Live, in-person trade show events are great for small business owners to generate sales and increase revenue. Use these hacks to save yourself time and money so you can focus on landing your next big client. 

Pull Up Banner 

No trade show booth is complete without a pull up banner. Why worry about bringing one on a plane? Get one custom made and ship it directly to your hotel. All you’ll need to do is carry it from your room to your booth for set up. Then you won’t need to worry about grabbing attention. Check out the double sided retractable banner for attract attention from both sides.

Chairs

Purchasing your chairs at the exhibit can run you over $100.00 each. You’ve already shelled out some serious cash to attend the event, cover booth fees and purchase travel tickets, why buy an expensive chair? A cheap folding chair online can cost as little as $25.00. Purchase one online and ship it to the hotel you’re staying at.

Table

If a table isn’t included with your booth, you’ll need to bring one. Lugging around a folding table can be cumbersome and unnecessary. The company running the exhibit might charge over $100.00 for a table that you’ll only use for the weekend. Buying one online and shipping it to your event can save you over $40.00. Draping a custom 6ft fitted tablecloth over it will make your booth look professional. 

Internet 

Internet can cost as much as $275.00 for the weekend or $100.00 per day. In today’s world, staying connected is critical to your business success. Why spend an arm and a leg to stay online? Buy a mobile hotspot for $50.00 and save your hard-earned cash. Internet is a necessity, but paying a premium to stay connected isn’t. 

Items to Help with Setup 

Scissors, power strips, screwdrivers, tape, and zip ties are all items you can purchase while at the exhibit, but the costs can be excessive. While on site, scissors can run you $15.00, power strips are priced at $30.00, and screwdrivers can cost $25.00. These are all low-cost household items that are readily available both online and in local stores. Just throw these in your luggage and you’ll save yourself time and money. 

Items to Make Breakdown Easier 

Most items you can just throw away when the trade show is over, but you might want to bring a few things back home with you. Extra boxes, packing tape, and pre-printed shipping labels can save you some serious time and money to get important items back home. Figure out where the nearest drop off location is before arriving at the event. Dropping off the boxes yourself instead of paying a handling fee can save you a ton of money. 

Trade shows will continue to be a great way to for all businesses to increase sales and obtain new customers. They offer the opportunity to build relationships with face-to-face contact. Use these tips to make your trade show easier and save a few dollars!