Behind the Booth: We Get You Because We’ve Been There

Derse | June 3, 2025

At EXHIBITORLIVE 2025, we stepped onto the show floor not just as an exhibit builder, but as fellow marketers dealing with the same challenges our clients face. Instead of just talking about our pain points, we themed our entire booth around solving them. Welcome to the Derse Apothecary, where we offered attendees remedies for their event marketing challenges and, behind the scenes, navigated those same challenges ourselves.

Here’s how we turned five common industry pain points into proof points:

1. ENGAGEMENT & CREATIVITY

We know engagement shouldn't start and end at the booth. From pre-show teasers to in-booth storytelling and post-show follow-ups, we used our apothecary theme to connect across all touchpoints.

Pre-show emails announced our presence at the show, while also hinting at what “remedies” we’d be offering
Live coverage during the show brought the booth to life for an extended audience on Instagram
Personalized gift boxes included essential oils helping attendees remember the “remedy” we gave for their unique challenge
After the show, we followed up with tailored content directly related to the challenges they shared, staying top of mind and proving we really listened

2. BUDGETARY PRESSURES

We too have a set budget we need to stick to. That’s why we emphasized innovative design and resourceful materials.

Utilized our rental inventory for the booth’s supporting structure for cost savings and flexibility
Incorporated our Big Metal 6-inch by 6-foot modular frame to decrease material handling, reduce labor time, and eliminate rigging, saving us $40,000 in rigging costs alone
Took a cost-conscious approach to every step, considering thoughtful enhancements and strategic additions that maximized budgets without sacrificing impact

3. SCALABILITY & FLEXIBILITY

Booth designs shouldn't be one-size-fits-all. Our exhibit was purposefully designed to adapt to different sizes, layouts, and audiences, just like the solutions we craft for clients.

Utilized modular components with our Big Metal frames provided flexibility in the size and scale of the booth
Digital screens made it easy to update content in real time, allowing for longer lead times and quick changes as needed

4. RESOURCE CHALLENGES

With three months to pull off a highly detailed booth build and comprehensive campaign, we had to operate with speed, agility, and total focus.

Compressed timelines. Limited hours. A heavy workload. Sound familiar?
Despite the time crunch, our team executed flawlessly, balancing creativity, logistics, and delivery
Demonstrated that maximizing impact with limited resources is not just a mindset, but a key to resilience and success

5. PROVING VALUE

We put just as much energy into measuring success as we did creating it. Because if you can't prove value, what’s the point?

Used our lead capture software, Derse iQ, to gather data and coordinate post-show follow-ups
Conducted staff training to maximize every interaction, turning casual conversations into meaningful connections
Established measurement tools to track ROI year over year to ensure every investment decision was well-thought-out
Won Best Large Booth and Best Booth Staff – a sign our strategy wasn’t just working, it was winning!

WE GET IT, BECAUSE WE LIVE IT

At Derse, we aren’t just exhibit builders, we’re event marketers. We walk the same path you do with budgets, timelines, and expectations. That’s why every remedy we offered at EXHIBITORLIVE was authentic and relatable.

Because we know one thing for sure:

When you blend strategy, creativity, and empathy, you don’t just build booths—you create experiences that matter.

If this sparked some ideas—or just some questions—we’d love to hear them. Let’s turn that spark into ideas and results.

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Behind the Booth: We Get You Because We’ve Been There