Choosing the portable booth for your company’s upcoming trade show can be a real headache but it doesn’t have to be. With a few simple suggestions in mind, the selection process gets a lot easier.

You’ve got an important trade show coming up in a few months. There’ll be thousands of people attending this show important people in your industry - decision makers. You need to make the best impression possible. So how do you do that? With an eye-catching, professional trade show booth.

But it seems like there are half a bazillion trade show booth options to choose from. You can get a portable trade show booth in just about any size, with nearly any configuration of components - on a budget or over the top. So, with all those choices, how do you pick the one that’s right for you and for your business? First of all, you want to consider size, style and price range.

The range of sizes for trade show booths nowadays is incredible! You can get something from as small as 10×10 feet to as grandiose as a hulking 50×50-foot display. You can even get a 30×100-foot trade show booth that simulates actual office space. The type of booth you choose ultimately depends on your business needs, your style and your budget constraints.

Do you want a simple backdrop with a couple of countertops? Or are you looking for an elaborate display (configured with a reception area, display rooms and conference space) that has more square footage than the average apartment in New York City?

You’ll want to configure your trade show booth to be inviting and approachable - but you also want it to appropriately characterize your business. Make sure the style of your booth suitably represents the company, its products and goals.

Portable trade show booths come in an enormous range of styles, sizes - which means they also come in a wide range of prices. You can get a perfectly serviceable trade show booth for well under $500.

But, if you’re looking to go really high end, how about custom designing a portable trade show booth with the potential to eat all the others alive? For about $240,000, you can get a custom-made double-deck booth with every imaginable feature. Okay, so maybe you’re not the marketing director for Citigroup or Goldman Sachs. Let’s think a little smaller.

However, somewhere between “bare bones” and “wildly outlandish” lies a grey area that comfortably encompasses many companies’ marketing budgets. This mid range includes a variety of nicely equipped booths that can appropriately depict your company’s style and corporate image without putting a huge dent in your budget.

Regardless of the size and style of booth you design or select, be sure it appropriately represents your business and your industry. If you choose well, you will have a portable trade show booth you can proudly depend on for many years to come.

When it’s time to shop for a portable trade show booth, look no further than Expo Marketing (www.expomarketing.com). Their idea gallery is filled with every conceivable configuration of trade show booth - and their design pros will work with you to ensure you get the design the works best for you.

There are several elements factored into a quote from a PR firm. There is also the fact that no two quotes will be the same because every individual seeking out a public relations firm needs something a little different. The public relations firm provides a number of different services that benefits each and every business that seeks out what they have to offer. However, the quote is based either upon what kind of budget the business has to work with or what they are hoping to achieve with their public relations.

Budget

As stated before, the budget may determine what kind of quote is received. The most common PR services include press releases, internet marketing, and the development of public relations strategies. There may be more advanced services such as print marketing campaigns and actual public speaking on behalf of the company. Those two services can become quite expensive. However, the other services can be quite affordable and the firm can work with you based on your budget.

That makes budget a very important part of determining what you’re going to pay. If you say you need an extensive internet marketing campaign, but you only have $10,000 to spend, the PR firm will give you a quote of what they can provide you inside of that budget.

Fees and charges

It isn’t uncommon to see fees such as service fees and such. It is customary for a fee to be charged for providing the service or any other fees that the PR firm finds to be necessary. It can vary from firm to firm, so it is a good idea to get quotes from various firms to see what types of fees they are charging. As for the quote itself, there is no charge. Quotes are free because they are used as tools to acquire your business.

As for what is not included in the quote are such items as late fees. Some PR firms may only require that you pay a small percentage up front and the rest later. If you pay the balance late, they may have some kind of late fee tacked onto the amount. Of course this isn’t going to be included in a quote because they don’t know if you’re going to be late paying your balance.

There are also service charges for each service you choose. You may choose to have a single press release written but, then again, you may wish to have a packaged deal that includes having a public relations strategy drawn up. How you bundle your services will also determine what type of charges you have to pay.

Here is an example of some of the fees and charges you may have to pay:

- A monthly retainer fee saying that you will stay on board so that their efforts are for nothing. - An hourly project charge for every project. - Any possible out-of-pocket expenses that is foreseeable. - A counseling fee for any counseling that is needed. - A flat fee for the time the agency puts into the project.

Remember that these are just quotes, so the amount quoted may differ from the amount actually charged. However, the quote gives you a great tool to know what types of expenses you are looking at. Just expect to pay as much as 20% more so that you have enough money on hand to make sure you can pay for everything as it comes. By using this strategy, you can employ a PR firm to take care of your interactions with the public and get your business rolling in the direction you want it to.