How to Lay Out a Booth Rate Card
A rate card works when a prospect can find their price in ten seconds. Put booth sizes down the side and price columns across the top, keep premiums and inclusions in short tables underneath, and print the date prices change in the heading, not in a footnote.
| Section | What it shows | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Header | Show name, dates, venue and the price change date | Put the early-bird deadline in the title line |
| Booth prices | Size by price column: member and non-member, early-bird and standard | Four price columns at most |
| Premiums | Corner, peninsula, island and feature-area charges | Show as a flat amount or a clear rate |
| What's included | Items in every booth | Stops exhibitors ordering what they already have |
| Add-ons | Services and visibility items with prices | Only items you sell; link the service kit for the rest |
| Terms | Deposit, balance date, cancellation | Match your deposit policy |
| Contact and booking | Who to call and the booking link | Link the live floor plan |
Copy-Ready Booth Rate Card Template
Worked Rate Card Example
The prices below are sample figures for illustration only, based on an inline rate of $28 per square foot for non-members at standard rates, with members and early bookings about 10 percent lower each. They are not a benchmark; set yours from your costs, audience and market.
| Booth size | Member early-bird | Member standard | Non-member early-bird | Non-member standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10x10 (100 sq ft) | $2,250 | $2,500 | $2,500 | $2,800 |
| 10x20 (200 sq ft) | $4,500 | $5,000 | $5,000 | $5,600 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $9,000 | $10,000 | $10,000 | $11,200 |
| 20x30 (600 sq ft) | $13,500 | $15,000 | $15,000 | $16,800 |
| Tabletop (6 ft table) | $900 | $1,000 | $1,000 | $1,150 |
| Item | Sample price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Corner premium | +$300 per corner | Inline booths with a second open side |
| Peninsula premium | +$1,000 | Three open sides, usually 20x20 or larger |
| Island rate | $32 per sq ft | Four open sides; minimum 20x20 |
| Feature area location | +$500 | Near an entrance, stage or lounge |
| Additional badge | $50 | Beyond the badges included |
| Lead retrieval license | $250 | Per device or user, as you sell it |
Before you publish, check that the card reaches your revenue target with a realistic sell-through; the trade show booth pricing guide walks through setting the base rate, and dynamic booth pricing covers changing prices by date or demand once sales open.
Presenting the Rate Card
- 1
Place it in the prospectus
Put the rate card on its own page in the exhibitor prospectus template, straight after the floor plan.
- 2
Match it to the floor plan
Show each booth's price on the floor plan itself, so prospects don't cross-reference a booth number with a table.
- 3
Repeat the deadline
State the early-bird deadline in the email subject, the card heading and the booking page, then remind prospects a week before.
- 4
Keep one current version
Version the card with a date and change it only at announced price changes, so sales staff and exhibitors quote the same number.
A PDF rate card goes out of date the moment the first booth sells. Booth sales software shows each booth's live price and availability on the floor plan and applies member and early-bird pricing at checkout, and trade show management software carries the same booth records into exhibitor onboarding and the show app.