Reducing your event budget without sacrificing the attendee experience.
When it comes to live events, many people think it’s impossible to reduce the event budget without reducing the quality of the event, or having a negative impact on the experience of the attendees. We’re here to tell you, that simply isn’t true!
Keep reading to learn about five high-quality, low-buck event ideas.
- Utilize Robo Cameras
Cameras are commonly used in live events. They can be displayed live, streamed, and/or recorded based on the type of event and expected outcomes.
In the past, productions utilized full-sized “build-up” cameras with a Camera Operator for each position. This is a good solution in a lot of situations but there is another option.
A different approach is to use robotic cameras. Robos have a lower rental cost than traditional cameras and multiple cameras can be operated by one person. They’re also much more versatile in terms of deployment. Combined, they can save a lot of money and/or increase the number of angles available to the video team.
- Lower Resolution LED
At the time this blog was written, 2.6mm LED has become an accepted standard for displays. It’s a good balance of visibility/clarity, weight, power consumption, and other variables.
However, 3.9mm is pretty darn good … and significantly less expensive! In fact, larger displays are often spec’d with lower resolution tiles to minimize the requirements for content creations, media playback, and processing.
Pro Tip: The giant displays in stadiums and arenas are often 10mm or more!
Unless you’re viewing the two displays side-by-side or up close, the difference won’t be noticeable … but the savings definitely will be!
- Scheduling
When creating the pre-production schedule for the event, or even the schedule of the event itself, you’ll find many opportunities to reduce the budget.
Take a critical look at the event schedule. How many sessions are really needed? Do these sessions need to be spread out over multiple days or can several take place on the same day? Would any breakouts or presentations be better delivered virtually or as a video to watch before/after the event?
By reducing the number of sessions or the number of days the event takes place over you’ll save money on all aspects of the event (and attendees often prefer shorter events too).
When it comes to pre-production, there are opportunities to save money too. Ask yourself, “How many site visits are really necessary to get the information we need?” and “Can I consolidate any in-person meetings or visits into one trip?”. Especially for large event teams, these savings can quickly add up!
- Collaborate with the Group Before and/or After You
If your event is taking place in a popular event venue or large hotel, odds are other events are taking place immediately before and after yours.
See if you can find out who that group is, when their event is taking place, and if there are any opportunities to share costs.
Are they using any of the same equipment as you? Is their stage set similar, or are either of you willing to use a similar set up? Can the same crew members be used for each event?
If so, you may be able to utilize the same designs, set up, strike, and crew members, splitting the costs proportionally, and saving you both money.
- Avoid In-House Charges
This takes place early in the event planning process, but it’s possibly the most important!
Before you sign any contracts with the event facility, make sure you understand the requirements to use in-house or preferred vendors. In most cases, you can negotiate to select any technology partner that you want but this needs to be done before signing any contracts or commitments.
Pro Tip: Most venues will allow you to use the partner of your choice but there will be a financial penalty (through fees and/or lost discounts) that changes the overall cost of the event.
Additionally, make sure that the contract outlines (and maximizes) the service you’re required to use, such as rigging, power, internet, and more.
- Bonus Tip!
A lot of content goes into making an event. Make sure to repurpose graphics, videos, SWAG, and branding for other opportunities (such as smaller meetings, speaking engagements, and post-event communications).
At Encompass, we have unique backgrounds that situate us perfectly to produce high end and complex offerings. We’ve worked in broadcast television, touring entertainment, live sporting events, and countless convention facilities across the country.
We have technical design experience and a disciplined process in place that allows us to easily scale events and shift from in-person to virtual without angst. There isn’t much that’s beyond our scope and we love the intensity of putting on events!
If you’re a planner working to create an event, seeking help with virtual event technology, or simply want to learn more … we can help! Sign up below to receive our updates (we promise to keep your contact information secure and won’t “overshare”).