Taking part in trade shows in the United States can be pretty expensive. What more, the costs can quickly scale-up. By the time you arrive at the final cost, the figure would be much more than your budget figure.
Your participation in any trade show is possible only with an exhibition stand booth. You need a stand booth to showcase your brand and offerings, engage with prospects and partners, and conduct business deals.
As a physical space that highlights your presence; and impacts your brand’s perception among the audience at the trade show, its role is invaluable.
What about its cost? How to put a cost for it?
As per estimates, it roughly makes up 50 percent of a trade show budget. You will need to fork out half of the stand booth budget on just its design and physical make-up. But then it’s worth it as you stand to benefit from a visually pleasing and impactful stand booth that can make a tremendous difference to your presence at the trade show.
HOW TO PUT IT?
The cost of an exhibition stand booth varies significantly. In terms of the US dollar, they hover between $500 for basic ones to $10,000 for more detailed ones.
The ultimate price is however influenced by a host of factors. Each of which plays a critical role in arriving at the final figure.
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1. DESIGN CONCEPT
The stand booth’s design is a key factor. It is driven by
- Amount of time, creative skills, and manpower expended on the design. This is especially more so in the case of a unique design.
- Design intricacy. It significantly impacts the cost. The more intricate the design is, the more it will cost. That’s because the design will require specialized design techniques, extra manpower, and longer labor hours. They all put together impact the final price.
- Small details that enhance the design’s look and feel like curved corners, etc. In fact, in many cases, they affect the final price the most.
- This is attributed to the fact more time, people, and money necessitated by the use of CNC machine gets expended on adding curves to the design. According to estimates, around 40 to 50 percent gets added to the design cost.
To bring down the final cost, it’s recommended to invest in the right design that best suits the trade show’s requirement. Once that’s done, then the cost of the rest of the design process comes down to a reasonable level. Ultimately, the final price will be more reasonable and cost-effective.
2. CUSTOMIZATION
If you’re looking to get a stand booth customized to match your brand identity, then be prepared to shell out more. They play a key role in final stand booth cost as they in many cases involve additional costs. Carefully consider your budget constraints and branding needs before deciding on the level of customization.
If this does not fit your needs, then go for either modular or pre-designed stand booth. They are more cost-effective as they come with minimal customization.
3. MATERIALS TYPE
The type of materials that goes into the making of stand booth needs to be considered carefully. Different materials entail different costs.
Two aspects impact material type cost. They include,
- Market price: All materials from wood to glass, metal, etc, are subjected to the vagaries of market price fluctuations and availability in the market. If there is a shortage, then it will greatly impact the price. The material price will shoot up and add more to the final stand booth price.
- Material make-up: Even a small change in the material can leave a big impact on the final cost. If the material make-up is complex, then it will further impact the final price.
- Material construction: The less time it takes to construct the material, the less it will add to the final price.
4. COMPONENTS TYPE
Stand booth components cost can make-up a large portion of the stand booth cost. They can scale up to approximately fifty to eighty percent of the total cost.
Basically the cost depends on
- Type of components opted for. There are several options. The more sophisticated the components are, the more it will cost and add to the final cost.
- Category of components chosen. If you opt for a component that’s not used often or are rare, then it will cost more and add to the final cost. Commonly used components on the other hand cost much less.
- There are several ways that can be tried to bring down components costs; like for instance, renting them rather than going in for one-off purchases. Else, different stand materials and finishes can be tried to reduce the cost.
To bring down the cost, it’s advisable to contact the stand booth contractor.
5. AUDIO VISUAL
Like stand components, Audio Visual can account for a significant part of the exhibition stand booth cost. AV technology can be expensive. Additionally, labor used to install and get it working can add to the cost. Then there is AV dismantling which can also add up to the final cost.
There are several audio visual options. Instead of going in for an outright purchase, it’s better to rent them as this will help to bring down the cost.
6. TV SCREENS
They can be used for displaying videos of products/services with their benefits or highlighting brand’s USP. There are two options – wall mounted TV screens and stand alone TV screens. They come in different size options making it easy to select one that best fits specific needs.
The rental cost of TV screens can vary from $400 for a single TV.
7. LED VISUAL WALLS
LED visual walls cost vary depending on the type and size chosen. They basically come in modular panels. These can be of different sizes with different pixel sizes and the level of quality output they generate; put together they all determine the cost factor.
If you go for a 12-tile visual wall, it will cost $4200. Additionally, you will also need to sufficient power to run them which means it will cost extra amount.
The rental pricing is much cheaper, can cost approximately $2000.
8. TOUCHSCREENS
To foster greater client interaction, include touchscreens as a part of the stand booth. With different categories of touchscreens available, you can select one that best suits your requirement and help achieve your goals.
Renting them can cost approximately $1000.
9. LAPTOP/IPAD
During trade shows, hassle-free communication is important. Laptops and iPADS are not only excellent tools of communication but also provide for excellent interactive touch-points around the booth.
Rather than opting for outright purchase or carrying own tech items, it makes sense to go for the rental route. Renting them can save on money and eliminate issues that can arise later during the course of the show like maintenance, upgrades, repairs, and parts replacements.
Renting of a single
- iPAD starts at around $200 inclusive of mount onwards depending on the item type rented.
- Laptop starts at approximately $300 onwards, depending on the kind rented.
10. LOCATION & LOGISTICS
Stand booth cost takes into account even stand booth’s location within the event venue hall.
Prime location spot with heavy foot-traffic entail higher rental fees.
Logistics including shipping, installation/dismantling, etc, also make up a part of the stand booth cost. The cost can vary depending on factors like transportation distance to and from show venue, technical fees for installation/dismantling, etc.
11. LIGHTING
Lighting is critical to accentuate your stand booth space.
Simple lighting like PAR Can Light focused on products, or Hanging Signage. To install them, you need to rent labor. The addition of labor cost to lighting cost will see the cost range from $3000 to $5000.
Complex lighting set-up entails more cost. When you add the costs of labor, power supply, trusses, dryage, and service fees to it, the cost can roughly range from $100,000 to $150,000.
12. ADDITIONAL FEATURES
A stand booth will be incomplete without technology being a part of it. As an additional feature, inclusion of technology can significantly add to the stand booth cost.
Features like Interactive Flooring, Lighting Effects, Furniture Items, etc, go a long way to enhance stand booth’s impact and drive engagement. There are also other extras like Mounts, Surge Protectors, etc. Including them as a part of the stand booth means you will need to shell out more money.
Overall, you cannot put an exact or even specific cost for an exhibition stand booth. You need to take into consideration several factors, what kind of stand booth is opted for and what options are chosen as a part of the stand booth.
Ultimately what matters is how the stand booth performs and how it can help your brand stand apart from the crowd on the trade show floor. It’s better to go by quality rather than cost when taking the final decision. Paying for quality may be costlier but it’s better than opting for low-cost options. The benefit that you stand to harvest with it is worth it.
Also Read: Best Trade Show Booth Design Minutes!
