When to Offer a Booth Payment Plan
A payment plan is a sales tool. It helps small companies, nonprofits and first-time exhibitors commit early, when a full booth price would make them wait. It also adds work: more dates, more reminders and more chances for an account to fall behind. Offer one when early commitments matter more to you than simple bookkeeping, and keep the plan short.
| Option | How it works | Best for | Admin load |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay in full | 100% at booking | Late bookings, add-ons, small booths | Lowest |
| Deposit and balance | A deposit at booking, one balance date | Most bookings; see the deposit policy | Low |
| Installment plan | A first payment at booking, then two or three set dates | Early bookings, large booths, small or first-time exhibitors | Medium |
| Invoiced terms | Invoice with net terms for companies paying by check or wire | Exhibitors whose accounts payable needs an invoice | Medium, depends on follow-up |
If you already use a deposit and balance, start from the booth deposit policy and add the plan as an option inside it, so the release, refund and late-payment rules stay the same for everyone.
Copy-Ready Booth Payment Plan Policy
Have counsel review the missed-payment and cancellation clauses, and copy the same terms into the exhibitor agreement template and the event refund policy so the documents never disagree.
Sample Booth Installment Schedules
The schedules below are examples for a show that opens booth sales about 12 months out. The percentages and dates are planning assumptions; set the final due date early enough to resell a released booth and send your final floor plan to the contractor.
| Booking window | At booking | Middle payments | Final payment due |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 to 9 months out | 25% | 25% at 6 months, 25% at 4 months out | 25% at 75 days before move-in |
| 9 to 6 months out | 34% | 33% at 4 months out | 33% at 75 days before move-in |
| 6 to 4 months out | 50% | None | 50% at 75 days before move-in |
| Under 4 months out | Plan closed | None | Standard deposit and balance, or full payment |
| Payment | Due | Amount | Paid to date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | At booking | $1,200 | $1,200 |
| 2 | 6 months before the show | $1,200 | $2,400 |
| 3 | 4 months before the show | $1,200 | $3,600 |
| Final | 75 days before move-in | $1,200 | $4,800 |
Use the exhibitor pricing calculator to check the installment amounts for each booth size on your rate card, and show the full schedule on the first invoice. The exhibitor invoice template has a layout with payments received and the balance remaining.
Reminders and Missed Installments
- 1
10 to 14 days before each date
Send the amount, the due date and a payment link or invoice. Offline payers need this time for a check or wire to arrive.
- 2
On the due date
A short note that the installment is due today, with the same link.
- 3
After the grace period
Call as well as email. Most missed installments are an accounts payable delay, not a cancellation.
- 4
Notice
Send written notice of the date by which the account must be current, and what happens if it isn't.
- 5
Act
Apply the policy: require the full balance, or release the booth and offer it to your waitlist.
Track each exhibitor's schedule in one place, whether that is the booth sales tracker template or booth sales software that shows open balances by order. The how to collect exhibitor payments article covers the wider collections process.