2025 Trade Show Costs: Budgeting Tips & Expected Expenses
There’s no point-and-click solution to a trade show budget. Much as we all wish we had simple inputs for a simple output, there’s far more nuance that goes into your planning, projecting and budgeting processes.
…but not so much nuance that we can’t make a few educated estimates.
Where are you headed?
Floor space alone can cost you as little as a few thousand or upwards of $50,000, depending on which conference you’re attending and where it’s located. In more sought-after locations like Vegas, you could end up spending close to $200 per square foot for your exhibit. In less frequented cities, the cost could be down closer to $100 per square foot.
And keep in mind: These numbers are for floor space alone. That’s not inclusive of your materials, labor or anything else you’ll find on top of your square footage.
How big is your booth?
Like floor space, the price of your booth could vary based on location: How easy is it to ship your parts? How accessible are the raw materials? But if you’re looking for a simple calculation to start doing some head math, this is it:
10’ x 10’: $25-45K
10’ x 20’: $35-65K
20’ x 20’: $50-$150K
Of course, size matters, but not necessarily in the ways you think it does. More square footage doesn’t always equate to better results. In fact in many cases, more square footage can result in vacant space, awkward transitions or the potential for your product to get lost in the fray.
Your best bet? Talk with us about sizing up your display before you start committing to any numbers. We’ve know the ins and outs of the sizing game, and can help you game out the shape, materials and construction of your booth.
What’re your goals?
Three questions we like to ask our clients:
Are you marketing your brand or your product?
This can have heavily implications on your final costs. Brand-generalized exhibitions may require more signage, variety and atmospheric elements, while product-specific expos often heavy-up on digital displays, live demos and hands-on experiences.
Are you generating new leads or nurturing current leads?
And of course, the answer can be both. Either way, your costs could vary depending on how much time and effort you’re spending on acquisition as opposed to retention. Will you need to create a unique, limited-time offering to keep your current leads engaged? Will you need to bring additional employees to collect contact information or show off your product?
What are your plans before and after the event?
Effective trade show planning isn’t just about the 24-48 hours of exhibition. A good portion of your budget should be dedicated to everything that surrounds the big day. Make sure you’re accounting for all the material costs, digital campaigning and content marketing that goes into drumming up interest. Same goes for the days afterward: Your budget should incorporate the cost of followups, CRM and even cold calls, if necessary.
Who’s on hand?
Labor costs obviously vary from place to place, but we consider it safe to budget at least $100/hr for trade show union rates. That means installation and dismantling, freight handling, rigging, carpentry, plumbing and almost any other specialized skill your booth might require.
Your own team carries costs as well. Remember that you’ll be paying for lodging, food, transportation and a number of additional expenses for your employees. Consider all of the above while you’re scaling your operation up or down.
What’s left?
You might be wondering about the cost implications of building a custom booth versus a rental booth, but those numbers can be deceiving.
You might be wondering how to create an inviting space versus an expensive space.
You might even be wondering how valuable a physical trade show really is to today’s digital-first consumer. (Hint: very.)In any case, we can help you work through all your questions and build your budget with a much greater sense of certainty. Reach out today to get the ball rolling.