In the beginning there was the meet up where people would get together in real life. Then there was the Internet where suddenly everyone met friends online chatted via instant message and stayed in touch by micro-blogging their daily lives on websites like Facebook and Twitter. Now online social circles are moving out of cyberspace and back into the physical realm. Where is everyone going? Why to the nearest tweetup of course—a real-world meet-up made up of Twitter followers or “tweeps.” And brands in the know like Panasonic and Zipcar are moving there too.

When budgets are tight exhibition designers can help you come up with solutions that still look great but cost less. Turning to some of today’s newest modular systems is one way designers are keeping budgets under control while creating a design statement that looks custom but isn’t.

Tapping into online communities before a live event allows a brand to learn a great deal about its target audiences’ behaviors and preferences. The insights can lead to more meaningful and relevant live experiences.

In today’s difficult economy every marketer is looking for ways to make 1 + 1 = 3. One way to do that is by aligning your brand with a strategic partner. Whether you’re exhibiting at a trade show producing a mall tour or activating a sponsorship co-marketing with a non-competing brand can help you stretch your budget and take you places you’ve never been before.

So the time has come to cut some fat from your marketing budget but naturally you don’t want to lose any of your assets especially that branded tractor-trailer. Instead of ending or not renewing a lease on an old vehicle why not make that inventory work harder for you by renegotiating the lease agreement? You might be surprised at how much more you can get for those ever-dwindling dollars.