Complete Breakdown of Trade Show Expenses for Exhibitors

Have you ever wondered what the major expenses during a trade show are and their percentage share? As an exhibitor, you must have thought at least once about it, most probably before your first trade show campaign. However, whether it is your first or hundredth iteration, understanding the trade show expense breakdown is critical for planning and controlling your exhibition ROI. 

In this blog, we will mention and elaborate on the major aspects that consume your trade show budget, along with an estimated fraction. These insights have been derived from in-depth discussions with experts designing and building trade show displays in Orlando, FL, for decades. As they collaborate with exhibiting companies for 20800+ booth projects, they have gained an unparalleled understanding of trade show expenditure for exhibitors.   

Major Expenses for Exhibitors and Their Percentage Share

While costs may slightly vary by industry, location, and booth size, here’s a general cost distribution along with the percentage share most exhibitors pay throughout an event:

1. Booth Space Rental: 30–35%

Renting the space for your booth is the single largest cost that consumes almost one-third of your trade show budget. This is paid directly to the event organiser. Renting prime booth locations across the trade show venue, such as front, corners, can increase this percentage. Some event organisers and venue managers offer early-bird discounts to attract exhibitors.  

2. Booth Design and Construction: 20–25%

Trade show booths are crucial since they represent your brand, attract potential customers and collaborators, and offer a platform to have meaningful interactions. Booth design and construction services usually consume one-fourth of your trade show budget. This aspect of expenditure includes custom/rental booth, graphics, displays, furniture, lighting, AV, etc.

3. Show Services: 10–15%

Show services include basic and essential requirements on the show floor. It includes electricity, internet, rigging, cleaning, drayage or material handling, labor charges, and other chargeable amenities. Exhibition venue managers and their partner-vendors usually provide these services. You have to pay around 10-15% of the trade show budget for this aspect.   

4. Travel and Accommodation: 10–15%

Travel and accommodation are inevitable and crucial for exhibitions, especially if you are exhibiting at international trade shows. You have to spend 10-15% of your trade show budget on airfare, hotel stays, meals, and local transport for staff. Seek bulk and early-booking opportunities to optimize these expenses. 

5. Shipping and Logistics: 8–12%

Shipping and logistics of your booth components, product samples, and other necessary items are necessary for a smooth trade show experience. You need to spend around 10% of trade show money on packing, freight forwarding, customs clearance (for international shipping), and return shipping. Must keep track of these expenses to avoid costly goof-ups.

6. Marketing and Promotions: 8–10%

Marketing and promotions of your trade show participations help boost foot traffic on your booth. You should spend around 8-10% of exhibition expenses on pre-show campaigns, giveaways, social media ads, sponsorships, and lead capture tech.

7. Staffing and Training: 5–7%

Your booth staff is a crucial factor in delivering an unforgettable brand experience to your potential customers. They must be well-trained and pleasing in appearance. You should allocate at least 5-7% of your budget for trade shows for booth staff hiring, training, uniforms, temporary hires, and incentives.

8. Miscellaneous/Contingency: 3–5%

You must keep 3-5% of your budget aside for unprecedented expenditure. There can be many unexpected expenses throughout the trade show journey, like last-minute printing, emergency rentals, or overtime labor. Stay prepared to tackle them with ample money. 

A Tip to Remember

You can expect the total show cost to be 3 to 5 times the booth space rental. For example, if space costs $10,000, you can expect total trade show expenses to remain in the range of $30,000–$50,000.

Contact Triumfo Inc. for Turnkey Booth Services in Orlando

Triumfo Inc. is renowned for crafting astonishing trade show displays in Orlando. They have 25+ years of experience, a state-of-the-art booth production facility, and offer end-to-end booth solutions. Since they don’t have third-party dependencies, they deliver booth projects within the committed time frame and budget without compromising the quality standards. 

If you are looking for a premium-quality trade show booth in Orlando, there is no need to look further. Get in touch with experts at Triumfo Inc. today for turnkey booth solutions.