Shopping for Trade Show Displays

With all the options out there, choosing a trade show company to work with can be a tough task. Should you go with the cheapest option? Should you go with a name brand? Who do you trust and what are the consequences of making the wrong choice?

These are all very important questions and there really isn’t one right answer. In our single-use economy more and more consumers are opting for the cheapest products over the reliable ones. And why not, right? You might only use this product a couple times before trashing it or leaving it in your warehouse to collect dust.

For some exhibitors price really is the most important factor. When you truly have an extremely tight budget with no wiggle room you might have to start at the bottom and take whatever you can get. Sometimes there’s no getting around that. But what about the larger companies who choose to use their budget elsewhere when they could afford to spend a little more on their display? Why do they make the choice to go cheap?

The primary factor we’ve seen is a lack of clear differentiation on websites. How do you know that by spending a little more you’re actually getting a superior product and not just getting ripped off? That can be tricky in this hands-off, digital age we live in. A lot of products look the same at 100 pixels tall. Not to mention, so many images you see online aren’t even photographs, but simply rendering created to mimic a product.

Ideally you would get to see a display in person before making a large investment but that’s rarely the case in this online driven industry. However, you can ask companies for actual photos and additional information before jumping into a purchase. Do your research, make a phone call and make sure the person on the other end of the line makes you feel comfortable about working with them.

Remember there are a lot of ways things can go wrong and you want a reliable company who will help you along the way. Cheaper prices come with cheaper customer service. When the trucking company loses your package the day before your show is that discount company going to work tirelessly to help you find it? Will they stay late to overnight you replacement graphics if necessary? What happens when you run into an issue during setup at your show? Can you get in touch with the company you choose immediately? Think about what you’re really getting for your money and make a smart investment with a reliable company who does more than just offer basement prices. Because when it comes down to it your display purchase is just a small fraction of your overall trade show cost. So do you really want to jeopardize your entire show and future branding over a few hundred or even a few thousand dollars?

Had a bad or good experience that you would like to share? Leave a comment and tell us about it!