A few tips, from my experience…

1. Use an off-site AV rental company and make them bid for a job. Don’t accept the first offer, they have bargaining power.
2. Rent basic carpet. If you’re in a basic 10×10, you can afford to scrap the prestige carpet. The standard cut carpet will cost you 100%-150% less.
3. If you can’t afford giveaways for everyone, raffle off one good prize like a Wii or iPhone.
4. Place your literature on CD’s. For about $1, you can place all of your literature on one disc. Printed materials are expensive and 80% of it is left behind in hotel rooms.
5. If you must ship to the show, ship in advance to the warehouse, not to the convention center. The best possible option is to ship to your hotel room and carry your boxes onto the show floor.

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