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How To Create A Top Notch Exhibit With Trade Show Rental Booths

There are as many reasons for using trade show rental booths as there are companies using them.

• Perhaps you’re a start-up and you don’t have the capital to invest in a custom trade show booth.
• Maybe this is your first trade show and you want to “try before you buy.”
• Maybe your company owns a nice trade show exhibit, but another show has popped up on your calendar. Now you need two booths, because the new show overlaps the schedule of the other trade show.
• Maybe you got a new booth a few years ago, but hate it now. Is it too hard to set up? Are the shipping and drayage fees eating your lunch? Do you want to try out a different concept, without locking into the full meal deal?
• Or it could also be that your existing booth is starting to show its age. Perhaps the look is dated? Is your booth held together with duct tape, twine and a prayer?
• Or just general wear and tear is making the booth show its age, and you’re about to introduce a new product. The boss doesn’t want to show off that new product in a tired looking exhibit. So you’re thinking about trying out trade show rental booths.

Again, these are just a few of the myriad reasons customers come to us every day at American Image Displays. There are lots of reasons to look at trade show rental booths.

And in every case, we’re able to create a customized solution for clients. Our goal is to create a solution that exceeds their expectations. And simultaneously respecting their budgets.

Here are some things to keep in mind when contemplating a rental exhibit:

1) You’ll Save Considerably

The average cost of trade show rental booths is between 25% and 30% of the cost of a brand new build – figure 50% total, including the needed graphic purchase.

This means that if you need a booth for one or two shows, renting can be a great choice for you. Renting also works out great if you want the opportunity to change your look frequently,

Renting means you will also save on

• storage costs (since you won’t have any),
• and maintenance and upkeep (that’s the rental company’s problem).

One great opportunity we offer our clients here at American Image Displays is a “rent to own” option.

To qualify, you need to rent an eligible exhibit, and then buy it within 30 days. If you buy the same or higher price exhibit within 30 days of the rental, we’ll credit 2/3 of the booth rental cost toward your sale. You can review our rent-to-own plan at the bottom of the linked page.

This can mean sizable savings for you. Some restrictions apply, so call us for details.

2) Know What You Want

You will save time and money if you list your requirements before you start shopping:

• the size of your footprint on the show floor,
• your corporate colors (use PMS numbers to get exact matches),
• the style of exhibit that resonates with your brand (trendy or traditional, for example),
• what you’ll be showcasing in the trade  show rental booths,
• whether you’re planning on a product demo area or not,
• if you need video capabilities (wall mounted or on a freestanding support),
• a conference room,
• whether you plan to set it up and take it down, or hire that out,
• and so on.

It even helps to know what accessories you’d like to use. For example, do you need banner stands, tablet computer kiosks or literature racks? Some trade show displays have built in accessories to handle these items.

Besides these details, please plan to share your vision of how you want attendees to see you. Share your marketing objectives and strategies too.

Your trade show supplier can use this info when creating the designing the layout of the trade show rental booths.

You’ll also need to have some idea of what you’ve planned to spend. If you’ve never done this before, this can be the trickiest part.

A reputable rental company will be able to give you a good deal of guidance in this area. Don’t keep your budget a secret; let your supplier use that as one of the requirements. They can explain trade-offs as you work through your booth design.

3) Time Still Matters

Even though you’re not doing a custom build, your booth rental supplier still needs time. They have to:

• come up with designs,
• get your approvals,
• pull booth properties from stock,
• refurbish any previous wear or damage,
• create new graphics,
• schedule the personnel who will be handling load-in and load-out, etc.

So please don’t wait until the last minute to decide you want to rent.

It’s still possible to do something on short notice. But it will cost you considerably more, in both time and money. And the whole point of renting is to help you save in both ways.

4) Avoid Hassles With Load In And Load Out

Make a plan to handle the assembly and dismantle of the rental booth. You may want to do that installation yourself, to save some money.

Other exhibitors prefer to leave the booth assembly and take down tasks to the rental company. Some arrange to have an “I&D” team subcontract that job on site.

Think of it as a turnkey operation. Your rental company will handle shipping and delivery of their trade show rental booths. They also provide your custom graphics, furniture, flooring, lighting and set-up. Then they’ll return for teardown after the show. They can clean, inspect, and return the rental display back to their storage facility.

Be sure to do a small bit of planning to make your booth set up as easy as possible.

It really couldn’t be easier, could it?

5) You Can Look Bigger Than You Are

Many of the exhibits we now have in our rental inventory were originally custom built for our clients.

When they went on to buy a larger exhibit, their original smaller one became a rental. So you can get a “first class” custom exhibit look at “coach” rental prices. And you can also rent a larger exhibit than you could afford to buy.

We’ve had clients in the hi-tech industry, for example, that rented a large exhibit. They selected a display that made them seem larger than they really were. Renting that larger display helped make them look more successful and reliable.

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We’d be delighted to help you achieve your goals with either a classic rental booth display or a great purchase option.

We offer one of the most extensive inventories of exhibit components for purchase, as well as lots of classic options for trade show rental booths. We also have full graphics design and production capabilities. And a complete line of exhibiting accessories from banner stands to literature racks.

Our talented designers and dedicated personal shoppers are waiting to help you. Call us so we can help you achieve that “first class” look you want at your next show. For the help you need, call us at (425) 556-9511 or email [email protected].