Events provide the absolute best platform for sharing information and building community. It shouldn’t be a surprise then, that CMOs push around a quarter of their budget to support event-based initiatives. The costs can add up quickly though, especially as the production value increases. If you’re looking to elevate your event without breaking the bank, we have six possible ways to save on your event without cutting any corners.
- Multi-year negotiations: If your event occurs every year, multiple times per year (touring event), or even every other year you can absolutely try to take advantage of multi-year pricing with many of the vendors. Locking in with a vendor for repeat business can quickly open conversations around more favorable pricing. For bigger ticket items (like event production) this can net you some serious savings.
- Stage transformation: It’s pretty common to have a main stage with multiple breakout rooms at an event. Depending on the venue, you may be charged for the additional rooms you request. Having the main stage designed so it can be quickly converted into multiple breakout rooms after the general session can provide the additional meeting space you need while saving on venue costs and the additional AV that’s required to support them.
- Repurpose assets: While your printed signage is likely shot after one use, there are plenty of event assets that can live on beyond a single event with a little bit of planning. If you know you’re hosting the same event next year, you can save some cash by reusing the items you’ve already invested in. If you’re not opposed to using a similar look and feel, presentation graphics can be updated instead of completely rebuilding them. If you’re not changing the stage layout, you may be able to ask your production team for a haircut on the saved design time. Any custom-built set props can also be repurposed, if not on stage, in the concourse serving a new purpose.
- Remote viewing: If you’re trying to reach a geographically dispersed audience, you don’t always have to make the trip to get your message out. Web streaming can help you reach your audience, all while helping to keep the costs of travel down and multi-destination logistics low. Even if your audience is local, remote viewing can help offset costs. If your preferred venue doesn’t fit the entire audience, you can stream the event to nearby viewing rooms — perhaps set up in a tent outside the venue. This can open up more economical options, and gives you some flexibility in the location.
- 1920 x 1080: We produce some really killer presentation graphics for our customers. They’re punchy, to say the least. The resolution is always native to the display we’ve designed. Custom content like this adds cost, but can really set off your event. That kind of production is not always necessary though. Designing for 1920×1080 allows anyone who can create a PowerPoint to control the content, while a little creativity from the production team can still make the set look amazing. This move can save some dollars on production costs if you’re willing to make the trade on content value.
- Ride the season: If you have flexibility on when your event takes place, you may be able to take advantage of some “off-season” pricing. Most event vendors will have time with lower demand — catering, the venue, and the AV. There is no guarantee that they all will line up with one another, but regardless you may be able to negotiate more favorable pricing from some of your vendors by committing your event to one of their downtimes. It’s worth exploring this during budgeting conversations!
A bit of innovative thinking can go a long way in event design, and you don’t always have to break the bank to have a really well-produced event. Whether you’re looking to keep dollars in your budget or find the savings to extend your event production, a few of these ideas could net you some serious savings at your next event.
If you’re looking to get your message to punch through, don’t hesitate to reach out. We love staging events. Just hit contact below and we’ll be in touch!
