Trade shows are the best platform for businesses to present their products, services, and innovations to a highly targeted audience. However, when it comes to creating an impactful trade show display, exhibitors are often faced with a crucial decision: whether to rent an exhibit or invest in a custom-built one. Every choice has its benefits and disadvantages and costs, which can impact the brand’s performance on the show floor.
Advantages of Rental Exhibits
Cost-Effectiveness for Occasional Exhibitors
For those companies that attend trade shows only occasionally, renting a trade show booth is the most economical solution. This way, instead of purchasing a specially designed booth that will be used only several times a year, an exhibitor can rent an exhibit that will fit the current event. Rental exhibits allow one to select the size and type of booth, from small inline booths to large island booths.
This flexibility is particularly useful when the business is testing out new markets or event types. Renting enables them to test various trade show floor conditions without the permanent commitment of having a custom built exhibit. For small firms or start-ups who want to enhance their brand awareness at a relatively low cost, renting is a viable option that does not have to be expensive.
Budget-Friendly for Multiple Simultaneous Shows
In cases where a business participates in several trade shows at a go, then renting is very economical. Just think about having three events in Las Vegas, San Diego, and another large metropolitan city all in the same month. It would be impractical to design a custom booth for each event as it would take a lot of time and money. However, hiring trade show booths offers a smooth trade show experience with the ability to display at various places at once without going over budget.
Furthermore, rental booths come with additional services like booth setup, dismantling, and material handling, simplifying logistics. This can also help to cut costs, particularly when juggling several shows and avoiding the necessity for dedicated project managers or additional staff to manage these aspects.
Flexibility in Design, Size, and Style for Each Show
If you want a simple design or a big, flashy stand with your own graphics, rentals enable you to change the look of the exhibit depending on the target market of the particular show. This is particularly useful when marketing to different markets or during different events with different themes.
From a creative point of view, renting a booth is a good chance to adjust the image of your brand to the constantly changing nature of various types of trade shows. Unlike with ownership, there is no need to stick with a particular design for years because one can always change the rental. The modular design of the booths also allows companies to experiment with different configurations and sizes of booths, which means that it is relatively easy to tweak the strategy until the company finds the right one that fits its brand message.
No Storage, Maintenance, or Transportation Worries
In most cases, when renting a booth, the rental company takes full responsibility of storage, maintenance, or transportation of the booth. This is a great relief to many exhibitors who would rather spend their time and energy on marketing strategies than on logistics. Rental companies handle everything from transportation to installation and dismantling leaving the business with no burden of handling bulky materials and the expenses incurred in storing them.
Lack of need to maintain or store a trade show booth also saves money and personnel resources. Businesses can just continue from where they stopped without much hassle, knowing that their next event is in the hands of experts.
Compliance with Diverse Trade Show Regulations
Trade shows in various cities and countries have their own set of rules and regulations ranging from booth size, material used, and safety measures. It is not easy to deal with these regulations especially for those who attend international or large events. However, renting a booth means that most of these compliance issues are handled by the rental company. Whether the event is in Las Vegas or San Diego, exhibitors can be confident that their booth will conform to the required guidelines without having to think about it.
Rental companies understand the finer details of different facilities, ensuring that all the exhibit design meet the local regulations, thus relieving the exhibitors.
Swift Set-Up for Last-Minute Shows
Sometimes, opportunities arise at the last minute, and businesses need to participate in a trade show with very little lead time. Renting a booth allows companies to jump on these opportunities quickly. Since rental exhibits are pre-designed and readily available, they can be set up in a fraction of the time it would take to build a custom booth from scratch.
This is especially useful for businesses that operate on tight schedules or want to make a strong impression at a spontaneous event. The ability to secure a professional-looking trade show exhibit in a short period is one of the key reasons rental booths remain a popular choice for many exhibitors.
Disadvantages of Exhibit Rental
Potentially High Costs for Larger Booths
While rental exhibits are generally cost-effective for smaller booths or occasional events, the cost can escalate quickly for larger booths, especially those requiring a custom design. When opting for a rental exhibit that spans a significant portion of the trade show floor, the price might rival the expense of building a custom booth. This can be a deterrent for exhibitors looking to maximize their trade show investment.
Larger booth sizes require more material handling, transportation, and setup, which can drive up rental costs significantly. At this point, businesses may need to weigh the long-term cost benefits of purchasing a custom booth versus continuously renting for each event.
