Why do we constantly emphasize the importance of committing to your trade show exhibit early? Because the longer you wait, the higher the costs. This isn’t a scare tactic—it’s a fact. Here’s why delaying your decision can lead to significantly higher expenses:

First, early orders allow ample preparation time. Late orders force exhibit houses to use overtime hours to complete an exhibit, incurring overtime and double-time rates, as mandated by law after 40 hours per week.

Second, ordering on time provides the necessary lead time to accurately calculate your service order needs, such as electrical, labor, rigging, and drayage. Accurate calculations prevent penalties from show services for late or incorrect orders.

Third, consider our vendors. While we serve as vendors to you, we also rely on other vendors. We’ve seen critical supplies run out in major trade show cities like Las Vegas, from black Sintra and fabric graphic yardage to top-tier labor. When this happens, exhibitors face higher costs due to shortages.

For international clients, last-minute work is more common outside the USA, but it’s a costly practice here. Penalties for late arrangements are common and beyond the control of the exhibit house.

Completing paperwork in advance is crucial. Don’t wait until you arrive at the show to pay for services. Show services won’t start, including laying electrical lines before carpeting, until payment is confirmed. Delays guarantee overtime rates on everything, as all work halts without payment.

These are just a few reasons to act early. We understand economic concerns and cash flow issues, but your booth space was likely paid for months in advance. By planning ahead, you can secure better deals, schedule cost-effective installation times, book early travel rates, and meticulously plan your budget.

Last-minute decisions can be disastrous. Opting for the cheapest, last-minute deal often results in poor quality. Imagine arriving at the show to find an unfinished exhibit with bare wires, exposed nails, and dirty surfaces. You get what you pay for. Early planning ensures a polished exhibit that aligns with your expectations.

Think early, plan ahead, and save yourself from unnecessary stress and expense.

What is the deal? We pound and pound and pound on our clients and prospects that the longer they wait to commit to an exhibit on the trade show floor, the higher the costs. People, believe me we are not lying – it will cost more money. Here are a few reasons why this happens…

1. Early orders allow preparation time – late orders cause exhibit houses to use overtime hours to complete an exhibit at overtime and double time rates – because after 40 hours a week – it’s the law!

2. On time ordering allows time to calculate accurately, what your service order needs to be at a show. How much electrical, electrical labor, rigging, drayage – these are all numbers that can be calculated accurately given the right set of project drawings. In turn there are no penalties from show services for late or inaccurate ordering.

3. Vendors! Yes we are the vendors, however we also have vendors. We have seen Las Vegas become naked – no black sintra, no fabric graphic materials, no A+ labor – and you the exhibitor pay the price for this.

4. Foreign clients – we know the rest of the world works last minute – we get to do this when we take our clients out of the USA, however, it just doesn’t work here – there are penalties (read money) on everything. And these penalties are out of the control of the exhibit house.

5. Not completing paperwork – yes that means not waiting until you get to the show to pay for your services. Nothing happens from show services, including laying your electrical before the carpeting is rolled out. Get your check or your credit card on file at the show – otherwise you will be guaranteed overtime rates on everything because you have stopped all of the work.

So there are a few reasons not to wait. We understand the economy; we understand cash flow, however, your booth space, in all probability, has been paid for six months ago. Working ahead of time will save money in the long run – you can shop your best deal, arrange your best and least expensive installation times, book your earliest travel rates – really think out your entire budget and then put it to bed.

Last minute decisions can be disastrous – we have seen it all – you go for the cheapest last minute deal – and that is exactly what you get. You get to the show floor and have an unfinished exhibit sitting on tissue paper carpeting without padding, wires sticking out everywhere, nails and screws showing, and everything dirty. Why? You get what you pay for – there is discounted purchasing three months earlier that looks great with everything the rendering and the vendor’s pictures tell you will happen – or there is a rag-tag mish-mash of hyleria and hysteria and even an open check book cannot heal it! THINK EARLY!