Lean Machine
To keep registration fees in check, the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association cut a staggering number of expenses without hearing complaints from members.
Some highlights:
• The organization used to hire a professional photographer every year to take shots during the meeting for the next year's brochure; now, shots will be taken every few years.
• To save money on coffee, NLGJA asked that the urns not be refilled when they ran out. The few attendees who wanted more coffee could opt to buy a cup in the lobby.
• The organization used to provide logoed messenger bags to attendees; this year, the bags will be simple totes.
Table the Salt
Want to keep the bar tab down (and keep attendees focused the next day)? Hold the salty hors d'oeuvres and snacks, recommends Susan Friedmann, CSP, The Tradeshow Coach (thetradeshowcoach.com). Replace potato chips and nuts on the bar with low-salt munchies. And ask the venue to prepare low-sodium hors d'oeuvres. This way, attendees won't be drinking just because they're thirsty.
Waste Not
Rather than letting the hotel staff toss out leftovers from the buffet breakfast, ask them to rearrange individually-packaged items -- chilled yogurt, granola and power bars -- and present them again at the first coffee break. Thanks to Fran Rickenbach, CAE, executive vice president of the Association of Destination Management Executives (adme.org), for the idea.
Don't Pay Retail
In this economy, forward-thinking real-estate brokers would be happy to have something going on in their empty retail space. If you see an empty space for rent, call the broker; the space's owner might be happy to offer it for a very reasonable (possibly free) fee.
Present Moment
Gift bags are always fun to receive but time-consuming to put together. On top of that, the contents -- from the attendee perspective -- are often hit-or-miss. Instead, set up a "take one" table: Place all the gift items on a table by the registration desk, and tell attendees to take one of whatever they want. This way, participants will get the right-sized T-shirt, diabetics won't be given chocolate, and gender-specific items can be included in the options. Best of all, giving out fewer gifts saves money. Thanks to Brenda Jones, professional development coordinator for the National Association of Social Workers, Missouri Chapter (nasw-mo.org), for the idea.
Good Timing
For many companies, planning the exotic incentive trip has simply become too costly. Instead, consider scheduling it right after (and in the same city as) the company meeting or a major industry convention. That way, the airfare is already taken care of. And it looks better to the board and public if the program is attached to a legitimate business meeting. Thanks to Karen Shackman, founder of Shackman Associates New York (shackmanassociates.com), for the idea.
Timely Eats
Attendees base their expectations on the time of an event. Hold it at 7 p.m., and they'll expect dinner. At noon, they'll want lunch. But if you time the event, say, between 2:30 and 4:30 in the afternoon, they'll expect nothing and therefore be overjoyed when they see a spread of light snacks and soft drinks. If you have the budget, you can even serve afternoon tea. Thanks to Jill Lazar, a principal of Everything Events (everythingeventsco.com) in Providence, R.I., for the idea.
Act Two
Strolling entertainment -- period actors, singers and acrobatic dancers, for example -- works great for themed events, but the impact after the first hour tends to wane. To freshen things up, ask the performers to change costumes once or twice during the event, suggests Fran Rickenbach, CAE, executive vice president of the Association of Destination Management Executives (adme.org). Attendees will love the variety, and rarely will anyone notice that the same actor has reappeared.
Lighten Their Load
"Keep your eyes open when attending other conferences," says Brenda Jones, professional development coordinator for the National Association of Social Workers, Missouri Chapter (nasw-mo.org). Chat up the meeting planner; if she is planning to throw away the decorations or supplies, offer to take them off her hands for free or at a discount. And keep an eye on the trash bins; if the planner or attending suppliers are throwing out useful products, such as pens or trash bags, they might be happy to donate them to your next conference -- just ask!
Hire Local
Paying to fly and house your full meeting staff will invariably cost more than finding freelancers based in the destination to help out. A local DMC or CVB will know where to find competent staff; for menial work, you could also try an employment agency. Another benefit of hiring locals: They're local experts. Thanks to Patrick Sullivan, president of PRA Destination Management New York (212-683-5333; pra.com), for the idea.