Limited Customization and Brand Specificity
Rental booths, though flexible, often come with limitations in terms of customization. Exhibitors looking for a truly unique design or specific features that highlight their brand identity may find rental options lacking in originality. Custom-built booths offer the advantage of reflecting the company’s vision and creativity, whereas rental booths might require exhibitors to compromise on certain aspects.
This limitation can be especially noticeable when trying to create a lasting impression that aligns with your brand’s image across different trade shows. While rental companies do offer custom graphics and layouts, they may not fully capture the specific details or innovations that a custom-built exhibit would provide.
Increased Costs Over Time with Frequent Shows
For businesses that attend numerous trade shows throughout the year, renting booths may end up being less economical in the long run. While rentals offer upfront cost savings, the cumulative expense of renting for every event can surpass the cost of building and owning a custom exhibit. Companies that find themselves frequently on the road may want to consider whether the investment in a custom booth could pay off over time.
Renting also means you never fully own the exhibit, and this ongoing expense can add up, especially if the company participates in several high-profile shows annually. Frequent exhibitors may benefit from analyzing their long-term event strategy to determine whether continuing to rent is sustainable financially.
Possible Wear and Tear Due to It Being Rental
Rental booths, by nature, are reused by multiple exhibitors over time. This means that there is a risk of receiving a booth that has experienced some wear and tear from previous events. Although reputable rental companies maintain their exhibits well, there’s still the chance that minor issues—like scratches on materials or fading graphics—could detract from the booth’s overall presentation.
Having a booth that doesn’t look fresh or polished could impact your brand’s image, especially when competing against exhibitors with newer or custom-built displays.
Availability Issues During Peak Seasons
During high-demand seasons, such as the months leading up to major industry events, the availability of quality rental booths may be limited. This can pose a challenge for companies that are relying on a specific design or layout for their exhibit. Popular styles or larger booth configurations may already be booked well in advance, forcing businesses to settle for less-than-ideal options.
Planning ahead is crucial when renting a booth, but even with the best preparation, there’s no guarantee that the perfect rental will be available for every event.
Advantages of Custom-Built Exhibits
Fully Customizable for Innovation and Creativity
A custom-built exhibit provides unmatched opportunities for companies to unleash their creativity and build a unique space that stands out on the trade show floor. When opting for a custom booth, businesses have full control over every aspect of the design, from layout to materials and branding elements. This allows for a completely personalized experience, ensuring that the exhibit aligns perfectly with the company’s vision and goals.
For example, a brand that thrives on innovation can incorporate cutting-edge technology, interactive kiosks, or immersive experiences within the booth. Custom exhibits offer flexibility to integrate special features that rentals often lack, such as bespoke lighting designs, intricate architectural details, and unique configurations that create a lasting impression on attendees. For exhibitors seeking to push the envelope and differentiate themselves from competitors, a custom trade show booth is the ideal choice.
Cost-Effective for Frequent Participation
While custom-built exhibits involve a larger upfront investment, they become more cost-effective over time for companies that participate in trade shows frequently. The costs associated with rentals can quickly add up if a company attends multiple events each year. By owning a custom booth, the company can avoid these recurring expenses and spread the initial cost over several years of participation.
Additionally, custom exhibits tend to have longer lifespans, allowing businesses to reuse them for multiple events while making small updates or enhancements as needed. This makes them an excellent long-term investment for brands that are committed to maintaining a strong presence at trade shows and are looking to make the most out of their budget.
Consistent Brand Image for Long-Term Building
Custom-built exhibits offer companies the chance to develop a consistent and cohesive brand image across all their trade show appearances. By creating a booth that reflects the brand’s identity in every detail—from colors and logos to materials and messaging—a custom exhibit reinforces brand recognition over time. This consistency builds trust and familiarity with attendees, which is crucial for companies that attend trade shows as a key part of their marketing strategy.
Having a custom booth that showcases your brand in its best light at each event helps strengthen your relationship with existing clients while also attracting new leads. The visual and experiential impact of a well-designed custom booth ensures your brand remains top-of-mind long after the trade show ends.
More Economical for Larger Booth Investments
For companies that require a large exhibit space, custom-built booths can be more economical in the long run. Larger booths tend to have higher rental costs due to the scale and complexity of the design. Building a custom booth that spans a significant area on the show floor allows exhibitors to save on repeated rental fees, especially when attending numerous shows throughout the year.
