deliver a winning sales pitch.

At Exposure Group, we work closely with our clients to figure out exactly how their booth should look and feel. No matter your industry or the type of exhibition, we are committed to helping you design a booth that attracts attention, engages visitors, and supports your business goals.

Talk to us today about how we can start working together to create a standout booth for your next trade show.