As an event service provider, one of our jobs is to help you with your rental needs for your exhibit at a trade or consumer show. We do that by putting together some order forms in a package for the services and rental items that we have available for the event. We offer early bird pricing to encourage early orders that can save exhibitors a few dollars. As part of your preshow planning, take advantage of these early bookings. With multiple shows happening at the same time, we happily discount the items in order to get as many preorders to ensure we set aside what you need. When items are ordered on site, it becomes the luck of the draw as to whether we have specifically what you need at that moment. Sometimes you have to settle for the colours or sizes we have left. You could also have to wait until the item you need gets on the next truck coming down to site, which could delay your set up on site.
Why rent? You may think it is cheaper to just buy the few things you need and be self-sufficient. That thinking could be true in some cases, but I would argue that in most cases, its not that simple. As a smaller show service contractor, I think we have pretty fair pricing for the items we offer. There’s a lot that goes into the costs for that table or piece of carpet that is largely unseen. Storage costs, general overhead, staffing, transportation, insurance, cleaning, repairs, shrinkage, and the list goes on.
The benefit of renting booth materials is that when you show up, they are there waiting for you, clean and ready to go. You just have to set up your booth. And when the show is over, you pack and go. I hear that people think it is cheaper to just bring your own stuff…load up their car from wherever it is stored, drive to site, try and find a spot to unload (hopefully it isn’t raining), find a dolly, make multiple trips back and forth, then move your car into parking and come back to your booth to set it all up. Hopefully everything is there and in good shape. And when the show is over, you get to do it all again in reverse.
As a small business owner myself, I have come to appreciate the value of my time and how I spend it. And I have to question this kind of thinking. I have to agree that there may be some logic to this as it applies to some items. But to do everything this way, is questionable.
You are only at the show for a few hours and you booth needs to be professional and inviting. Renting what you need also allows you to change things up from show to show. Maybe a red carpet for one market and green for another depending on your messaging. Tall tables may work better for one show and low tables for another. Investing in this much stuff is costly and the care and storage can add up. Renting is your solution to all these problems. Rent in advance to save some money. And use your time to focus on why you are at the show!