When planning your conference, the budget is usually one of the most important factors. Not only do you want to make sure you can achieve the full scope of your vision for your event, but you also want to be able to get the best value for your money.
Ensuring you allocate your budget to the right places to ensure it runs as smoothly as possible is one of the many headaches you can encounter when planning your event.
If you’re struggling to decipher what it is you need to prioritise and what doesn’t need as much attention for your conference, you’ve come to the right place, as we take you through the most important considerations to make when planning your conference budget.
What are your priorities: what do you definitely need for your conference?
By taking a step back and assessing what your priorities are for your conference, you will be able to avoid spending unnecessary budget on elements of your conference that may not need it. By creating this priorities list, you can assure you have ticked all the vital boxes and then if you have remaining budget, you can spend it and extras to take your event to the next level.
Will you need to bring your own technology and equipment?
While some venues may not be equipped to provide you with the equipment you need to bring your conference to life, and if you will rely heavily on one or more projectors, wifi or whiteboards, using a venue that already provides them may be a crucial time-saver.
If you had been planning on buying or hiring this equipment independently, it can eat into your budget, so working out what technology you will need will help determine your overall budget.
At Venton, we have a wide range of technology to choose from to help elevate your event.
If you had been planning on buying or hiring this equipment independently, it can eat into your budget, so working out what technology you will need will help determine your overall budget.
At Venton, we have a wide range of technology to choose from to help elevate your event.
Location, location, location…
It is all well and good having the best speakers, the best topics and the most engaged crowd (in theory) but if they can’t get there, it is all a waste. Accessibility not only location-wise but also disability-wise is essential for ensuring that all that want to attend, can.
By whittling down your shortlist of venues to those that are easily accessible, it will be that much easier to establish your budget.
By whittling down your shortlist of venues to those that are easily accessible, it will be that much easier to establish your budget.
Never conference on an empty stomach
Catering is such an important aspect of holding a successful conference, organising sufficient catering for your event will make sure your attendees aren’t paying more attention to their rumbling stomachs than to your event.
Here at Venton, we have a versatile menu that can cater for all dietary requirements.
Here at Venton, we have a versatile menu that can cater for all dietary requirements.
Be realistic with capacity needs
It is a good idea to get wind of how many people you can expect to attend your event ahead of time, this way you can ensure you book an appropriately sized venue, and can book the right amount of food accordingly.
Does your venue have a good reputation?
At Venton we have glowing reviews of our venue and our staff, so you can be sure it is a safe place to ensure your guests have the best experience possible.
Ensuring your money is safe when you spend it on a venue takes away stress from planning, and ensures that your investment is well-spent.
Ensuring your money is safe when you spend it on a venue takes away stress from planning, and ensures that your investment is well-spent.
How many rooms will you need?
If your conference is planned to have several talks at once, you may need to consider hiring a smaller room within the venue to deliver side talks. Another option may be to run your event over two or more days, but this may be more expensive, which is another point to consider for your budget.
Free merchandise for your attendees has never gone down badly
It’s true, saving budget to make sure that your attendees come away from your event with not only knowledge but also some freebies is important. It gives them a reminder every time they use your merch about not just your event, but also your brand.
Putting some budget aside for this is important, but it’s also worth remembering that the gifts that have the biggest impact aren’t necessarily the ones with the highest sticker price; something that’s useful and has meaning to your guests is an essential part of turning your merchandise into a viable lead-driving asset.
Putting some budget aside for this is important, but it’s also worth remembering that the gifts that have the biggest impact aren’t necessarily the ones with the highest sticker price; something that’s useful and has meaning to your guests is an essential part of turning your merchandise into a viable lead-driving asset.
Book your conference at Venton
Book your conference with Venton and let us help you take your event to the next level. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch and we will be happy to help you find a solution.