Furthermore, with custom builds, businesses can tailor their booths to their specific needs without being constrained by the limitations of rental options. This can translate to more efficient use of space, better attendee engagement, and, ultimately, a higher return on investment. The upfront expense of a custom booth is offset by the value it brings over time, particularly for exhibitors with ambitious trade show schedules.
Benefit from Asset Depreciation
Owning a custom-built exhibit offers financial advantages in the form of asset depreciation. Just like other long-term business investments, trade show booths can be depreciated over time, providing companies with potential tax benefits. This aspect of custom-built exhibits is often overlooked but can be a valuable factor for businesses looking to maximize their return on investment.
Depreciating a custom booth as an asset also offers more flexibility when planning future upgrades or renovations, as the business can make adjustments to the booth design without needing to start from scratch. This adds an extra layer of cost-effectiveness to custom exhibits, particularly for companies that plan to evolve their trade show presence over time.
Drawbacks of Custom Built Exhibits
Not as Cost-Effective for Occasional Exhibitors
The benefits of custom built exhibits are that they are ideal for companies that take part in trade shows frequently, but may not be ideal for companies that only exhibit occasionally. The cost of a custom booth may be high at the beginning, and if the booth is used only once or twice a year, then it may not be profitable enough. For those who exhibit only occasionally, the costs of constructing and maintaining a proprietary exhibit may be prohibitive, which is why rentals are more feasible.
Responsibility for Maintenance, Logistics, and Storage
In the case of a custom booth, companies are fully responsible for booth maintenance, transportation, and storage. This involves arranging for the transportation of the booth to and from each event, checking that all materials are in good condition, and locating suitable storage space between shows. These tasks take time and resources, which can be costly, especially for small firms or firms with few employees.
Storage fees, for instance, can be high depending on the size of the booth that is required to store the items. There is also the cost of maintenance to ensure that the booth looks new and is functional, and the time and resources used to install and dismantle the exhibit at every event. For organizations that do not have the capacity to perform these tasks, the benefits of renting may overshadow the cost of owning the equipment.
Limited Flexibility for Major Changes Post-Build
Once the custom booth is constructed, it is not easy to change the design or structure of the booth since this will require a lot of money and time. While rental exhibits allow the opportunity to experiment with different layouts or styles for each event, a custom built exhibit is created with a particular concept in mind. If the company’s trade show requirements change or if new trends are identified in the market, then changing a custom booth may prove to be very expensive.
This lack of flexibility may be a disadvantage for companies that wish to try out different styles of exhibits or change their trade show approach depending on the reception they receive. Custom exhibits are very flexible and can be tailored to meet the needs of the exhibitor but they are also static and may require frequent updating to remain relevant.
Longer Development Times
Creating a custom-built exhibit takes time. The design, construction, and testing phases can stretch over several months, especially for complex booths with multiple interactive features or intricate designs. For companies that need to participate in an upcoming event with a tight deadline, this extended timeline could pose a significant challenge.
In contrast, renting a booth allows exhibitors to avoid the lengthy development process and have a display ready for use within a much shorter time frame. The longer lead times associated with custom-built exhibits make them less ideal for companies that need flexibility or are frequently adjusting their trade show strategy.
Dependency on Supplier Reliability
Creating a custom exhibit entails developing a good relationship with a reputable exhibit firm. The quality of the final product, the durability of the booth and its efficiency directly depends on the supplier and his work. If the exhibit company does not deliver as expected—whether it is late, too expensive, or poorly constructed—the exhibitor may end up with a booth that does not meet their expectations.
The last thing one wants is to have a custom booth that does not meet the intended goal due to a poor supplier. This makes the company dependent on external vendors, which is a bit risky because any problem with the supplier will impact the company’s performance at the trade shows.
How to Choose Between Exhibit Rental and Custom Build
Deciding whether to rent or build a custom trade show exhibit depends on multiple factors that align with your business goals, budget, and event strategy.
| Aspect | Exhibit Rental | Custom Build |
| Initial Cost | Lower upfront cost | Higher upfront investment |
| Long-term Cost | Higher if used frequently | More cost-effective in the long run |
| Maintenance and Storage | No maintenance/storage required | Requires maintenance and storage |
| Logistics | Simplified, often included | More complex, requires planning |
| Customization | Limited customization options | Fully customizable |
| Flexibility for Changes | High flexibility per event | Limited post-build changes |
| Asset Ownership | No ownership, rental basis | Full ownership |
| Availability | Dependent on peak seasons | Always available once built |
Choose Exhibit Booth Rental When:
- ● You attend trade shows infrequently.
