The Tradeshow Exhibit Rental Business is Booming

Trade Show Rentals from Classic Distributors

The exhibit rental business is booming. That shouldn’t surprise anyone. Exhibitors, both large and small, are looking for cost-effective ways to maintain their exhibit marketing on tight budgets. Renting a display makes sense for a variety of reasons, including cost, flexibility, storage and handling. If you are weighing the choice between buying or renting, see 8 Reasons to Rent Your Exhibit (below) or the full article on www.all-about-trade-show-exhibits.com.

Too often, exhibitors view renting as a marketing or design compromise. Larger rental displays, especially those from show management, are often battered, dated, and UGLY. They scream, “Hi, I couldn’t afford a new display so I rented this #!@% display from the show.” Renting 10′ x 10′ exhibits hasn’t been much better. The choices have been a pop up display, a different pop up display, or a fabric folding panel system. These are all utilitarian choices, and with the right graphics can be very effective, but they are never going to win you a “Best of Show” award.

Thankfully, rental designs have come a long, long way, especially if you are considering renting from a Classic Exhibits distributor. Take a moment and review the inline and island rental options in the Classic Gallery. You’ll notice some standard designs, such as pop ups, panel displays, and truss systems, but the vast majority fall under the heading of hybrid designs. Hybrid designs, such as Visionary Designs, are precisely what their name implies — hybrids. They rely on the strengths of multiple systems and combine them into a unique solution. This makes the final designs custom looking, but with much greater flexibility than a custom exhibit. Hybrids are impressive and unmistakable, not only for their soaring aluminum extrusion structure but also for their large format graphics.

The following are examples from the Rental Gallery:

• 10′ x 10′
• 10 x 10′
• 10′ x 20′  
• 20′ x 20′
• 20′ x 20′

Don’t see a configuration that fits your exhibit marketing needs? No problem. Classic Distributors will work with you to design a display that matches your exhibit goals.

Renting may not be for everyone, and it’s important to remember the Rental Rule of Three. If you anticipate renting the same configuration three times, you may want to consider purchasing it instead.

8 Reasons to Rent Your Exhibit

1. Cost: Plain and simple, renting costs less.
2. Invest Wisely: Renting allows you to spend more of your budget on your graphics and message. 
3. Flexibility: Different shows bring in different kinds of attendees. Renting offers the flexibility of changing your exhibit structure and graphics to target your message from show-to-show.
4. Testing: Try it before you buy it. Then when you do decide to purchase an exhibit, you will know you have made the right choice.
5. Overlapping Shows: When you have multiple, overlapping shows, renting gives you the freedom to have an effective presence at both.
6. Installation and Dismantle Included: When you rent, many exhibit distributors will install and dismantle your exhibit for no additional charge.
7. No Storage Expense or Hassle: Storing a booth can be expensive and shipping it to a show and back can be a real hassle. When you rent from many distributors, there is no storage expense and there are no delivery hassles.
8. Upgrading: When you rent your exhibit, you have the freedom to make changes. If you need a face-lift with new messaging and graphics, you have the freedom to do it. If you want to move into a larger space, you can.

–Mel White