Frequently Asked Questions

Trade shows offer unmatched opportunities to meet with qualified leads, showcase your brand, and connect face-to-face with your target audience, while also positioning you alongside competitors and industry leaders. A trade show is the perfect stage to unveil a new product, network with industry professionals, and drive sales with high-purchase-intent attendees.

The key cost drivers of a custom trade show exhibit include booth size, materials, complexity of design, audiovisuals, and the level of customization. Also consider that location and timing further affect the cost of a trade show exhibit, exhibitors can expect on-site labor rates and services to vary depending on the local regulations and governing associations. Derse outlines what drives trade show booth costs here. 

Exhibitors should consider their trade show goals, budget, and how they plan to engage attendees within the booth environment. While keeping in mind, layout and size are not the only motivators for trade show success.

Common trade show booth materials include aluminum framing, laminated plywood, fabric graphics, and lightweight composites. While most trade show booths utilize these materials, it is important to note, sustainable trade show booth construction is becoming more popular. Exhibitors are using materials like cardboard and recycled plastics to reinforce their sustainability messaging in the construction of the booth.  

Your trade show booth should reflect your brand, engage attendees, and support your goals. Trade show booth requirements can include, but are not limited to, strong visuals, product displays, demo stations, interactive features, clear messaging, and meeting spaces. Also consider what functional requirements you may need, like storage, Wi-Fi, conference rooms, hospitality, electrical, etc. Learn more about planning for your trade show booth here.

Derse has extensive experience designing, building, planning, and executing trade shows. From small island exhibits to large-scale exhibits with complex audiovisual, transformative experiences, double-deck structures, and more. The sky is the limit! Check out our client work here.

Whether you rent or buy your trade show booth depends on how often you attend and exhibit. Renting is ideal for one-time or infrequent events, while buying can be more cost-effective for more robust programs. Custom booths also offer more flexibility for branding and design over time. You can also opt for a hybrid approach combining custom elements with rental properties to supplement certain shows that might have a larger footprint. Building or renting properties for trade show programs can be approached in various ways and we recommend consulting with us to determine the most appropriate approach to help you maximize your budget while achieving your goals. Learn more about which is right for you here. 

In order to budget for your upcoming trade show, you’ll want to account for booth space footprint, functional requirements, booth design expectations, materials and fabrication costs, shipping, staff travel, and show services. It’s important to work closely with your exhibit partner to establish realistic budgets that they can ultimately deliver on and measure success. Learn more about what drives trade show exhibit costs here.  

Begin planning for a trade show by setting clear objectives, reserving booth space, aligning with an exhibit provider, and establishing a budget. Download Derse’s free interactive trade show exhibit planning guide here to help guide our collaboration! 

This should be based on your event goals, budget, and how much space you need for staff, product demos, or attendee engagement. Learn more about selecting the right booth size here. 

Yes, trade shows are worth the investment when they are strategically planned and effectively executed. The opportunity to be in-person with your target audience is the benefit that trade shows can bring and deliver on goals and objectives. Trade shows offer the opportunity to capture qualified leads, increase brand exposure, and further build relationships.

Trade shows offer unmatched opportunities to meet with qualified leads, showcase your brand, and connect face-to-face with your target audience, potential customers, and existing clients. Start with a visually engaging booth with a clear message, then use trained staff, live demos, interactive elements, and lead capture technology to attract and qualify attendees. Learn more about how to plan a successful trade show to generate leads.

Actively engaging attendees is a major part of collecting leads. This includes capturing their contact information through badge scanners, dedicated mobile apps, or business cards. Derse has in-house software and staff to effectively capture, manage, and report on leads generated from each of your trade shows. Learn more here.

To evaluate the success of a trade show, it is important to identify your relevant goals relating to ROI or ROO, nurturing relationships, educating attendees, generating brand awareness, scanning leads, hosting meetings, or dwell time. You can then compare these expectations to what you achieved at the show.

Booth staff should be qualified team members who are knowledgeable, professional, and personable to engage prospects and ultimately represent your brand. Learn more about how to choose the right team here! 

To measure the ROI of experiential marketing, start by defining clear, measurable goals—whether that’s lead generation, brand awareness, or customer engagement. Track both quantitative metrics like attendance, lead capture, and social engagement, as well as qualitative data through surveys and attendee feedback. Use technology like RFID, mobile apps, or CRM integration to connect engagement with outcomes. A full picture of ROI includes not just immediate sales, but also long-term brand impact and emotional connection. Learn more here!

Customer experience design is the process of shaping every interaction a customer has with a brand to make it smooth, enjoyable, and aligned with customer needs. At Derse, we bring this to life through engagement mapping workshops, customer journey scripts, and immersive or gamified experiences tailored to your audience. Whether it’s creating purposeful pathways or building in-depth activations that showcase your brand’s capabilities, our approach turns interactions into measurable impact. Learn more about Derse’s customer experience expertise here.

Interactive trade show technologies, including but not limited to touchscreens, virtual reality elements, and hands-on product demos. These examples can be effective engagement strategies to showcase products and services while connecting with prospects. Check out this blog post to understand the benefits of technology and analog solutions.

Derse’s full suite of event services covers event logistics, contract negotiation, food & beverage, guest housing and registration, custom mobile apps, audiovisual and lighting, staging and fabrication, installation/dismantle, and post‑event reporting. Learn more about Derse’s event services here.

Marketing environments are branded spaces built for long-term use such as experience centers, retail point of sale, innovation centers, briefing centers, facility branding, lobbies, and showrooms.

Begin by defining the project goals and scope, then work with a partner like Derse to identify cost components, including interactive elements, fabrication, AV, staffing, installation, and ongoing operations, to estimate the total investment required. Learn more here.

The key expense categories include physical environment and technology, the visitor experience features like gamification and hospitality, staffing and training, logistics and installation, lead capture technology, and post-visit analysis. Learn more here.

Derse’s end-to-end process entails:

• Strategic mapping of the customer journey
• Budget planning and recommendation guidance
• Visualization and concept development (including messaging, media, and tech)
• Realization via in-house production, fabrication, and installation

Learn more about Derse’s marketing environment process here.

Marketing environments deliver immersive storytelling, reinforce brand identity, and extend engagement beyond trade shows and events. Examples include visitor conversion, reinforcing company culture, strengthening stakeholder relationships, and improving internal sales enablement. Learn more about how to identify if you need a marketing environment here.