Pricing & Purchasing

• Think long-term when setting your budget
• Find out how much displays cost
• Make sure you choose the right vendor

Think long-term

When setting a budget for a trade show booth, it's important to think long-term. With the right planning, a good trade show display will last through dozens of shows with only minimal updates. (See Designing a trade show display for more.)

Thinking long-term will do two things. First, it will let you spread out your costs: instead of spending $5000 on a display for one show, you're spending $7000 on the same display and some new signage for 10 shows. While it may be hard to find a positive ROI from one show, when the significant cost of a trade show display is divided over many shows it gets much more reasonable.

Second, thinking long term should also encourage you to spend a little more upfront. It's worth paying for higher-quality display: the improved durability and flexibility will be worth it in the long term.

How much do trade show displays cost?

In most cases, panel displays are slightly more expensive than a popup displays of similar size and quality. But there is a pretty large variation between different manufacturers and even in different models by the same manufacturer.

Basic panel displays and popup displays typically cost $2000 to $6000 for a new 10' unit. You'll pay more for extras like product display shelves, built-in lighting, and higher-quality fabrics. Larger modular displays, including freestanding podiums and other components, can cost $8000 to $15,000; completely customized displays will set you back $15,000 or more.

Smaller and less complicated displays — tabletop, pipe and drape displays, and the like — are much less, often starting at under $1000. The obvious drawback is that they don't give your booth the same professional appearance that a large display would.

Working closely with a qualified trade show display vendor will help you get the most for your money. You may want to choose a slightly less expensive base model — a few feet shorter, or with fewer setup options — so you can use your budget on better signage and lighting.

If you're just getting into the trade show business, consider renting a display instead. This gives you the chance to make a good impression at a much lower cost. Also, it's fairly common for a company to go to one trade show and decide that the ROI isn't really there, so if you're just evaluating the value of trade shows to your business, it's definitely worth renting a display for the first show or two.

Choosing a vendor

Buying a trade show display by doing a little online searching and picking the cheapest display that meets your needs isn't likely to get you the best results. Worthwhile trade show booth dealers will take the time to talk to you about your needs and help you come up with a great-looking solution that meets your budget: they're not out to just sell you the daily special.

Talk to at least three to five different vendors before choosing one. Pay attention to how they treat you — are they really working with you to find the best solution? Or are they trying to railroad you into the super deluxe booth when you want a mid-range model?

Here at Trade Show Display Zone, we don't sell displays ourselves, but we can help you find top-notch vendors. You can submit a free request for trade show display quotes &mdash no obligation &mdash and get in touch with several different vendors who can help you get the display you need at the right price for your business.