How to put on a great business event on a budget
So, you want to put on business event? Great idea.
And while there’s lots to think about when organising an event like this, there’s no need to stress. I’ve written this blog to be your go-to-guide for creating the perfect business event on a budget.
What’s your budget?
When putting on an event of any size, you have to be honest and realistic with yourself over how much you’re willing to spend. We’d all love to throw the most premium business event ever seen, but for most businesses (especially smaller ones) that isn’t a viable option.
Instead, you need to figure out how much you/your company are actually willing to spend on the event. This will be different for everyone but it’s always smart to give yourself some financial wiggle room for unexpected costs, so give yourself a little extra budget.
It’s also a good idea to ask for everything to be included when getting quotes from venues. The last thing you want is to pay over the odds for an empty room that you then have to decorate and kit out with technology yourself.
If you’re after a truly unique venue which comes fully decorated and catered for, I’m sure you’d love our meeting rooms here at the Pink Pig Farm. With enough space for 5 – 100 people and no room hire charge on weekdays, the perfect venue for your business event might be right under your snout.
What are your goals?
When planning, it’s essential to ask yourself: “What is my business event trying to achieve?” If it’s to inspire your workforce, then consider bringing in a proven motivational speaker. If it’s to build camaraderie within the group, then you need to plan useful workshops that stimulate team-building.
Whatever the purpose of your event, you’ve got to make sure you’re allocating a decent part of your budget to making that aim a reality. It’s no good blowing all the money on fancy food if the guest speaker you bring in is no good.
Once you’ve established what you want the business event to achieve, it becomes clear where your budget should be spent.
What are your priorities?
Linked to your goals is the need to prioritise. When working on a budget, you can’t afford to include absolutely everything you’d like to, so it’s instead figuring out what you need for the business event to be a success.
Come up with a list of essentials for your event and focus on purchasing them first. Any budget left over can then be spent on the things you’d like at the event, but which aren’t a necessity. By prioritising, you’ll find that you can spend more money on the things you really need by pulling funds away from the things you don’t.
For the priorities, it’s also a good idea to not go for the cheapest option. For instance, if a speaker is a must-have for your business event, make sure they’ve got a good track-record and actually want to be there, otherwise your team won’t get anything out of it and you’ll be throwing money away.
The list of essentials will be different for every event but generally you’ll need:
- A venue (preferably one with Wi-Fi, a projector, and an AV system). Venue should also be easy to get to and have parking nearby.
- Catering (doesn’t have to be Michelin star level, though ours is pretty close. Click here to find out more).
- Speaker, workshops, activities etc.
- Company branding.
- Stationery.
How to choose a venue
The venue is probably the biggest expense in your budget so it’s important you get it right. Every component coming together is what makes a business event great but the venue can do a lot of the heavy lifting.
The first thing to consider is how many people are coming. A venue that’s too small will be cramped and uncomfortable whereas one that’s too big is a waste of money (and will look a bit silly).
Try and get a rough head count so you know what size venue to be looking for and how to maximise value. Knowing how many people are coming also means you can get the right amount of catering, stationery and so on.
Creating a rough guest list means you can start looking for venues sooner. You’ll find that it’s easier and cheaper to book them nine months in advance instead of when the event is just around the corner (especially at Christmas time).
Often, it’s cheaper to book a venue in off-peak times as well. That’s the case with our rooms, as there’s no room hire fee on weekdays and we only charge a cost-effective £25 day delegate rate which includes:
- Welcome coffees/teas.
- Pastries.
- Simple buffet lunch.
- Alternative delicious food and cakes are available to upgrade to (or why not go for our famous homemade bacon butties option?! Just ask!)
- Exclusive use of your room, complete with pens, pads of paper and a projector.
- Your dedicated host who will look after you during your time here with us.
Another major consideration when choosing a venue is whether or not it’s decorated. If it’s not, then it’s probably cheaper to rent and it gives you full control over the aesthetics of your event. It does mean you’ll have to spend time and money doing so, however. If the venue already comes fully furnished, then decorations are something you don’t need to worry about but the venue will probably cost a bit more.
If you’re after something great value and beautifully decorated (you can still add your own touches of course), then our rooms really are the perfect place for your business event. Click here to download the brochure and find out more.
Good luck
And there you have it – everything you need to know to put on a great business event on a budget. There’s no perfect science to it, it’s just about proper planning and preparation.
And remember, if you like the sound of our wonderful rooms then please don’t hesitate to get in touch and tell us about your business event. Whatever ideas are in your head, we can help turn them into a reality!
