SEVEN: Food & Beverage

• Work with the Chef to serve lunch portions at dinner.

• Order beverages on consumption vs. per person fee.

• Replate breakfast items for morning breaks.

• Double your dessert – put half out at lunch and half at the break.

• Beware: Hosted FULL open bars are a budget killer.

• Piggyback menus.

SIX: Partners

• Share the budget with the venue (vendor) while negotiating the contract. It’s easier for them to work within your parameters if they are informed and prepared.

• Anything is possible pre-contract.

• Each party has its own best interests at heart; however, if you create an ally you both win.

FIVE: Going Green

• Remove water bottles or offer reusable.

• Use water stations. You can even do fruit-infused.

• Use print on demand kiosks vs. full service printing (when the job fits).

• Use electronic evaluations vs. pen and paper.

• Recycle lanyards and badge holders.

• Email speaker materials post-event vs. handouts.

• Prepare and enable PDFs loaded onto iPads for attendees.

FOUR: Quality Staff

• Spend the money on staff. You will see better year-over-year attendance.

• Happy attendees are repeat attendees. They will also do the marketing for YOU.

• Anchor the event with Greeters.

• Empower your on-site team.

• Use students in hospitality programs.

THREE: The Details

• Seeing the big picture is important. Lighting goes a long way in a budget and delivers a WOW factor.

• If you cut corners to save money the attendee WILL NOTICE.

• Be subtle. Remember that $2 per person savings x 500 people over three days adds up. And no one will notice whole vs. sliced fruit.

TWO: Audiovisual

• For any event over 3 days, ask for show rates vs. daily rental rates.

• Purchase your on-site office supplies (also consider printers or TV monitors) for breakout sessions.

• Reuse your audiovisual equipment.

• Optimize with your production setups. Meet and eat in the same space, reuse setups when it works.

ONE: Most Important!

• Know your event goals and objectives.

• Know your top concessions.

• Everything is negotiable.

• Make the people who spend the money happy. This includes exhibitors, sponsors and attendees.

• Do not be afraid to ask for EVERYTHING on your wishlist!