Cut Staffing Costs

While you certainly need effective staffers in your booth - after all, trade shows are all about face-to-face marketing - you can still cut personnel costs without drawing blood.

• Consider hiring local talent for basic booth tasks such as greeting, crowd-gathering, and basic pre-qualifying. You'll save money on staff travel and per-diem expenses, and will free staffers to focus on closing sales and meeting with hot prospects.
• Double up staffers in hotel rooms. While many people hate sharing rooms, others don't mind buddying up, and some even prefer the company of a friendly co-worker. So give staff the opportunity to pair up voluntarily and offer an incentive, such as cash or a hotel-spa gift certificate, if they agree to share a room.
• Research alternative lodging. While show hotels can be convenient, they can also be costly. So investigate other, potentially less-expensive options, such as boutique hotels, bed and breakfasts, or even vacation-home rentals. Before you opt out of the show hotel, check the location of new accommodations and factor in any additional transportation costs.
• Switch to business attire in your booth, as opposed to branded clothing purchased for every show. You'll not only cut costs on apparel, but you might elevate your company's image as well.
• If attendance is typically down on the last day of the show, plan to send home a few staffers a day early. Not only will you save hotel and per-diem costs, you'll also increase productivity by getting employees back to the office sooner.