Almost every exhibiting brand eventually asks the same question at budget season: modular or custom exhibition stand which is cheaper, really? The very truthful reply has nothing to do with materials and all to do with arithmetic. In Exhibits Expo we have seen brands spend too much on a one-off construction which was designed to be used once in a single event, and we have also seen brands spend too little on a modular construction which never really reflected the brand image. The two groups overlooked the single figure that counts the most: exhibition stand cost per show. This blog takes a stroll through the three show maths, which makes the number of shows to justify a modular stand and when an original design is the winner on impact. At the end, you are expected to be able to stand your own ground in any budget meeting regarding spending on exhibition design.
A reusable frame, panel and connector system is used to construct a modular exhibition stand, which may be reconfigured to fit the size of various halls and reassembled in a variety of events. A custom exhibition stand, however, is built and created to fit one individual brand narrative, layout and floor plan. Both of these methods are on our services list and each can provide an impressive look. The actual distinction is only revealed when you compare the cost of an exhibition stand between two or more shows and not a single invoice.
This decision is right and will save your marketing budget not just one exhibition but the entire year. A misplaced call would be to charge custom-build prices each time or to reuse a modular system that is no longer a reflection of your developing brand identity. Knowing the payback of exhibition stands can guide exhibition and marketing departments to plan more intelligently, negotiate more effectively with the vendors and have a confident total cost of ownership figure that they can present to the finance stakeholders before the next trade show cycle starts. It also eliminates the procurement discussions based on guesswork, as all the stakeholders can see where the money is being spent throughout the exhibition calendar as opposed to responding to a single large invoice at a time.
Brand exhibitions typically select between three general structural options:
Every variant alters the rate at which reusing an exhibition stand cost is recaptured into the future events, and this is the reason why the format you adopt must be in tandem with your exhibition calendar and not necessarily with your first-time budget. Making a poor decision in the initial variant could subtly blow out a whole year of shows in terms of expenditure.
These features must be considered before either of them is signed off:
These characteristics have a direct impact on the way the modular exhibition stand payback period will unfold as soon as you start to compare show two and show three with the initial expenditure.
“The modular frame can generally be re-purposed into a larger than 1 booth size which is precisely the reason as to why the cost of an exhibition stand across multiple shows is more likely to decrease with each re-use.”
Exhibits Expo manufactures and produces custom exhibit stands and modular system exhibit stands and 3D design, graphic design and printing services. With our corporate identity consultations, layout planning and campaign objectives, we suggest a structural format that is then used, and our global partner network can provide cost-effective storage of stands, equipment and accessories between shows, anywhere you will set up next.
|
Attribute |
Modular Exhibition Stand |
Custom Exhibition Stand |
|
Reusability |
High, reconfigurable across shows |
Low, largely single-use |
|
Design flexibility |
Moderate, template-based |
Very high, fully bespoke |
|
Build and strike time |
Faster, standardised process |
Slower, project-specific |
|
Storage requirement |
Ongoing, between-show storage |
Minimal, often one-time use |
|
Best suited for |
Frequent exhibitors, multiple shows |
Flagship launches, unique concepts |
|
Long-term cost pattern |
Cost per show declines over time |
Cost resets with every new build |
Check the experience of your design partner with both systems, as a builder who has never done modular planning and one who has never done custom work will underestimate the importance of the other.
The term modular is based on the Latin modulus, which translates to a small measure, and is a characteristic of these systems being constructed out of small, reproducible components.
Therefore, is modular less expensive than custom? Custom usually has greater impact on brands that are present in a single flagship event. In the case of a brand that is present at three or more shows per year, the three-show arithmetic always tends to favour modular, since the payback of an exhibition stand increases with the number of times used. The correct response is based on what you have in the show calendar, what you want as a brand and how serious you are about cost per show versus cost per build. Carry out the three-show comparison with integrity, and the decision tends to make itself.
Ready to reduce your cost per show? Talk to Exhibits Expo about a stand solution built for your brand, budget and exhibition strategy.
Tell us the show, your stand size and how many sides are open. We come back with a rendered concept and an honest cost band — before you have committed to anything.
