- 01. 6 months out: registration, budget, vendor shortlist
- 02. 4 months out: design approval and contract
- 03. 3 months out: build kickoff and services orders
- 04. 30 days out: training, lead capture, logistics confirmation
- 05. Show week: the on-site checklist
The honest answer to 'how early should we start?' is earlier than you think — and earlier than the deadline you'll feel comfortable enforcing. A custom booth needs 12–16 weeks of build time alone, and that's after design, approvals, and shipping logistics. Here's a realistic week-by-week timeline so you know what should be locked at six months out, three months out, and the final 30-day push.
6 months out: registration, budget, vendor shortlist
By the six-month mark, three things should be done: you've registered for the show and confirmed your booth space and number, you have a written budget that includes services and logistics (not just hardware), and you've talked to at least three potential builders.
Why three? Because two becomes a coin flip and one becomes whoever you talked to first. Three gives you actual comparison and pricing leverage. Beyond five it's diminishing returns and you start losing track.
Also at this stage: confirm hotel rooms in the show block. Hotels near major convention centers sell out months in advance, and the show block rates are dramatically better than what you'll find on a booking site three weeks before.
4 months out: design approval and contract
By four months out, you should have a chosen builder, a signed contract, and an approved design. Approved design means: floor plan locked, materials specified, graphics dimensions defined, and any structural elements (hanging signs, ceiling treatments, raised flooring) confirmed and engineered.
Changes after this point get expensive fast. Not because builders are punitive, but because they've ordered materials, scheduled fabrication labor, and committed shop time. Late changes ripple through everything downstream.
3 months out: build kickoff and services orders
Build kicks off and graphics production begins. This is also when you should be ordering show services through the exhibitor manual: electrical, drayage estimate confirmation, cleaning, internet, rigging if applicable, and your lead retrieval device.
There's a meaningful price advantage to ordering services early. Most show services have 'advance discount' deadlines 30–60 days out, and rates jump 20–40% after that. If you order at the last minute, you're paying both rush fees and the lost discount.
Tell us about your event, budget, and timeline. We'll line up vetted booth builders that fit — usually within 48 hours, no commitment.
Get matched with builders30 days out: training, lead capture, logistics confirmation
The final 30 days should be operational, not creative. Booth staff training (specific to demos, qualifying questions, and follow-up commitments), lead capture system tested with a dry run, shipping schedule confirmed with the builder, and on-site logistics walked through with whoever's running point.
If you're scrambling on design or fabrication at 30 days out, you've already lost. The booth will be late, over budget, or compromised — pick one. The teams that have a calm 30-day window are the teams that started six months out.
Show week: the on-site checklist
Show week should be calm if the previous five months were calm. The on-site checklist is short and operational:
- Confirm freight arrived at venue and is staged for I&D
- Walk the booth space the morning of install — check for any damage or surprises
- Test all electrical, internet, and lead capture before show open
- Brief the booth team the evening before day one — qualifiers, demos, follow-up commitments
- Walk the show floor before doors open day one — see what competitors did
- After day one, hold a 15-minute team huddle: what's working, what isn't, what to change for day two
- 6 months out: registration, budget, three vendor conversations
- 4 months out: contract signed, design approved
- 3 months out: build starts, services ordered before advance-rate deadline
- 30 days out: training, lead capture dry run, logistics confirmation
- Show week: short calm operational checklist if you started early
Ready to find the right booth builder?
Skip the cold-calling. Tell us about your show, your booth size, and your budget — we'll send a short list of builders worth your time.
