Exhibition Experts predict that rentals to be HOT! HOT! HOT! once trade shows resume in Q3/Q4 2021. That shouldn’t be surprising as exhibitors restart their trade show marketing programs.
Many exhibitors will return with smaller exhibits. Others will need updated displays. Rental Inlines, Islands, and Accessories are the perfect answer to both. So if you are unfamiliar with exhibit rentals, here are 10 Answers to the most common Rental Questions. Word of Warning: Not all rental providers offer the same services, flexibility, or design capability. Do your homework and ask lots of questions (in addition to the ones below).
Rental exhibits will dominate once trade shows and exhibitions return. That’s a fact. What you may not know is that rental design has evolved. Gone are the days of ugly and boxy rentals constructed with dirty and dinged extrusion sitting on shelves (often for years).
Want proof? Checkout the designs below and download all six pages of rental exhibits arranged in “Under” categories. Prices start at Under $8K. Then explore even more inline, island, and accessory rentals in Exhibit Design Search. With over 300 rental designs.
For more information about rental exhibits for trade shows and exhibitions, contact us at www.classicexhibits.com. We’ll put you in touch with a Classic Rental Exhibit Expert in your local market.
Exhibit Designers, like those at Classic Rental Solutions, are being tasked by exhibitors to create trade show islands with Post- COVID-19 safety features. Those features include hand sanitizer stands, acrylic safety dividers, and social distancing demo areas.
The rental island designs below illustrate three concepts. Rather than create fixed entrances and exits which would be challenging to monitor and maintain, these designs emphasize individual demo stations, partitions, and social distancing. These all assume mask and sanitation protocols not only during the show but also before and after show hours.
Rental exhibits have become as popular as leasing a car. It’s no longer just an economic consideration. It’s also about design flexibility and convenience, such as no storage. As we ramp back up after the Coronavirus pandemic, Classic Exhibits is predicting that rentals will lead the way.
If you’re considering a rental exhibit for an upcoming
show, be sure to ask your vendor the right questions.
Do you know what’s included and what you’ll need to plan for? A lot of companies offer rental exhibits, but few offer true rental programs that cover all of the bases for you. No one wants to be hit with surprises, especially with things that could affect your exhibiting experience, or bust your budget.
Here are some questions and answers you’ll want before moving forward with a successful rental exhibit project.
Question: Will I own the graphics if I rent an
exhibit design?
Answer: Yes, the graphics are purchased. This is an
important distinction, especially when comparing a rental vs. a purchase. When
you rent, you only rent the hardware, not the graphics. However, if you re-rent the same exhibit and
reuse your graphics, you can subtract the cost of the graphics, making the
second rental less expensive.
Question: Does it ever make sense to combine some
rental components with an existing exhibit that we already own?
Answer: Many exhibitors blend rental components with
their existing exhibit. For example, your exhibit may include the main
structure, like a tower and a conference room. Renting the workstations,
kiosks, or other accessories will allow you to mix and match components
depending on your show requirements. In addition, it allows you to “test-drive”
components to see if there’s a long-term need.
Question: Do rentals offer more design flexibility
and less hassle?
Answer: Yes, with rentals you can literally change
your exhibit design for every show. Plus, you will never have storage costs or
staging issues to deal with.
Question: Are multiple show discounts available for
rental exhibits?
Answer: Yes, many rental exhibit suppliers offer
discounts for multiple show commitments depending on the show dates and
locations. It is definitely worth asking about.
Question: How will I be assured of a high-quality
exhibit and that the graphics will fit correctly?
Answer: Always ask for examples and references.
Professional rental suppliers will provide you with detailed staging photos
and/or a live video preview before the exhibit ships to show. For larger island
designs, consider scheduling an in-person preview.
Question: Is I & D (installation and dismantle)
typically included with rentals?
Answer: Some vendors offer full turnkey services.
Either way, remember that there’s a cost to I&D whether it’s a line item or
buried in the cost of the rental. Always cover this and any other services you
want with your rental supplier.
Question: If I choose to use my own labor company
are clear setup instructions typically provided.
Answer: Yes, most exhibit companies provide setup
instructions. However, some are better than others. Make sure you see examples
from past projects to make sure they are detailed and complete. Also make sure
that they provide detailed diagrams and staging photos, and that someone from
production is available 24/7 to answer a call with questions during the setup.
Sometimes a quick call can save hours of labor on the show floor.
Question: How will I know that everything is packed
up and included in the shipment?
Answer: It’s best to use a vendor that provides a
complete inventory list with all of the components checked off by the
production team as they pack the crates before shipping. Ideally, they will
provide packing photos that show each layer of components in every crate(s).
You need to be confident that every part and component is packed and ready to
go when the labor team starts the setup.
Question: When I rent an exhibit, am I responsible
for damages that may occur during the set-up or take-down? If so, what is
typically considered wear and tear versus outright damage?
Answer: Rental vendors usually understand that their
exhibit components are going to suffer some normal scuffs and scratches. With
that said, when the scuffs and scratches turn into gouges and holes, there’s
often a repair or replacement fee to cover costs. But if the exhibit vendor
provides the installation and dismantle service, any damage fees would more
than likely be paid by the labor company.
Question: For multiple show rentals, do rental
companies offer storage services if I choose to reuse the same graphics?
