For any company, a trade show program can be a major investment. That goes double for companies trying to break into new geographic or economic markets.
For these companies, a rental display can be a good choice to start. It allows them to keep their upfront costs low while maintaining professional-looking exhibits that represent their brands and their products well.
For some companies, rental displays are a good long-term strategy. But for companies wanting to “graduate” to custom displays, making that move can be a challenge, budget-wise. One of our clients went through that recently, and we worked with them to find a solution that met their needs for a custom booth at a cost they could afford.
Columbina is one of the largest food manufacturers in South America, on par with the likes of Nabisco in the United States. Over the last few years, we’ve been supporting their entry into the U.S. with a rental display program.
Last year, they came to us saying they wanted to “up their game” with their trade show program. They wanted to better convey their brand message of natural, organic food with a trade show booth that reflected that. They envisioned greater use of wood and other natural materials and imagery.
The problem was their budget was still the same. They were looking for a custom booth, but did not have the budget to support it.
So we offered a solution: instead of their yearly rental budget, invest in a two-year “custom rental” program. This allowed them to spread the cost of a custom booth over a two-year time period, getting a custom booth for about the same cost as their yearly rental program.
In the trade show business, there are any number of ways to approach a design challenge. There are different materials, technologies and strategies that can be employed to create the trade show display that meets a company’s needs within budget. Or at least that comes close.
Columbina didn’t think their budget would allow them to accomplish their marketing goals, but they challenged us with it anyway. The result was a booth that allowed them to take that next step in establishing a strong presence in America.
Too often, companies get stuck on the idea that “we can’t afford that.” But if you give us a chance to apply a little creativity, the results might surprise you.
Key Account Manager