Another year, another dollar……spent. If you’re asking yourself, ‘Where did your trade show marketing dollars go?’ followed then by the question ‘Why don’t I know the answer to that question?’ then don’t worry, you’re not alone. One of the hardest areas to track is the return on investment when it comes to trade show marketing.
As we kick off 2019, you’re probably planning ahead and re-considering your budget; and more specifically your allocations for trade shows. It is important to ask yourself – and your team – about how you are smartly and efficiently allocating resources to this program.
Here are some of our go-to, quick tips when it comes to managing your trade show program and identifying opportunities right-off-the-bat to save you money throughout the year.
STORAGE
One of the biggest costs for larger programs is storage – inventory control is one of the most daunting things for companies to manage. So, stop storing materials you’re not using – dispose of old booth materials; don’t hang on to things in hope of a future use – just get rid of them. The cost to dispose of the old booth materials is much less than the cost of storing crates full of underutilized exhibit properties. Go ahead, you can do it – throw ‘em out!
PORTABLE DISPLAYS
Smaller shows can drain your resources of time and money. Repetitive demands from last minute field requests, improper use of equipment in the field, and lack of storage space can add up. Investing in a trade show firm can be a game changer for a lot of reasons. When it comes to cost savings, experienced firms can store properties, both displays and collateral; assess damages and manage logistics for all your shows.
Management like this frees up office space, allows your team to stay focused and adds a team of support to your marketing program for a fraction of the price of managing it all alone.
LOGISTICS
I see it every day – clients want to schedule their own freight thinking they are going to save money. The truth is, this is rarely the case. Exhibit houses have established relationships with logistics companies, and can offer you the best price and service. Better yet – we can guarantee delivery. Just imagine how this simple investment could free up your team and reduce the stress of trade show events.
As you pencil in all those trade show events in your 2019 calendar, consider these three critical areas, then assess if your current marketing and trade show program needs an overhaul.
Studio Displays can and will support your team’s drive to increase efficiency and reduce costs. For more helpful tips, please visit our website and download our “Trade Show Planning Guide” as an additional resource.
From all of us at Studio Displays, Happy New Year. We look forward to helping you make this year’s trade shows a profitable success.
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