Blog Entry

It’s no secret that industry events are a great way to gain exposure and name recognition within your field. In addition to offering unparalleled marketing and networking opportunities, gatherings such as trade shows, conferences, and expos afford VARs a chance to stay informed about new developments and state-of-the-art technologies, while also gaining insight into competitors’ latest products, services, and strategies.

But while the opportunities that industry events offer can be priceless, the costs of attendance can quickly add up, particularly if your team is presenting or hosting a booth. In these tough economic times, many smaller IT firms are taking a long, hard look at their trade show budgets and wondering if attendance is really worth the hefty price tag.

If you’re looking to cut your conference costs in the coming year, you’re definitely not alone. Use these tips and tricks to help seek out and slash excess fat from your trade show budget.

Consider downsizing your presentation.  If the trade show you’re attending offers a variety of turn-key packages, it may be cost-effective to step down your usual booth size or presentation bundle. That way, you’ll still have a presence at the show, but you may be able to dramatically reduce your expenditures.

Plan ahead to reduce costs and maximize ROI.  The sooner you can begin to plan for your next trade show, the better. As an early bird, you’ll be able to take advantage of prime booth locations, reduced entry fees, and discount food and lodging packages. Plus, you’ll avoid the notorious late fees that have been responsible for blowing many a trade show budget.

Avoid staffing redundancies.  Although it’s important to ensure that you assign a sufficient number of staff to manage your booth, network effectively, and take notes about all the latest offerings on the trade show floor, take pains not to overdo it. Send a core group of team members who are reliable, flexible, and able to handle multiple functions.

Think quality, not quantity.  When it comes to trade-show must-haves like booth signage, handouts, giveaways, and marketing collateral, ‘more’ is not necessarily what you should be aiming for. Rather than ordering over-the-top booth displays and thousands of cheap plastic tchotchkes, brainstorm some visually appealing, clever, and lower-cost solutions that will really drive home your brand image without breaking the bank.

Split costs with partner firms.  Capitalize on your synergistic relationships by sharing space or attendance costs with partner firms. Whether you’re sharing a booth or dedicating some of your table space to another firm’s literature, you can make the most of your partnerships and affiliate relationships with a fee-sharing arrangement or other reciprocal agreements.

Do you have a budget-slashing secret for trade shows and conferences? How does your firm maximize exposure for the minimum financial outlay? Let us know in the comments.