Budgeting
Reducing Costs 2
Transport
Modular display units can be packed in the boot of a car, so that reduces costs immediately. If some¬thing heavier or bulkier is being used, then plan your van driver's day so that he can deliver (and pick up at the end) as part of his normal round so that you don't have the expense of special journeys.
Allowances and Meals
You must keep your staff happy: if they're miser-able it will show and put off visitors. Consider the possibility of supplying coffee on your stand: it will be an attraction to visitors as well. But don't overdo it: a crowd of coffee drinkers (usually other exhibitors!) clustered around all day will keep the visitors away. And make certain someone is detailed to clear up immediately: a stand littered with empty coffee cups looks terrible.
And have tea available too. A non-coffee drinker is always impressed by the thoughtfulness of those who provide both.
Preparation
Fifty percent of the success or otherwise of your exhibition is decided beforehand. Careful prepara-tion, looking for possible snags and avoiding them, looking to future exhibitions: these will not only make for successful participation, they'll also help reduce costs.
Staff
Not too many and not too few: that's the golden rule for stand staffing. Make certain that the staff
know what they are there for and that they are capable of doing the job.
Now let's go back to our table and, bearing in mind what has been said above, do another budget taking all these points into consideration:
| 1. | Space | 150x |
| 2. | Shell | - |
| 3. | Display units (Depreciation over 10 exhibitions) |
60x |
| 4. | Display material (including signs) | 15x |
| 5. | Printing | 100x |
| 6. | Advertising (including postage) | 150x |
| 7. | Electrical | 25x |
| 8. | Transport to and from exhibition | 20x |
| 9. | Allowances, meals etc. | 40x |
| 10 | Preparation and set-up costs | 25x |
| 11 | Staff wages (incl. overtime) - say 4 staff for 3 days |
250x |
| Total | 1500x |
In other words, a saving of nearly half!
It's worth bearing in mind, too, that you may be able to get financial help. Your suppliers may be willing to bear part of the cost, or at least supply display materials or literature which you will over-stamp with your company name and address (be careful here: you don't want potential customers going direct to your suppliers!). They may even send along one of their reps for a day, or even for the whole exhibition. But do impress on him that he is there for you, not just for his own company.
And do remember, don't allow the suppliers to take over. It's your exhibition, selling your company:use your suppliers to help you, not to run the show.
And keep close watch on your budget. Plan carefully and thoroughly, make exhibitions part of your marketing plan, and you'll make your participation cost-effective. Which is what an exhibi-tion should be - one of the most cost-effective ways of reaching a large number of potential customers.