Most marketing professionals are juggling online and offline campaigns, developing internal resources, managing the website(s) and social media presence, and a host of other responsibilities. And then there’s the trade show program. It’s often overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. One option is a turnkey booth.
Most exhibit houses offer complete turnkey services, where they manage not only storage and shipments but many facets of the trade show services. Turnkey services, when put in the hands of exhibit professionals, can pay for itself through lower freight costs, early bird specials, and by preventing ‘surprises’ on the show floor. And these can apply whether it’s a turnkey booth purchase or a turnkey booth rentals.
Benefits of a Turnkey Booth for Trade Show Ease
Opting for a turnkey trade show booth can significantly simplify the entire process and enhance your return on investment. Here are some of the key advantages:
Simplified Budgeting: Instead of facing numerous, often hidden, costs for design, construction, shipping, and labor, a turnkey solution provides a single, upfront cost. This makes it much easier to budget and manage your expenses. You avoid costs related to storage, maintenance, and refurbishment, as the provider handles all of that.
Less Stress: The biggest benefit is the elimination of logistical headaches. A turnkey provider manages everything from design and fabrication to installation and dismantling. This frees up your team to focus on what truly matters: preparing to engage with attendees, perfect your sales pitch, and network with potential clients.
Professional Design: Turnkey exhibits are designed and built by professionals who specialize in creating visually appealing and functional spaces. This ensures your booth has a high-quality, professional look that accurately reflects your brand identity and stands out on the busy trade show floor.
Flexibility and Customization: While the term “turnkey” implies a ready-made solution, many providers offer a high degree of customization. You can choose from various layouts, add your own branding and graphics, and incorporate different elements like digital displays or interactive features to create a unique experience tailored to your specific goals and target audience.
Scalability: For businesses that attend multiple shows of different sizes throughout the year, a turnkey rental is an excellent solution. You can easily adjust the size and configuration of your booth to fit different venue requirements without the high cost of owning multiple exhibits.
Expert Support: A dedicated project manager or team will oversee every detail of your exhibit. They are familiar with the specific rules and regulations of different venues and can handle any challenges that arise, from coordinating with show services to ensuring your booth meets all specifications. This expert guidance is invaluable, especially for first-time exhibitors.
Many turnkey exhibits are part of a rental program, which promotes the reuse of materials. This can be a more sustainable option than building a custom exhibit from scratch for every show. For a comprehensive review of turnkey exhibit management, see Exhibit Management and Turnkey Services.
What is a Turnkey Booth?
Do you have a mental image of a turnkey booth? Hopefully, you’re not picturing one of the “easy” or “no hassle” booths shown in the typical showbook. Those are meant to be easy (and highly profitable) for the General Show Contractor. A turnkey booth can be anything. It can be a $20,000 modular inline, a $250,000 custom island, or a rental inline or island exhibit. Before we dive into “what is a turnkey booth,” let’s review what turnkey means as a comprehensive service.
A turnkey exhibit provider handles all the intricate details of a trade show exhibit from start to finish, allowing the exhibitor to focus on their core purpose: engaging with attendees and showcasing their brand.
Turnkey Services typically include:
Design and Fabrication: The provider works with the company to design a custom or pre-existing booth layout that fits their brand and objectives. They then handle the construction and fabrication of the exhibit.
Logistics and Shipping: They manage the complex process of transporting the exhibit to the trade show venue.
Installation and Dismantling (I&D): A professional team sets up the entire booth on-site before the show begins and then efficiently breaks it down once the event is over.
Show Service Coordination: The provider coordinates with the show’s organizers for necessary services like electrical hookups, internet, and material handling (the process of moving materials on the show floor).
Included Furnishings: Turnkey solutions often include furniture, flooring, lighting, and audio/visual equipment.
Project Management: A dedicated team oversees the entire process, ensuring deadlines are met and the project stays on budget.
By opting for a turnkey solution, businesses can avoid the logistical nightmares and significant time investment associated with planning, coordinating, and managing a trade show presence on their own. It provides a hassle-free, professional, and often more cost-effective way to exhibit.
Turnkey Trade Show Booth Options: An Overview
Let’s start by defining the term “turnkey.” The term “turnkey” refers to something that is ready for immediate use, with all necessary components and services already in place. The idea is that you simply “turn the key” to get it started, without any further effort or preparation.
Our turnkey trade show booth options almost always start with an existing rendering or kit. These are preexisting designs which have been previously detailed, built, and assigned an msrp. Classic has over 1500 “turnkey” designs in Exhibit Design Search, ranging from table tops to 30 x 50 islands and counters to charging station solutions.
However, with the exception of Rapid Rentals and Quick Ships kits, these are not pre-built displays sitting on a shelf waiting for an order. Nearly every order is modified, customized and personalized to each exhibitor’s specifications. Sometimes they are simple modifications, like replacing a modular counter with a custom counter. Other times, the original booth design is a starting point for extensive changes.
In other words, a turnkey trade show booth doesn’t have to be a compromise or a take it or leave it choice when you choose a Classic Exhibits display. It’s the best of both worlds, meaning you have an extensive library of exhibit designs, all of which can be customized to your preferences.
