Trade Show and Event Coordination
Tips to Save Cost

If you are responsible for trade show and event coordination, no doubt you have been given a budget to work with. As with any sales or marketing initiative, money seems to go quickly and you have to closely monitor your expenses to leverage every cost-savings opportunity.

Cost-effective trade show coordination begins with thoughtful planning for every aspect of show participation. This will allow you adequate time to take advantage of these expense-saving tips:

Look for "early-bird" exhibitor registration deadlines that can help save a few bucks.
Plan travel well in advance for all of your booth representatives. This will allow you to benefit from low discount fairs, lodging promotions and rental car specials.
Take the time to research the most cost-effective shipping methods for your materials and display to ensure the best possible pricing and assurance of on-time arrival at the event site.
After you register and receive your information packet, check pricing from the drayage contractor hired by the event sponsor. You may be able to reduce costs by handling some of the services yourself.
Order promotional items and giveaways well in advance so you are not burdened with rush fees and more expensive shipping costs.
Print all of your pre-show and post-event marketing materials at the same time to take advantage of quantity discounts.
Examine your specific exhibit display needs and consider adapting rental or used trade show exhibits to save from making a huge investment in your own booth. Your decision will likely hinge on the number and type or events in which you participate annually.
Make your marketing dollars go further by using no-cost marketing methods, as part of your marketing strategy to promote your event participation. This includes leveraging social media outreach, website promotion and email marketing
Order event services such as phone-lines, extra electrical, computer resources, etc. well in advance to help hedge against higher prices late in the game.
Inquire whether there is a price-cut for any services you order well in advance.

Since there are so many elements (big and small) involved in event management, the more time you give yourself before every show, the greater your potential savings.