I’ve written before about the angst of pricing booth space. I try to make it as scientific as possible based on budgets and break even scenarios, but in the end there is a great deal of art that goes into pricing exhibit space. Conference pricing works the same way. You take your budget - estimate how many exhibitors you need to break even at several price scenarios and find the balance where I think I can get the right number of exhibitors at a certain price.

Today a prospect told me my exhibit space is way overpriced. It’s not the first time I’ve heard this of course - it’s a common objection for many show organizers. You just don’t want to hear it too often. However in the very next sentence, he told me my conference ticket price is ridiculously under-priced - “I’d be willing to pay at least double that.” I didn’t quite know what to say. The reality is that I run my conference as a loss leader - a way to get the right type of attendee to the event so the exhibitors can talk to them. This is because only about 50% of my attendees will be at the Expo on their company’s dime. The other half will be paying their own way.

The exhibitors and sponsors pay the majority of the bills in my case. However, when I offered a 10% discount if they allowed me to mail our brochure to their mailing list he agreed. I don’t think it was the price as much as he just wanted to feel like he was getting a good deal. Offering a small discount in exchange for some promotional consideration is a good balance - I feel like I’m not giving away the store and my exhibitor feels like they are getting a good deal. We both win.