Five tips to saving money on a conference

Conferencing can be a very expensive endeavour with organisers relying on registration and sponsorship income in order to operate. If registration numbers do not meet target the conference is at risk of running at a loss which is not an ideal situation for most conferences that have a financial objective.

LOUD events have put together five tips to saving money on a conference;

1. Dates: Choose a day of the week where it may be cheaper to hire a venue. For example a Wednesday may be a lot cheaper than a Saturday. You are not competing with the wedding / private parties and you may also find your venue is more generous with access times.
2. Market on free channels: Facebook, twitter and linkedIn are great avenues to spread the word about your conference and target messages to people that are interested. For public events listings on free event pages such as Brisbane City Council are also a great idea
3. Market via attendees: A majority of association and academic conferences will have a plethora of presenters that had originally submitted an abstract. These presenters will be from a wide range of organisations as well as geographical destinations. Create a presenters media kit with email templates, social media posts and media releases that presenters can use to promote through their channels which will expand your reach.
4. Printed materials: If the conference is held annually keep dates, locations and conference theme off printed materials such as banners, uniforms and an promotional gear. This way you can reuse these items the following year.
5. Volunteers: Volunteers can be a great addition to any conference as long as the relationship is a benefit to both parties. Look for volunteers that have an interest in the sector and allow them to sit in on sessions or invite them to be a part of a social function. Universities and other educational institutions are a great avenue for volunteers as they may be studying in the field or be an events management student hoping to gain experience

If you are organising a conference and need event management assistance, contact the LOUD events office for a quote. Our team have many tips and tricks to save money across the conference.