- ● Flexibility in design per event is a priority.
- ● You prefer lower upfront costs.
- ● No logistics or storage responsibilities are desired.
- ● Testing different markets or event types is an objective.
Choose Custom Build When:
- ● You participate in trade shows regularly.
- ● Long-term cost efficiency is important.
- ● Maintaining a consistent brand image is critical.
- ● Full customization is needed to reflect your brand identity.
- ● You’re ready to manage storage, logistics, and maintenance.
Tips for Maximizing Your Trade Show Investment
Exploring Hybrid Exhibit Options
For companies that are in a dilemma between the open ended nature of rentals and the customization of custom booths, there are hybrid exhibit solutions. These are a mix of rented items such as flooring or display parts and other parts that are designed to suit your brand. This approach enables you to present a different design from the rest without having to go for a complete custom build, yet you benefit from the ease of renting some parts of the booth.
Hybrid options are ideal for organizations that want flexibility while at the same time having a customized appearance. For instance, one can lease structural components such as kiosks and exhibit walls but design specific aspects such as graphics, branding components or interactive components. This solution offers the benefits of rentals, which are cheaper than buying, and the benefits of custom builds, which are the ability to design and build according to one’s preference.
Efficient Budget Management Strategies
In order to get the best value for your money spent on the trade show, it is important to consider the following. First, decide how many shows you will attend per year and if they necessitate a custom booth or a rental. If an organization is a regular participant in the fair, then it is more profitable to have a stand designed specifically for the organization. However, integrating small rental components with a specially designed central part can also be a good strategy to save money.
Another approach is to assess the size and location of your trade show booth. A large island booth may look attractive but at times a small but well designed inline booth with the right trade show booth graphics and interactive elements can create the same buzz. Do not overcrowd your design with too many features and make sure that the quality of the design is good enough to provide the user with an interesting experience without having to spend too much on the extra space.
Partnering with Reliable Exhibit Companies
Regardless of whether you decide to rent or to have a new exhibit constructed, it is important to work with a reputable trade show booth company. A reliable exhibit company not only supplies good quality material but also assists in the assembly, disassembly and transportation. Search for companies that have been in the business for many years in trade show booth rentals, design and project management so that you are assured of professional services from the time you hire the company to the time you get your booth.
When choosing a partner, make sure to look for client feedback, portfolio, and their ability to work with different booth sizes and intricate designs. A reliable ally can assist with the rental or construction of a booth from scratch so that you can concentrate on what is most important – impressing visitors at the event.
Conclusion
Both trade show exhibit rentals and custom-built booths have their advantages and drawbacks, and the right choice depends on your unique business needs and event strategy. Rentals offer flexibility, lower upfront costs, and convenience for companies that participate occasionally or require varied designs. Custom-built exhibits, on the other hand, provide unparalleled customization, long-term cost benefits for frequent exhibitors, and a consistent brand presence.
By carefully considering your trade show schedule, booth requirements, and budget, you can make a well-informed decision. Whether you opt for a rental or a custom build, the ultimate goal is to create an engaging, memorable experience that enhances your brand’s visibility and leaves a lasting impression on attendees.
Aplus Expo: Reliable Trade Show Booth Builder
When it comes to building or renting trade show exhibits, partnering with a company like Aplus Expo ensures peace of mind and a seamless trade show experience. With years of experience and a dedicated project management team, Aplus Expo specializes in custom trade show booth design, rentals, and logistics across major show locations like Las Vegas, Orlando, Chicago, and beyond.
Our creative team can help bring your vision to life, offering various booth sizes and flexible options to fit your specific needs. From handling logistics like shipping and setup to ensuring compliance with diverse trade show regulations, Aplus Expo makes it easy for you to focus on what matters most—showcasing your brand at its best. Whether you’re looking to rent a booth for a last-minute event or build a fully customized exhibit, Aplus Expo provides the expertise and support to ensure your trade show success.
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