How to exhibit successfully on a budget

If you’re an entrepreneur, chances are that you want your business to grow more and more and to be visible on the market. One of the best ways to do so is participating in exhibits where you can introduce your products, services, plans and ideas to a wide audience. The minimum requirements for a successful exhibit are: using professional people to deliver the proper message to your potential customers and using brochures and informative materials that can “speak” to your customers in the same professional way. Even though there is no doubt that exhibits are good for the business, these events can get pricey and working on a budget is a smart idea, regardless if you own a start-up or a well-established business.

Plan ahead and save time & money

The first thing you should establish is the purpose of your attendance to the exhibit. Is it networking, increasing sales or branding? According to the answer, you can draw a budget. If you want to focus more on direct sales or networking, you will need a minimum of two persons in your booth and some extra space that can accommodate your team and the potential customers. Plus, the brochures’ content and all the other printed materials can be targeted on your goal and audience.

Once these details are clear, you can have a thorough conversation with the ones responsible for the venue, in order to find out more about the space and you might get a discount for early booking. You can also draft the contents and the design of all the materials for the exhibit and according to this you can get a price quotation from the printing company you’re planning to use.

How to save on informative materials

Successful exhibits depend on many aspects, but the most important is the way you introduce yourself to your potential customers, and even if you’re on a budget you still have to pay attention to some eye-catching details, like the appearance of your brochures, flyers or banners. About 70% of the information processed by the human brain comes from visual elements. Why not use this to impress your potential customers? You don’t need expensive HD screens to do so, because the same effect can be achieved with good quality printed informative materials.

You should pay special attention to brochures because chances are that all the people passing by your booth will end up having one in their hands. The looks and contents are equally important, and you should make sure you are providing your potential customers with good quality brochures that deliver the right message. The best advice on saving money on brochures is to create the content yourself and let the professionals handle the printing.

It doesn’t take a genius graphic designer or a certified content writer to come up with the ideal brochure. They charge a lot and they can’t know your business and your goals better than you do. Just remember to keep it simple and focus on a message that can be easily understood within seconds by potential customers.

When it comes to brochure printing, choose a safe and easy way: find an online professional printing company that can provide you with flawless brochures. If the people notice that you are paying attention to details such as vivid colors or good quality paper and binding, they will immediately assume that you are also providing a quality service or product. Some companies give you the possibility to save time and money by remotely printing your materials. All you need to do is upload your brochure on their website, choose the desired options according to your budget and wait for the delivery.

How to save on the exhibit booth

The booth and its location are important details, but it might cost you an arm and a leg if you buy a custom-made one and if you rent a top location in the venue. You can always rent modular stands or pop-up desks. This way you will be able to save a lot of money on both the stand itself and the transportation cost. Of course, a prime location for your exhibit stand is the ideal way to be seen by a lot of people, but usually these places cost a lot of money to rent in the exhibit venue. You can compromise and place your stand in a less expensive area and you can make sure that people will still reach your location easily by using a business flag. This is a long-term investment that can be used in different exhibits.

Conclusion

The secret for exhibiting successfully on a budget is to stick to the basics and be practical regarding your booth and the tools you are using for promoting your business. Focus on details that can easily seal deals without the need of investing too much, like professional brochures and flyers. Plus, don’t forget that time is money, so do your best in choosing partners that can help you prepare for your exhibit without you having to go back and forth to solve things.