by Debbie Hall
Budgets drive every decision. The range of the budgets can be staggering, but one thing stays the same: success comes down to strategy, not just size of spend.” — Cara Michalowski, president of LUXX Exposition Services.
Behind every booth, badge, and bright light on the tradeshow floor are the people who bring imagination to life. Every tradeshow and expo showcases the passion and precision driving today’s general contractors—professionals whose expertise continues to shape the conversation around events, exhibits, and engagement. Despite ongoing economic challenges, attendance across the industry is on the rise, and general contractors remain steadfast in their commitment to keeping costs manageable while delivering exceptional service and innovative solutions.
According to most general contractors, most often, timing is everything. If a client waits until the last minute to start planning, they will probably pay more for less. The more custom opportunities—the creative, high-impact elements that make an event or booth stand out from another typical tradeshow year after year—take time to plan and execute.
“Starting early not only stretches your dollars further, it also opens the door to more solutions, creative options, and strategies that help you allocate your budget in the most effective way possible to improve the attendee and exhibitor experience,” explained Cara Michalowski, president of LUXX Exposition Services. “You can begin working with your general contractor early to make these things happen efficiently and strategically. The goal is to spend intentionally.”
Michalowski defines the key benefits to planning ahead as making logistics and onsite labor more efficient. With preplanning many onsite issues can be avoided such as reworking, delays, or extra drayage. Additionally, it creates opportunities to design smarter, reuse materials and ship more efficiently.
“We offer three tiers of pricing designed to match the level of service and support our clients need. Our advanced tier delivers the greatest value with enhanced options and comprehensive support. By planning ahead and placing orders a month in advance, clients can maximize their experience and ensure every detail is handled with care,” added Matt Curran, Sales Manager at Expo Convention Contractors, Inc.
After facing tariffs and rising costs for equipment and materials, contractors continue to prioritize stability and value, avoiding unnecessary price increases for exhibitors. For them, maintaining long-term relationships and ensuring exhibitor satisfaction matter far more than short-term gains. Return business and client happiness are the cornerstones of their success and the reason so many exhibitors continue to trust them year after year.
General service contractors act as trusted partners, committed to maximizing every dollar and optimizing every resource. When project costs exceed expectations, contractors will take a strategic approach—reassessing plans, refining processes, and ensuring every expense contributes directly to quality and value for clients.
“Our goal isn’t just to keep costs reasonable, it’s to deliver real value,” said Curran. “We build our pricing around the quality, service and results our clients expect, ensuring every dollar contributes to a successful show. Exhibitors today want confidence that their investment works for them, and that’s exactly what we deliver.”
Many contractors are now offering AI-powered tools that provide detailed data on visitor engagement—not just headcounts, but metrics such as how long attendees stayed, their facial expressions, and even indicators of satisfaction. This technology gives clients valuable insight into how their exhibit or booth is performing and what kind of impact it’s making on attendees.
The cost to exhibit is determined by the show organizer’s space fees, so it’s important for clients to communicate those costs and work with their partners to find ways to manage expenses effectively.
Show organizers can create added value and offset costs by incorporating strategic branding opportunities throughout the event. By collaborating with a general contractor like Expo Convention Contractors, Inc., or LUXX Exposition Services, they gain access to wholesale pricing and can generate additional revenue by offering those branding spaces to exhibitors.
As general contractors remind clients, overtime costs can arise as event dates draw closer especially for printing and producing custom exhibits. Careful planning, early decision-making and identifying where expenses can be reduced or revenue generated help keep overall costs down for everyone involved.
Image: From Left to Right: Matt Curran and Cara Michalowski
This story originally appeared in the Q1 2026 issue of Exhibit City News, p. 64. For original layout, visit https://issuu.com/exhibitcitynews/docs/exhibit_city_news_-_jan_feb_mar_2026/64.
