A common mistake I see new exhibitors (and even some veterans) make revolves around how they measure the success of their trade shows.

One would assume that calculating your return on investment would require a simple formula comparing how much was spent to exhibit versus the revenue earned while at the show. However, I’d argue that this method is short sighted and doesn’t take into consideration several less tangible, non-immediate benefits that exhibiting at a trade show can bring.

udgeting for a tradeshow can feel like a shot in the dark, especially when you’re a newbie or trying to scale up. We have some experience in the tradeshow realm, working with everyone from side hustlers to experienced pros and everyone in-between. One thing we’ve found across all our students and clients is this: Splurge selectively and skimp elsewhere to stay on-budget.

Tradeshow booths tend to cost more for new stationery makers than seasoned because of the start-up costs involved in creating a booth from scratch. Designing a booth is a lot like a kitchen remodel or planning a wedding; it’s going to take longer and cost more than you expect. Count on it. Average costs for the National Stationery Show is about $7,000 to $10,000, but we’ve seen costs soar to $20,000 or come in at about $5,000.