For example, Exhibit Design Search includes galleries like:
- Contemporary Purchase, Rental, and Sustainable Islands
- Modern Purchase, Rental, and Sustainable Inlines
- LED Lightbox Booths
- Portable and Portable Modular Inlines
- Custom, Modular, and Portable Counters
- Charging Tables and Counters
- Monitor Stands
- Overhead Signs
- Plus, 12 additional trade show booth galleries
Taken from a wider perspective, “turnkey” means a complete service where a provider handles every aspect of the booth, from design and construction to shipping, installation, and dismantling. This allows the exhibitor to focus on their primary goal of engaging with attendees, rather than the logistics of the event.
10×10 Turnkey Trade Show Booths
Because a 10 x 10 turnkey trade show booth can be anything, let’s explore three possibilities.
VK-1369 | Quick Ship Booth. This purchase portable display includes a tension fabric graphic, monitor mount, and a backlit reception counter with locking storage. It ships in 8-10 business days.
VK-1356 | Lightbox Booth. Clean and inviting, the VK-1356 balances backlit graphics, casual seating, A/V options, and wireless charging. Plus, it can easily be reconfigured to a 10 x 20 inline.
VK-1105 | Hybrid Booth. Available in either a 10 ft. or 20 ft. inline, the VK-1105 has (6) product shelves, large format graphics, a monitor mount, and locking storage.
10×20 Turnkey Trade Show Booths
These 10×20 turnkey trade show booth kits demonstrate the custom possibilities of creating an inline booth that elevates your trade show marketing.
VK-4054 | Gravitee Inline Booth. Every exhibitor wants a custom-looking exhibit that also reconfigures. The VK-4054 does that… and so much more! The Gravitee Modular structure easily reconfigures from a 20 ft. inline to a 30 ft. to a 10 x 10 display.
VK-4046 | Custom Lightbox. The reconfigurable VK-4046 combines practical product shelving, meeting space, and closet storage into an attractive exhibit designed to showcase products and promote conversation.
20×20 Island Turnkey Trade Show Booth Kit
Classic Exhibits has over 200 20×20 island turnkey trade show booths available for purchase and to rent. View them as “idea generators” which you can mix and match to create the ideal island booth for your marketing requirements.
VK-5187 | Island Booth. Canopies paired with backlit LED graphics are guaranteed to draw a crowd on the show floor. This island booth design features multiple backlit double-sided towers, custom counters, genius bars, and charging tables.
Turnkey Trade Show Booths Rental Solutions
A turnkey trade show booth rental should look and perform just like a purchase exhibit. Same features, design options, installation, and quality. With one of the largest exhibit rental programs in North America, Classic Exhibits has the depth, flexibility, and experience to handle most rental requests, ranging from a Rapid Rental 10 x 10 to a sales conference with 40 monitor stands and 30 counters.
RE-1064 | Gravitee Rental Booth. The RE-1064 has extensive product shelves, storage, and captivating backlit images. SEG fabric graphics are a breeze to install and allow for quick changes from show to show.
RE-2153 | Gravitee Modular Booth. The RE-2153 uses Gravitee Modular panels, tension fabric graphics, and custom counters to create an inviting space on the trade show floor. Plus, assembly is fast and easy with the no-tools assembly.
RE-9095 | Gravitee Rental Island Booth. This rental island combines a casual meeting space with a more formal semi-private meeting room. There are two functional workstations with large monitors.
FAQs About Turnkey Booths
What’s included in a turnkey service booth package?
Because each booth and every client is different, most exhibit houses offer a range of services and packages. The following article Exhibit Management and Turnkey Services is an excellent overview of the most common services.
How much does a turnkey booth cost?
Turnkey booth pricing is the same as the price for any purchase or rental exhibit at Classic Exhibits. Basic 10 ft. inlines are typically in the $3K to $6K range and larger islands run from $45K to $450K. We encourage you to explore your options in Exhibit Design Search. Use it as a starting point to identify booth designs, prices, and features.
Can turnkey booths be customized?
With the exception of the (7) Rapid Rentals and (7) Quick Ship booths, every turnkey booth can be customized. In fact, we encourage you to customize it. That way, your booth reflects your unique branding and facilitates your distinct trade show marketing goals.
Discover Turnkey Booth Solutions from Classic Exhibits
Your choice of a trade show booth shouldn’t be limited by the turnkey designs available from an exhibit builder or their willingness to customize an existing design. You’re not buying a lawn mower. You’re purchasing a marketing asset to increase sales. At Classic Exhibits, our turnkey booth selection is not only extensive but also fully customizable. As it should be. Contact us for more information.
Who We Are
For over 30 years, Classic Exhibits has been designing and building creative custom solutions for our Distributor Partners and their clients. As North America’s largest private-label exhibit manufacturer, we have the unmatched capability, capacity, and creativity to create 3D projects ranging from 10 x 10 inline displays to 60 x 80 double-deck islands. Find success on the trade show floor with an exhibit that reflects your marketing message. For more information, see www.classicexhibits.com and explore Exhibit Design Search or request a meeting with a Classic Distributor Partner.