Answer: Yes, a lot of companies do offer storage
services. Many will store the graphics at no charge if there’s a commitment to
re-rent the same exhibit design for a future show or shows. Always determine
what you would like to do with the graphics before shipping the exhibit to the
show. If you decide to take the graphics with you after the show, you may need
to request special packaging. This won’t be necessary if you make arrangements
to ship them back with the exhibit.
Question: Am I responsible for coordinating the
round-trip shipping of a rental?
Answer: Your exhibit vendor usually offers shipping
services, but most are flexible about shipping arrangements.
You will definitely want to discuss whether it makes more
sense to go direct to the show or to the advanced warehouse. There are multiple
scenarios to consider when making this decision. It often depends on how many
days there are between the advanced warehouse deadline and the show date. The
rental period (or time the vendor allows the exhibit properties to be out) also
comes into play. Review all of this and make the appropriate decisions based on
your specific show.
Question: How much customization is typically
offered with rental exhibits?
Answer: It is virtually impossible to walk a show
floor today and identify which exhibits are rental versus purchased. Most
rental designs have some customization, and many are custom designed for
specific companies and specific shows.
Quite often, a few custom elements added to the design can
give the entire design a custom look even if it’s as simple as some colorful
laminated workstations, shelves, or a reception counter. Custom laminated
soffits and backlighting are also nice touches that are inexpensive and well
worth the investment. As a bonus, if you re-rent the same exhibit, your second
rental will most likely be less expensive, since your first rental covered the
cost of those custom components.
For more information about rentals, contact Classic Exhibits (www.classicexhibits.com) or browse through our extensive rental galleries of Islands, Inlines, and Accessories. We’ll design to your specifications!
It’s an exciting time to be in the exhibition industry. At
no other time in the past 20 years has the pace of change been so dramatic. While
some exhibit houses are embracing it, others are sticking their proverbial head
in the sand.
Take rental displays for example. Just a few years ago, rental displays were the stepchildren of trade show design. Neglected and underappreciated by both exhibit houses and general service contractors. Exhibitors who chose a rental display either weren’t serious about trade show marketing or simply didn’t understand the poor image those displays projected on the show floor.
How that has changed! Rentals have gone upscale and
depending on the provider can be customized to meet almost any exhibitor’s
marketing goals. They are basically indistinguishable from the purchase display
across the aisle or your competitor’s new exhibit. So why the change and why
should you consider a rental OR better yet a purchase/rental?
The Top 3 – Plus a Bonus Tip. 😉
Reason #1 – Design Flexibility
The marketing goals for most companies are constantly
evolving with multiple campaigns and a host of products and services, each with
a distinct brand and messaging. What worked in Q1 may not be effective for Q3
or scrapped all together.
Rental displays make it easy to change graphics, add structural
elements, or simply go from an inline to an island (or vice versa). That
flexibility can be very dynamic for your brand and marketing goals and more
cost effective in the long-term.
Reason #2 – Upfront Cost
Rental displays are not only less expensive upfront, but
they also allow you to stretch your budget even further. Take the exhibitor who
settled for a ho-hum inline in the past. With a rental, they could add attractive
meeting space, LED lighting, large monitors, shelving, and extensive storage –
all at the same price of a purchase.
More bang for the buck means you can elevate your trade show
presence with attendees. Or, if you choose not to make significant changes to
the display, the savings can be spent on client entertainment/meals, pre-show
marketing, or booth staffing. Or directly to your marketing bottom line.
Reason #3 – Associated Expenses
When you purchase a new exhibit, there are always associated
expenses, some you may not anticipate. Storage for example. Larger exhibits are
packed in crates. Those crates either must be stored at your exhibit house for
a monthly fee or in your own facility. Either way, it’s an ongoing cost. Plus,
when components are lost or damaged, those must be replaced.
Before each show, someone has to reassemble the booth to
ensure all the parts and pieces are there, and if there are changes, then there
are design fees, new components or graphics, and the labor to get it prepped
and perfect.
With a rental, nearly all of that disappears. No storage. No
prep charges. No labor. You may have new charges if you change the graphics or the
design, but in general, those are more controllable and predictable.
Bonus Tip – Rental and Purchase
Rental vs Purchase doesn’t have to be an either/or decision.
More and more sophisticated exhibitors are choosing both. They purchase those
design elements they know they’ll use again and again regardless of the show or
configuration. For example, a central 12 ft. tower with locking storage. If you
need that every single time, then it makes sense to buy it and rebrand it when
necessary. However, if you sometimes need multiple monitor workstations but
other times you would rather have more meeting space, then it doesn’t make
sense to purchase monitor stands. Rent them instead.
It’s often the peripheral items like counters, pedestals,
charging stations, monitor stands, lightboxes, etc. which change frequently.
Rent them. That way you can play with what works best and make informed
decisions based on your experience and success.
Still a Bit Confused?
Your next step is to work with an experienced exhibit professional like Brave Exhibits or other Classic Exhibits Distributors. Their sole mission is maximizing your trade show success. Show after show. Brave Exhibits has learned how to avoid the costly mistakes that inexperienced exhibitors make. And believe me, it’s easy to waste money before you know what works and what doesn’t. They’ll ensure that doesn’t happen whether you decide on a Purchase or Rental or Purchase/Rental.