by Jessica Sibila
In January, The Exhibitor Advocate published its 2022 Material Handling and Labor Rate Survey. The survey is an important benchmarking tool that provides industry stakeholders with cost comparisons of average labor and material handling rates across 16 major US cities. The survey was previously conducted by Trade Show Week and then EDPA through 2017. The key data findings in the survey show that exhibitor costs continue to rise. Installation and dismantle labor, electrical labor and material handling are outpacing inflation, some by more than 30 percent.
Exhibitors are not surprised by this data
Exhibitors are not surprised by this data. We’ve been feeling these increases for a while. Every year, exhibitors have seen prices go up, and we get more and more creative on how to manage our costs. We compromise on our booth size, the products we choose to bring and the way we promote or showcase our brand. We work with our exhibit partners to try to figure out how to stretch every dollar.
Now, after a brief hiatus, industry stakeholders can use the survey as an important and valuable benchmarking tool. Further though, I hope that the next steps are collaboration and action.
Collaboration to drive action
It’s easy to just look at the data from the Survey and evaluate how your show compares to the average. But the real juice is in the collaboration to drive action. Partnering with exhibitors to ensure their success at the show is a critical part of the success and sustainable future of our industry.
This recently struck me as I was preparing for my own tradeshow. I spent a couple days in my exhibit house warehouse, packing skids and finalizing booth plans. Every employee I encountered asked me how they could help. This didn’t just come from the warehouse team, but literally everyone. I felt welcomed and supported. I knew that if I came across an issue, I would find a partner to help me. If I needed something, all I had to do was ask.
I’ve worked with an exhibit house partner I love and trust for more than 15 years. I’ve also worked with partners I love and trust for just one event. And as most people have probably experienced, I have worked with partners that weren’t the right fit for my needs. In every case though, I’m always struck by the level of partnership exhibit houses provide to the Exhibitor. (A lot of other suppliers fit into this category, too!)
Exhibit marketer spans the gamut
We can’t forget that an exhibit marketer spans the gamut from doing one tradeshow a year, as a “side project” to their regular job, to those who are seasoned and solely dedicated to live events as their full time role. Regardless of which type of exhibitor they are, an exhibit house partner comes alongside the exhibitor as guide, guru, coach, navigator. They explore and brainstorm options that will be more cost effective for us. They bring solutions to long-standing issues as well as those that just popped-up. They help us navigate difficult terms, rules and regulations.
Partnership and collaboration with exhibitors
As I think about the 2022 Material Handling and Labor Rate Survey and the number of different types of stakeholders that view this data, I hope that these companies and individuals are thinking about partnership and collaboration with exhibitors. In the same way our exhibit houses are our partners, I hope exhibitors can find partners in their associations, venues, suppliers and others in this industry. I hope we start looking at this data with an eye on how we can affect the success of all exhibitors while maintaining success for the attendees, suppliers and other stakeholders. It’s not about X percent or Y percent, but rather the value equation. Does the cost of my involvement in the show equal the value I receive from my participation? Do I have partners in show management, the suppliers, facilities, etc.? Do those partners help make the event easier, cost effective or generally more successful?
The data is one step. Now we need to find out where the pain points are for exhibitors at specific events. We can collaborate to find solutions to those pain points. This is where The Exhibitor Advocate can help. We’ll keep providing the data and the context behind it. If we can help you drive action, let’s talk! We’re here to inform, support and collaborate.
Jessica Sibila is executive director of The Exhibitor Advocate.
Photo via Forbes
