When you’re investing in a trade show booth, you are going to invest a large amount of your marketing dollars. This is a valuable investment because you are going to use that booth over and over to generate more income for your business, but you need to know that you are partnering with a legitimate exhibit house.
Any time there is a large amount of money changing hands, you will find some companies out there that are not legitimate.
Here is how you can spot a company posing as a legitimate exhibit house when they are, in fact, not one.
Look for an Address
First, look at the company's website and see if they list a physical address. If they do not list one, you need to ask yourself why.
Sometimes this is simply an oversight. They may have forgotten to list their address on their website, or they may assume that most clients will contact them on the phone or over email. However, this could be a red flag. If they don’t list an address, it may be because they don’t have a legitimate location.
Google the Address
If you find an address, check it out on Google. Is it a legitimate address? If so, see if it looks like an exhibit house.
You want to pull up the address on Google Maps. Is it a nondescript office building? If so, you may be looking at a virtual office space, and not a legitimate exhibit house. A legitimate exhibit house will usually have a large building or warehouse because they will need space to actually build your trade show booth.
Again, there could be a legitimate reason for this. The company could have one office space for meeting with clients and another nearby space for building the booths. However, this could also be a red flag, so note it.
Why Companies May Deceive You
Why would a company be deceitful when trying to contract with your business to build your trade show booth? Sometimes, companies work as “middlemen,” gathering information from you and then passing that on to the actual exhibit house that creates the build for you.
While this might not seem like a bad thing, this usually means you will pay more than you need to for the design and build. When there is a middleman, that business must take a cut of the profits, and the design and build team also gets paid. Thus, there is usually an addition to the price that you wouldn’t pay if you worked directly with the builder.
It also may mean less quality, because you do not ever work directly with the team that builds your trade show booth. They have less motivation to impress you.
How to Avoid Partnering with the Wrong EXHIBIT House
How can you avoid partnering with a middleman or the wrong exhibit house? First, ask for testimonials. Specifically, ask for contact information from satisfied customers, not just a claim of a testimonial from a website. A legitimate exhibit house will have satisfied customers and be willing to connect you with them.
Second, look for photos, videos, and real-world proof of their builds. This will show not only what they can do, but also what types of companies trust them to build trade show booths.
Finally, look for a company that you can find information about easily online. Third-party review sites, Google Maps, and the Better Business Bureau can all provide information about legitimate companies.
Always do your research before signing a partnership with an exhibit house. You want to know you are working with a legitimate team, that they understand your needs, and that they are going to deliver a quality trade show booth.
If you are looking for an experienced exhibit house that handles the entire process from start to finish, consider Exhibit Options. Reach out to us today to learn more about our company, see our portfolio, or start your trade show booth design.
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