For those of us involved with trade shows, we know that a high priority is managing the budget. The budget drives where, what, and how we exhibit. And it adds up quickly. There’s the cost of the booth itself; the cost of show services like Wi-Fi, shipping, and drayage; travel and lodging costs; and collateral costs such freebies and giveaways and drawings.

One of the deepest cuts to the budget is contracting rigging from the exhibit hall. Of course, the larger and more popular the exhibit hall, the bigger the bill. For example, if you order rigging directly from the Las Vegas Sands, you may be paying 5 times what you need to.  Contracting directly with the Sands will result in a significantly higher bill because of the rate that they charge.  Skyline Exhibitor Source (and others) offer hanging signs that fit the limitations that allow general contractors (Freeman or GES only) to rig your hanging signs at a fraction of the cost.  Don’t pay more than what is required and save your budget for activities that help drive sales and increase your overall brand.

The general rule at the Sands is that the general contractor can rig hanging signs without lights and under 250 pounds.  Many hang signs don’t have to be rigged by the much higher cost Sands and allows you to save big.  Skyline’s professionals are more than equipped to assist with your exhibit without taking a huge bite out of your marketing budget.  Skyline has a several teams on the ground in Las Vegas ready to help you. They are in-the-know with local businesses and are Sands-savvy when it comes to exhibiting.

Of course, there are more ways than just one to save money at a trade show. You can:

• Take advantage of early bird discounts and pricing.
• Pay attention to deadlines so as not to be charged any overage.
• Be smart economically about shipping costs.
• Consider using lightweight materials in your booth design. Skyline can help with this!
• Tone down your electrical requirements.
• Accessorize your booth creatively.
• Prepare, prepare, prepare. Don’t be caught far from home without essentials like cords, batteries, etc. that can eat up your budget.

Some costs are just essential when it comes to pulling off a smart, beautiful trade show booth. Spend your money where it will go the furthest, and let Skyline help you stretch the rest of it.