Looking for a trade show booth solution that combines versatility with ease of use, provides good value for your investment, and helps you create a high-value visitor experience? The modular trade show booth has you covered.

What Is a Modular Trade Show Booth?

Trade show exhibits can be categorized in multiple ways, including size, footprint, and more. One distinction is between full booths and modular trade show booths.

A full exhibit is one that you buy or rent to completely fill a footprint on the trade show floor. For instance, you might rent a 20×20 booth for a peninsula or island booth space. In contrast, a modular trade show booth is one that you buy or rent in pieces. This provides flexibility, as you can buy as many pieces as you need and have space for.

For instance, for a small 10×10 inline booth, you might want only a portable display counter, together with a hanging sign or tension fabric banners. But if you have a 20×20 space for the next show, you’ll need more than that to fill it. With a modular trade show booth, you can easily add extra components. Add more counterspace, plus backlit displays, trade show flooring, seating, and other exhibit solutions, and your 10×10 is transformed into a larger booth.

This flexible approach lets you mix and match components to suit the show, your exhibit space, and your event goals. You’re not locked into any single exhibit configuration, so you can tailor your display to meet the needs of your visitors.

Types of Modular Trade Show Booths

While all modular booths have one thing in common, there’s more than one way to approach this strategy. The modular approach provides you with a vast array of options, not just in terms of the components you choose but also in how you strategize your choices.

Portable Modular Displays

If portability is your main concern, opt for modular components that use lightweight materials like aluminum. While they’re not as sturdy as components made with heavier materials, they’re still very durable. With good care, lightweight portable components can last just as long as sturdier pieces. These portable components are ideal for all booth sizes, including 10×10 and 20×20 footprints, and popup booths for trade shows.

Modular Outdoor Displays

Modular components don’t limit you to indoor events. If outdoor shows are part of your strategy, go for modular components made with weather-resistant materials. Most modular components are made to be durable and long-lasting, so your choices won’t be limited.

Modular Exhibit Kits

Want to fast-track your modular purchase? You can opt for a modular exhibit kit or trade show display kit. These kits include basic trade show booth components such as counters, displays, signage, and graphics options.

Custom Modular Trade Show Booth

While most people who use modular exhibits use pre-built modular components, that’s not your only option. A custom modular exhibit involves custom-designing modules that fit together to form a full booth. But, because it’s modular, you can fit the modules together in different ways to match different footprints or booth sizes. If you want the flexibility of a modular booth but need a unique look and feel, this is the perfect choice.

4 Big Benefits of Modular Trade Show Booths

1. Portable

One advantage of the modular trade show booth is that you can choose modules that are easy to transport and easy to assemble. Portable modular trade show displays are lightweight units that take up relatively little space. They’re typically easy to store, plus easy to move and transport. Set-up can be easy too, as you don’t need to hire labor or buy specialist tools to build the booth or take it down after the show.

Not all modular units are the same, of course. Some modules are on the heavier side or are too large to transport easily. Some have components that need to be put together at the show. But with modular booths, you have options—and you can easily opt for smaller units that are lightweight and portable.

2. Versatile

Another major advantage of the modular exhibit is that it’s easy to customize a booth that perfectly fits your specifications. Each modular piece is a stand-alone item that can mix and match with other pieces. With this approach, you can build exactly the booth you want and make every choice count.

Plus, modular solutions are designed to be easy to customize. Using a modular exhibit doesn’t restrict your design choices in any way.

• Add or remove modules to fit different footprints or booth sizes.
• Change graphics, images, and other visuals to easily update the look of your booth.

Upgrading your exhibit is easy too. You can choose to upgrade the whole booth if you want to invest in a total revamp. Or you can replace one or two pieces and continue to use older pieces that are still functional.

3. Cost-Effective

Whether you’re about to exhibit at your first show or you’re a seasoned exhibitor, a modular booth can be a highly affordable option because you can build exactly the display you need. No space is wasted, so no dollar is wasted.

Attending your first show? You may prefer a smaller booth. By choosing modular pieces, you can easily expand and upgrade if you need extra space for subsequent shows.

4. Ideal for Renters

If you’re a regular exhibitor who prefers to rent your trade show booth, then modular options are the perfect pairing. By renting modular pieces, you can build your trade show booth any way you please, depending on the event you’re attending and your specific goals for the show.

Want to launch a new product? Add modular pieces that let you display and demo the product to show off its best attributes.

Are There Any Downsides to Modular Trade Show Booths?

There are lots of good reasons to use modular solutions, but are there any downsides?

Potential Size and Weight Issues

Some modular components are heavy or difficult to store or transport. This is because modular components are pre-built and can’t be collapsed or taken apart the way a customized or pre-built trade show booth can. Still, modular components vary greatly in size and weight. While some modules are large and heavy, many aren’t. If you want portable modular trade show displays that you can transport and set up yourself, there are lots of options that fit the bill.

Fewer Customization Options

Because they use pre-built components that are designed according to defined standards, modular components don’t allow for unique customization. While you can use graphics to brand your modular booth and you can move the components around to create different layouts, you can’t change the “bones” of the exhibit. If you buy a certain modular display counter, it will have the same look as every other modular counter of that type.

While this can be a problem for some brands, it’s a problem with solutions. Do you need a trade show booth that is unique and looks different from every other booth out there? Go for a custom-built booth, rather than choosing modular components. Alternatively, you can combine the two and have a custom modular display built to your specifications.

When Does It Make Sense to Choose a Modular Trade Show Booth?

Trade show displays come in many different forms. Along with modular booths, there are custom-built booths and pre-built booths. There are different sizes and footprint options. You can also choose between buying an exhibit and a rental exhibit. And every option is suitable for some uses and unsuitable for others.

When does it make sense to go for a modular trade show booth? If you want…

• An entry-level booth that delivers good value for a smaller budget.
• A booth you can easily upgrade as your budget allows.
• A booth you can customize to fit different footprints.
• A booth that lets you easily change the graphics for each event you attend.
• A booth you can transport, set up, and dismantle on your own, without hiring a third party.

Any of these situations is a good reason to choose a modular trade show booth.

Trial and Error

There’s one other specific situation where you can take advantage of the flexibility a modular display offers. With modular components, you can easily move each around to different spots in the booth. If you want to experiment with different setups to find which works best, then a modular booth is a great choice. It’s an effective way to test your set-up options before committing to the financial outlay of a custom-built trade show booth.

Want to Keep Your Options Open? Choose a Modular Trade Show Booth

There are lots of choices to make when you design, rent, or buy a trade show exhibit. It can be challenging to commit yourself to a specific exhibit design, especially for your first show! Choosing a modular trade show booth means you don’t have to commit to one design. Whether it’s your first show or you’re an experienced exhibitor, a modular exhibit can offer you the flexibility, portability, and value you’re looking for.

ProExhibits has experience designing and building exhibits of all sizes. Want to chat with an expert who can help you understand whether a modular booth is right for your purposes? Contact us today!