When I was younger, my mother often told me that money didn't grow on trees. At the time, it was an easy visual for my nine-year-old self to understand. As I got older, I rolled my eyes. Now, as the owner of a growing business, I wish that money trees were real!
One of the biggest challenges for any business is financial management. Cash, borrowing, and efficient resource management impact our businesses every day. If you've decided to commit to trade shows, how can you make it work with so many demands for your cash? Leasing may be your answer.
Businesses frequently lease vehicles, office equipment and even furniture; yet, very few companies think to lease their trade show display. Leasing your trade show display makes sense in a variety of situations. For instance, when you are moving from a portable (less expensive) display to a modular display which involves a larger upfront cash investment. Or, perhaps you want to enter the trade show market with a statement piece that rivals that of your competitors with a fully custom trade show display.
As with other leased equipment, the benefits of leasing your trade show display are the same. Spreading the cost of the capital expenditure over the life expectancy of the asset makes sense. Payments can be monthly, quarterly or even structured to coincide with your trade show schedule with the hope that the lease payment can be funded by revenues generated at the show.
There are many reasons to consider leasing your trade show display. With the guidance of our trusted leasing partner, Priority Leasing, we have compiled a list of six advantages to leasing a trade show display.
- Leasing helps avoid a deposit or down payment. Your first monthly payment is usually all that is required at the time of signing your lease.
- Leasing helps spread out the cost of your exhibit over time and can free up cash for other expenditures and business growth.
- When growing your business, leasing fixed payments over the term of the lease and a predictable budget to help manage your monthly cash flow.
- Design the display you want without having to tie up cash or a credit line that you can save for other business requirements.
- Stay ahead of the competition. Leasing puts you in a position to cost-effectively use the latest display materials and exhibiting technology while maintaining positive cash flow.
- Lease payments are considered a business expense and are tax-deductible. They offset revenue which protects the net profit from business taxes.
Exhibit Studio has leased numerous types of equipment over the years such as large format printers, shop equipment and office furniture. One thing that stands out in my mind was something Deb Sands from Priority Leasing once used as an analogy.
Would you pay your staff three years salary in advance? No. They are paid as they generate income and profit for your company. Your company benefits more from USE than it does from the direct OWNERSHIP of the equipment."
Debbie Sands, "Equipment Leasing," Priority Leasing Inc., 2015
The questions I've learned to ask myself before deciding to lease equipment are, "Will this generate income?" and "Will this help me meet my financial objectives?" Two questions that may not have made sense to me at nine years old but guide me as the company, Exhibit Studio, continues to grow.
Exhibit Studio is a full service trade show display company based in Calgary, Alberta. Author Tracey Moore is not only co-owner but our sales wizard. If you have any questions, Tracey can help!
