If you are planning on including money for a new portable trade show exhibit in next year's budget, now would be a good time to begin doing a little exhibit homework. Many companies make the mistake of creating a trade show budget without a clear understanding as to what their goals for their trade show season are and what it is going to cost to accomplish those goals.

It is a given that every company wants to get the most value for their exhibit investment. This can, however, create a conflict of interest. If the larger focus is on saving money instead of focusing upon what it is going to take to step ahead of the competition then perhaps trade shows are not the right way to spend your marketing dollars.

So, here are three things you can do right now to get your new exhibit off on the right track. 1.Check out several different sites on Google. What you are looking for is a site that will provide sample pricing on portable exhibits. There are a wide range of exhibit options. Get a feeling for the various styles and price ranges.

2. Prepare a budget in the upper 1/3 of the available price ranges. It is always possible that you will be able to spend less and to bargain your way into a great deal, but you want to start out knowing that you have what it takes to compete.

3. Create a list of the things that you want in the exhibit booth. Conference tables? Storage? Plasma screens? Work stations? Product dispays? This will come in handy and save a lot of time when it comes time to contact an exhibit company.

These simple steps will help to stand out in the crowd when the show begins!