English
How To Shop For Trade Show Companies
September 19, 2016
How To Shop For Trade Show Companies
If your company is considering working with a trade show house to support your exhibit needs, be aware that not all trade show companies are created equal. You'll need to ask a lot of questions and carefully analyze the information in order to choose the best trade show company for your company's specific needs. In general, look for a vendor who offers a broad selection of exhibit materials, so you have as many choices as possible to work with in designing a unique trade show booth that reflects your company's unique brand image. You'll also need to evaluate service, support, and overall cost, not only in the initial phases of design and purchase or rental, but over the course of the useful life of the materials you'll be using in your exhibit.- True Costs - It's important to gain a complete understanding of the costs involved with your proposed display. If you're looking at purchasing your exhibit materials, the most important thing to know is that the initial purchase price is only a small part of the total cost of owning that exhibit. For each show where you use that exhibit, you will pay for in/outs, freight, drayage, and I&D, and there are additional costs like storage and maintenance, and updating graphics, as needed. If you're considering rental, find out exactly what is included in the rental price, so you can budget accordingly, and not get broad-sided by an unexpected bill later on.
- Support And Service Where You Need It - Another critical issue is service and support. You should have a long-term plan for your trade show exhibit, including input from your sales and marketing teams. The plan should include an estimate of how often the exhibit will be used and where, how often you will want to update its graphics, among other things. Skyline is a full-service trade show house, and we offer our clients services ranging from design to lighting, branding, marketing training, photography, video, and animation. If your company exhibits overseas, we offer full support, logistics, and I&D in 38 countries. Be certain that the trade show company you choose is able to provide all the service and support you anticipate needing.
- Material Quality And Warranties - Before deciding on a trade show company, ask to see their display materials in person, and evaluate their quality carefully. If you're looking at portables, do they seem well engineered for convenient set-up and transport? Do their large structures appear sturdy, safe, and well maintained? Are the graphics bright and crisp, and are they coated to prevent UV damage? Ask about the warranties for any materials you plan to use, including graphics to use with rental pieces. What is warranted, and for how long? Skyline warrants our UV-coated graphics against excessive fading for two years, and the materials are guaranteed to be defect-free for the lifetime of the graphics. The frames on our portable Mirage line are guaranteed for life.