In our last piece , we talked about carving your event budget like it’s a pie – with slices serving as catering, housing, AV, transportation and other important meeting details.
Given how important this topic is and that it affects all planners, we’re offering a second helping of advice that will serve you well for making the most of your budget.
As prices rise between 20 and 30 percent for many event budget items, here are four more ways to make the most of your resources.
1. Take Your Event To The Suburbs
One major advantage of large cities is greater availability for direct flights. One way to maintain this perk without breaking the bank is to select a suburb right outside of a major market.
Phoenix, for example, is surrounded by several suburbs that organizations often use for events. Scottsdale is home to many top resorts and spas and is popular with corporate groups.
Finding greater value right outside a big city allows more of that pie to go to meals and AV production rather than the venue.
2. Make Use Of Vouchers
Providing breakfast and transportation within a city are nice to haves, but there are more economical ways to offer a more robust experience to your attendees.
One way Valerie Bihet, VIBE Founder and Director, suggests is offering vouchers so your guests can grab a quick breakfast before meetings start.
“When you think about it, a full American breakfast in a hotel can cost $60 – it’s ridiculous,” Valerie says.
Planners can offer a coupon or pre-paid card to a nearby establishment to get fueled up before a day’s worth of meetings at a fraction of the cost for providing a spread of eggs, protein, pasties and coffee.
Similarly, you can use Uber Business for rides that can be pre-paid for and pre-scheduled to pick up from your event hotels. The convenience cuts down on reimbursement paperwork and makes it easy for attendees to reach your reception or event destination. It is also far cheaper than renting a bus.
3. Find Local Partners
Working with local and regional partners cuts down on shipping and travel costs while also providing a more authentic option for goods and services.
A local bakery can often supply its homemade items and coffee for a better price than a large catering business like Sysco. The same is true for finding gifts from a local vendor.
The fresh taste and good service check two major boxes for planners.
BONUS TIP:
Take advantage of recommendations for trusted friends and peers who are familiar with your event’s host city. Word-of-mouth tends to be more reliable than Internet recommendations, Valerie notes.
4. Change The F&B Menu
Providing more inclusive food and beverage can also make sense for your budget if done right.
Mocktails often taste just as good, if not better, than their alcoholic counterparts and are cheaper because they don’t include the booze.
If your meeting is a region where produce thrives, like in California, skew your menu more toward plant-based items that are less expensive than meat and also limit carbon emissions.
Also consider serving plated meals instead of a buffet, as the latter tend to be more expensive and result in higher rates of food waste.
Planners can’t afford to look like they are trying to save money when aiming to impress clients. With these ideas, you can creatively work around high prices while still creating a memorable event.
