Organising an event is already challenging enough. Imagine if you have to deal with all the details while on a limited budget. Whether you are hosting a fundraising event or concert, you need to maximise the income while reducing the cost. It does not mean though that you should sacrifice quality to come up with a fantastic show. These are some tips to help you succeed even with a limited budget.
Book the venue early
The first thing you need to secure is the place where you are hosting the event. You cannot settle for anything less since everything revolves around the venue. The problem is that when you book the place quite late, you could expect high costs. You need to finalise it as early as possible when you could still bargain with the owner. You also have more choices as many of these places have no reservations yet.
Food and beverage costs
If you are organising a corporate event where you need to provide food and beverage, it is also crucial to finalise your reservations early. You might have a hard time looking for quality caterers if you sign the deal close to the date of the event. It also helps if you carefully pick the meals to serve. Avoid going too fancy when there are cheaper options available but are still of excellent taste. Besides, when you chose a quality caterer, you will get fine-tasting dishes anyway.
Go digital
Instead of printing invitations and other documents, you can go digital. In doing so, you limit the use of printers and papers which could save a hefty amount of money. Apart from the invites, you can also go paperless for registration, sharing schedules, marketing, and many other things. You might even launch an app where everything people need to know is available.
Learn to negotiate
Since you are organising a major event, you will be a priority. Venue owners will most likely try their best to win you over. Caterers and other service providers will also try to entice you. Since you have the upper hand, you need to maximise it by negotiating. Charm your way until you get a reasonable price. Look for packages that will allow you to reduce the cost. If you have a hard time negotiating with the supplier or manager, you need to start looking for other options.
Use free marketing tools
Marketing is a crucial aspect of the success of the event. You cannot make it happen if no one attends. Therefore, you need to get the word out there. Use social media as a marketing platform since you could reach a lot of people for free. You could also partner with social media influencers who believe in what you are organising.
Do not settle for low-quality AV equipment
Even if you decide to reduce the cost of organising the event, you cannot sacrifice AV equipment; otherwise, the entire show will be a disaster. Look for a production company that will give you quality lighting and sound at a reasonable price. You can check out www.pspav.com for further information on audiovisual equipment.
With these tips, even when you feel strapped for cash, you can still make things happen.
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