A good event organizer is someone who can balance between the budget and satisfaction of the attendees.
Planning an event is a challenging task, and requires a lot of planning. However, someone who can manage everything within the budget, keeping everyone satisfied, and successfully organize the event, would be an excellent event organizer.
Do you want to become one of them?
In this article, I’ll share 9 proven tips on how to arrange an event without busting your pocket.
1) Make a rough plan
Before planning anything, make sure you have a substantial budget. You must know where to use how much of that. A proper mapping, along with allocation in the different fields with a proper plan, can lead it to success. Make sure to talk to the superiors and ask for expert advice at the very beginning. Assume the maximum costing for anything while planning, and try to use the minimum in the field. Do not be rigid to your decision. Be flexible. Do your homework before jumping into some plans.
2) Think twice before choosing a venue
Before choosing your venue, we must consider some of the facts that are not related to venue reservation cost. Such as the distance of the site from the people group who are going to attend the event. Some of the venues will be very close in the map but very costly. Some of those may be situated in a perplexing location. Alternatively, sometimes, our visitors may need to pay a high cost for transportation. Keep extra time while placing for a booking. If you ask for a reservation for tomorrow, it would cost more. However, in case of an event of next month, you could manage the same venue with lower costing.
3) Approaching and negotiation
Negotiate everything. Use every link and network for each task. Know your client. Know their taste. Do not spend money on something which has a lower impact. An do not overlook something with a significant effect on your guests. Such as the seating arrangements. If it is comfortable and fits the event, no matter how cheap it is, clients will be happy.
4) Take the chance
There are some strategies you can apply while organizing an event. Venues are very conscious about their competitors. Try allowing the newcomers in some field rather than going to a pro organization. Sometimes the newcomers seek for chances and do works of quality with quite a less amount of money.
5) Reduce Catering Costs
If you can arrange tasty but plentiful cheap food, the attendees will never complain about it. They may not notice it. However, if the food is not delicious enough that may catch their attention and it can harm your organizing. So, please keep it simple and do not over arrange. Sometimes we do not even need a mid-afternoon refreshment. Keep tea and coffee aside. These drinks keep hunger away. So, your attendees may feel fresh also though they are on the empty stomachs.
Also, for lunch or dinner, keep the buffet system. It will give visitors satisfaction as they will be able to eat at their own, can take food according to the choices of the attendees, and you may save the cost of serving. Allocate the free bar tokens only for cheaper drinks. Use the plastic box for serving mid refreshments. That can save up the cleaning cost.
6) Look for sponsor
Select the correct sponsor. Some sponsor may offer you a significant amount, but the company does not go with the theme of the event. So, in that case, choose some sponsors that are related to the event. Some sponsors offer gifts to visitors. It creates a perfect effect on their mind. Also if you can collect sponsorship from the correct sponsors, they may want to set up a stall, and your visitors may be delighted to know more about the sponsors, as the sponsors are from the field of the visitors' interest. Some sponsors will want to send the speaker.
The CEO may want to say something to a crowd. This step can help you with the cost of inviting a speaker.
7) Research on speakers
Some social workers go to different seminars for free. Work on them. Inform your speaker at least three weeks before the event. Some of the speakers rise up their rates when the calendar schedule is tight.
8) Be creative on event promotion
Cut the cost of printing. Go digital. Invite through email. Spend less on decoration cost. Moreover, convince your volunteer and worker to do so. Use social media to promote your event and reduce the marketing cost. Especially the major ones (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn) Be creative on these areas and your overall cost of your event will come down.
9) Pay attention to the workers
Ask for volunteers, Offer them t-shirts, free foods, and certificates. Trust me, they will work harder and try their best to make the event a success. Do take care of them, call them, and ask if they are missing out something. Ask about the progress. Also, assure them that you are with them if they need any help. Tell them to be careful about their health too.
While there are volunteers ready to give their best efforts, there is another type of employees. You are paying them. Make sure they enjoy doing work with you.
A successful event may not always need a fancy budget or a significant amount of money. Sometimes the visitors can feel the efforts we make. So, to create any event a success, we need a big investment but not in cash always. It can be in the services too. So, if you want to save money, make sure not to keep your effort and energy. Thus, a great and fantastic event will come up.
Images from Pixabay