Now in our third decade, Gallowglass has a level of experience second to none in the industry. Combined, we have hundreds of years of event crewing experience to call upon, and it is that experience that enables us to provide structured, high-quality, cost-effective local crews.
Organising and hosting events can quickly become quite expensive. When you consider venue costs, equipment, decorations, potential guest speakers, the money soon racks up. In this article, we take a look at some of the best ways to saving money when organising an event.
1. Sell tickets for every event even if it is free
A great way to give yourself a better understanding of attendance numbers is to always offer tickets, even if your event is free of charge. If you provide a ticket service online, you can gauge a clearer picture of the number of people who will most likely attend the event but also the demographics. By understanding your audience on a deeper level, you can tailor your event accordingly.
2. Haggle with venues
To ensure you get the best venue for the best price, it is vital you get multiple quotes from different places. When talking to venues, ensure you haggle on the price and don’t just accept the first offer. If they are refusing to go any lower than the original price offered, then it is a good idea to see if they can throw in any extras in exchange for being promoted as a sponsor.
3. Support new and local businesses
It is recommended that you support up and coming businesses as well as those local to your event. While they will likely not have the funds to offer sponsorships, they will always be keen to spread the word about their brand.
For example, if you were looking for an instagrammable dessert to accompany your event, you could search on Instagram for local bakeries in the area. By doing this, they could offer discounts and charge cheaper rates than larger companies because you will be helping them to market their brand.
4. Don’t worry about the freebies
While it is a nice touch to offer free items to your event attendees, it is essential to the success of your event. A free pen, for example, isn’t realistically going to result in a loyal customer. Ensure you remain focused on what is important and what you want to achieve from your event. Extra additions, like freebies, are likely to be unnecessary and, if used, will quickly add significant figures to your event total.
5. Try your hand at some DIY for your event décor
Rather than hiring a company to decorate your event, do some research online and have a scroll through Pinterest because there are some fantastic DIY décor ideas that are cheap and cheerful. From banners and table decorations to balloon arches and floral walls, there are numerous handcrafted accessories to make your event memorable.
6. Hire event crew
If you are hosting an event that requires a large stage setting or specialised sound systems, for example, hiring an event crew could save you time, money and any potential errors. Using a team of professionals when it comes to the more technical side of things is strongly advised. By doing this, you can rest assured that your event will run smoothly and promptly.
7. Cut the travel costs
If you are looking to have a guest speaker at your event, if they aren’t local, rather than having them visit in person, why not have them attend virtually? For example, if your event is based in Scotland and you wanted someone to attend from London, you will have to pay for their travel. By having them attend via a live video link-up or pre-recorded message, saving yourself plenty of money without tarnishing the event for your attendees.
8. Utilise universities and students
Students are keen to gain some hands-on, real-life work experience. So, working with universities could be an excellent option when saving money for your event, while also helping out the up and coming generation! Students could also bring some fresh ideas and a burst of energy; something that is very useful when organising an event. Depending on your event, you could search for students in events management, photography, or graphic design.
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