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Ace Tips: Event Budgeting 101
If you’ve ever planned an event, you know how quickly costs can add up. Between booth design, travel, and giveaways, your budget can disappear before you even hit the show floor.
That’s why in this month’s Ace Tips, we’re breaking down Event Budgeting 101: how to spend where it matters, save where you can, and track your results for even better ROI next time.
And to make it easier, we’ve created a free Event Budget Tracker Template you can download to start planning with confidence.
1. Create Clear Goals and Priorities
Your budget isn’t just a list of expenses, it’s a roadmap for achieving your event goals.
Start by defining what you want to accomplish:
Generate leads
Build brand awareness
Launch a new product
Strengthen relationships with existing customers
Once your goals are clear, you can allocate more of your budget toward what supports them directly.
For example:
Before committing to any purchases, create a simple framework that outlines priorities and estimates. That way, you’re making informed decisions instead of reacting to costs as they come in.
2. Where to Spend
Some areas are worth the investment because they have a direct, lasting impact on your success, or can be reused for future events.
Displays and Booth Design
Your booth is your brand’s first impression. Investing in high-quality, durable displays helps you stand out and saves money long-term since they can be reused or reconfigured for multiple shows.
Graphics and Branding
Professional, clear graphics can be the difference between someone walking by and someone stopping to engage. Don’t cut corners here, visuals tell your story before you say a word.
Staff Training and Travel
Your team is your biggest ROI driver. A well-prepared staff can turn casual visitors into qualified leads. Budget for training so your team is aligned on goals, messaging, and engagement strategies.
Lead Capture Tools
Make sure you have reliable tools to collect attendee information: like badge scanners, tablet forms, or mobile apps. A booth full of visitors means little if you can’t follow up afterward.
3. Where to Save
Not every item needs to stretch your budget. Here’s where you can save money without sacrificing results:
Shipping Costs
Lightweight displays, consolidated shipments, and advanced warehouse delivery can reduce freight costs significantly. Avoid rush shipping when possible—planning ahead pays off.
Giveaways
Skip expensive, generic swag. Instead, choose affordable, practical items that connect to your brand and will actually be used (and remembered).
Digital Resources
Use QR codes to share brochures, videos, or product sheets. It cuts down on printing and shipping, and you can update content anytime.
Booth Size
Bigger isn’t always better. A smaller, well-designed booth with strong visuals can outperform a larger, poorly planned one—and it saves on space, shipping, and setup costs.
4. Track and Optimize for Next Time
A strong budget doesn’t end when the event does, it’s a tool for long-term improvement.
After each show, review your actual expenses and ROI. Ask yourself:
Which investments made the biggest impact?
What could be scaled back next time?
Did you stay within your planned categories?
Keeping these records helps you refine your approach and make more confident decisions for future events.
💡 Pro Tip: Use our Event Budget Tracker Template to log expenses and ROI by category. You’ll quickly see what worked, and what didn’t, so you can plan smarter every time.
Conclusion
Event success isn’t about how much you spend, it’s about how strategically you spend.
Start with clear goals, invest in the areas that drive results, save smart where you can, and track your outcomes so you can do even better next time.
💾 Ready to start planning?
Download our free Event Budget Tracker Template to organize your expenses, compare actual vs. planned costs, and make budgeting easier for every event.
If you’re looking for display solutions that stretch your budget without sacrificing quality, our team at Ace Displays is here to help.
About Ace Displays
In 2006, Ace Displays was founded in Southern California with the desire to provide quality products at competitive prices with the fastest delivery times in the industry. We believe purchasing an event display and its accessories should be an easy and exciting experience. Leveraging our short lead times to differentiate ourselves, we exist to connect people by providing event solutions that create conversations and lasting impressions.
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide the best event & trade show displays at budget-friendly prices with unparalleled service to ensure we exceed our clients expectations and to foster an environment our employees are proud to work in.
The Ace Method
We are excited to work with you - from meeting your budget to meeting your deadlines - we will help you create a display that looks great and asserts your presence. To aid in what can be a rather laborious process, Ace has developed a 6-step method to get you a display quickly and easily so you can focus your time on other areas of your business and upcoming events.