Cost and budgeting are concern No. 1 for exhibitors with regard to their show program, according to a new survey by the exhibitor Advocate, a non -profit organization dedicated to the success of exhibitors.
With the fluctuating post -paymic costs – – sometimes, even arrows – from year to year, how can it expose marketing specialists ahead of inflationary price jumps and the budget appropriately to support their show programs? And how to show the organizers to show their exhibitors through these challenges to bring them back to their events year after year?
To meet these challenges, the exhibitors’ defender recently published his annual survey in 2024 on exhibition rates, offering comparative analysis data, specific market trends and critical ideas on material handling, workforce, standing furniture, Internet access and other essential exposure costs in 23 major American cities.
Produced in partnership with Trade-Sathow Logic and audited independently by Evolio Marketing, the 3rd annual report is designed to serve as an essential resource for exhibitors, organizers and suppliers of the industry to help them plan, budget and negotiate more efficiently and strategically according to the data on the trends of the year.
Methodology: To compile research, the exhibitors’ defender and the logic of salons have studied 23 American cities, the original price data of 253 manuals and forms of exhibitor, and examined these specific elements of the same set of cities through a representative sample of events, thus allowing exhibitors to compare costs in different places.
Why is it important: In addition to allowing exhibition marketing specialists to understand current costs of the current costs and to budget the budget accordingly, report information can be operated by the show’s organizers to compare the costs of their exhibitors against the industry and the city’s means, according to Jessica Sibila, executive director of the Advocate exhibitor. Meanwhile, suppliers can benefit from detailed intelligence for reference to the costs of exhibitors in popular cities and use the competitive costs of exhibitors to attract shows to their places and their destinations, she said.
What they say: “While our industry continues to evolve, the need for reliable and complete cost data has never been so critical,” said Sibila. “This year’s survey is based on our objective of providing usable information that sheds light on data -based decision -making for exhibitors and organizers.”
Related: 2023 Annual survey on exposure rates for labor and freed equipment
Decompose the data
To maximize the value of this research, the exhibitors’ defender organized an online discussion forum on March 4, “discover the power of data with the annual survey of exposure rates of the Advocate exhibitor”, with Sibila in conversation with Jo Sudore, head of events in Clario; Brooke Neu, consultant in convention for Medtronic; And Evan Shoda, co -owner and CEO of Redlinexpo, who shared their ideas on the report, how they use it to anticipate spending, negotiate, make informed decisions and find solutions to support the return on investment of events.
As an organizer of the show, Shoda shared that the investigation offers him the following advantages:
Data -based decision -making: The survey provides difficult numbers on the pains of exhibitors, allowing organizers to make informed decisions. With information on cost trends, exhibitors’ expectations and economic pressures, organizers can proactively adjust pricing, spatial allowances and service offers. For example, if the data shows an increasing concern about labor costs, the organizers could negotiate better labor packages or offer other stands configuration options, he said.
“This investigation is really useful when we negotiate with places, but also with entrepreneurs in general service,” said Shoda. “When we examine these prices, we go to our entrepreneur in general services when we assess the proposals and we ask if we can negotiate costs according to what they will charge us by stand, as well as what they will charge us for the handling of materials. This does not necessarily work in our favor, because there are many mobile parts, but we increase what we pay by Booth if we can face the future, the brake, the hardware, the English Channel and the Drassage. And we also communicate with our exhibitors.
Related: The new research provides benchmarks for commercial labor emissions and material treatment costs in 16 cities
Cost transparency and planning: A major challenge of exhibitors is the unpredictability of costs, with services such as labor, draining and stand space which often fluctuates from year to year, which makes budgeting difficult. Organizers can mitigate this burden by providing detailed cost failures in advance, offering cost forecasting tools or price locks for multi-year exhibitors and communicating any increase provided in advance, so that exhibitors can adjust their budgets accordingly, he said.
Standardization between events: The survey guarantees a comparison of apple apples by analyzing similar events each year in the same cities. This consistency can help organizers compare their prices and services against competitors, ensuring that they remain competitive but profitable. Organizers can also use data to identify regional trends – for example, if exposure costs in one city increase more quickly than in another, they may need to adjust pricing models or negotiate with local suppliers.
Collaboration with exhibitors: The long -term retention of exhibitors depends on solid partnerships, so the organizers should actively consult comments on pain points – beyond prices – to understand what exhibitors need, said Sibila.
“88% of respondents in the survey told us that the cost and budgeting were their n ° 1 concern with regard to their show program,” said Sibila. “Being able to approach these costs and provide data to their show organizers so that the organizer can negotiate on behalf of their exhibitors allows exhibitors to implement solutions that will be more beneficial.”
She added that collaboration on this subject is the key because the survey data shows that exhibitors take measures to deal with the service costs of growing emissions which are not positive for the organizers of shows, including the reduction of their number of emissions, sponsorships and stand size, and reassessing their event strategies.
“The group of stakeholders who is assigned by these solutions is the organizer of the show,” continued Sibila. “By allowing the emission organizer to use this data and negotiate on behalf of their exhibitors, this can have a direct impact on the income they can obtain from their exhibitors. Thus, examination of the report can help you determine how it affects your exhibitors and find potential solutions for them. ”
For specialists in the marketing of exhibitions SUDODE and NEUS, the report helps them with the following elements:
Data tiration for budgeting: By being able to anticipate cost trends, exposing companies can plan budgets with more precision depending on the fluctuations in past costs as well as adjust their exposure strategies based on regional cost variations, said Sudore.
“Material handling rates have only increased by around 2.2% this year, so the good news is that we see that these rates amounted, and it will be a little easier for our exhibitors to budget these costs in the next shows,” said Sudore. “The display work rates only increased 1.17%, below this inflation rate (but) the new step so large is that the average electrical rate increased by 16.7%, so it is skyrocketing this year.”
She added: “Looking at a certain number of different rates in the whole report, helps us to determine that if we want to expose in a certain city, what is the average cost of presentation in this city according to things like Internet, the carpet, the baskets of waste, the tables and the drape? Thus, you can see the average cost beyond these three work rates.”
Defend costs stability: Post-country cost peaks, in particular with labor, release and space rental costs, have caused frustration to many exhibitors. Exhibitors can put pressure for more transparency and predictability by negotiating multi -year agreements with the organizers to lock the rates of the stands, by asking for detailed cost failures to better understand the pricing structures and collaborate with other exhibitors to defend fair pricing policies. 
“This tool has really helped us because we plan and budget on behalf of our customers, and we do not just come to them with problems, we come to them with solutions and plead on their behalf in the industry,” said Neuus. “This goes beyond the simple determination of the quantity of electricity they need – we are their strategic partners, and it is really due to the exploitation of this data. This gives us this opportunity to come to the table as a partner and as an advisor in this space and be considered as experts. ”
Optimization of show strategies: The survey also highlights industry -scale trends that exhibitors can use to optimize their show strategies. These include the identification of emissions offering the best value according to the cost compared to the king; Understand the regional price fluctuations so that they can adjust the size of the stands and the staff accordingly; And identify new exposure price trends to help them stay ahead of competitors.
“Especially after the post-confidence, things have changed and show the organizers who are more creative and implement innovative models to meet the points of pain of the exhibitors and meet the needs and objectives of the exhibitors, will be those who will resolve any storm that will repercussions,” said Sibila. “Loyalty and confidence with the exhibitors are so important, just as if exhibitors easily exhibit at your show, which makes it more precious for your participants too. It is an ecosystem, and it is important that we all work together to ensure that it is sustainable for the future. ”
Buy the full report here.
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