In the trade show world, “rental” sounds like a dirty word. Don’t you want your booth to look new, shiny and customized? Here’s a little secret: It will be, even if you rent the hardware. Hardware means the physical structures that support your backwalls, columns, kiosks and towers. No one notices the hardware — only the graphics and messages they convey. And choosing to rent has more benefits than meet the eye.
The pros of trade show display rentals
- Significant cost savings.
Typically, renting saves you two-thirds of the hardware cost compared to purchasing it. For example, a large, 20’ x 30’ display, purchased outright, might cost $60,000 for hardware and crating plus $10,000 for graphics, for a total of $70,000. If you opt for rentals, your hardware cost drops to $20,000, for a total of $30,000. Not only that, but you’re saving on storage costs as well.
- The opportunity to make a bigger splash.
Some companies own a 10’ x 20’ display that they use year-round for most trade shows and events. But for their most important trade shows, they scale up — and make a lasting impression — by renting larger displays.
- Greater flexibility.
Are your displays feeling tired? It’s time to try a new configuration, and rentals are the best way to do that. One of our clients recently approached us about arranging different-sized display rentals for back-to-back shows — one 20’ x 30’ and one 20’ x 20’. They simply pared down a few elements and changed the graphics, and voila: a whole new look.
- Booth displays that grow with your company.
If you’re just beginning to build your presence at trade shows, start with a small booth rental. Over time, you can add a tower, a new wall, workstations or a custom-branded charging table. This incremental approach can be good for business, because constantly updating your look will encourage prospects to stop at your booth.
The cons of trade show display rentals
- Cost-effectiveness over time
Our rule of thumb is this: If you’re going to use a trade show display more than three times in a year, it’s probably going to be more cost-effective to own it. If you use a $70,000 display for five years, you’ll easily recoup your investment. The downside is that after a few years, your materials will look worn and dated. Don’t wait too long to update the graphics.
- Less freedom to customize your display.
While we can completely customize the graphics for trade show booth rentals, we can’t customize everything. If you want a 10-foot backwall shaped like a doughnut or a dinosaur, you’ll need to purchase a custom-made display.
If you’re not sure whether buying or renting a display is best for your business, just give us a call. We’ll help you figure out the best, most cost-effective solution.