<h2>Affordable Meetings: Tips From The Field</h2>
Looking for cost-saving tips? Look no further than fellow meeting planners:

• Order continental breakfasts and refreshment breaks a la carte, not per person. <em>Deborah K. Gaffney, director of conference planning, Tax Executives Institute, Washington, D.C.</em>

• We once used a classic car club to transport a small number of folks (50), and they didn't charge us. It was like a club outing. We had a photographer, beverages, and snacks for them, and they had as much fun as our group.
<em>Stephen J. Schick, CMP, CMM, Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc., St. Louis</em>

• Have pitchers of fresh water instead of bottled water. Many hotels charge $3 or more per bottle.
<em>Caprice Caster, CMP, National Cable Television Cooperative, Lenexa, Kan.</em>

• Always try to use an outdoor/terrace/pool venue to minimize decor. Transforming a plain ballroom or meeting room is extremely expensive and never as attractive or effective.
<em>Rachel Porter, president, Corporate Events, The Porter Event, Chapel Hill, N.C.</em>

• Using public facilities — zoos, parks, botanical gardens, museums, etc. — can be very cost effective because you can sometimes choose your own vendors and caterer. We have even done meetings at these facilities to add a twist to the meetings.
<em>Stephen J. Schick</em>

<img class="wp-image-7665 alignright" title="Looking for cost-saving tips? Look no further than fellow meeting planners: • Order continental breakfasts and refreshment breaks a la carte, not per person" src="https://strategic.events/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/slide5-1024x576.png" alt="" width="409" height="230" />• Read and fully understand your contract! Don't get caught because you missed the small print or didn't understand it.
<em>Sandy Biback, CMP, CMM, Imagination+ Meeting Planners Inc., Toronto, Ontario
</em>

• Replate muffins and fruit from breakfast and offer them at the midmorning break. Bring your own LCD, power strips, and extension cords to avoid AV charges.
<em>Christy Lamagna, CMM, CMP, Strategic Meetings and Events, New York</em>

• Contract more than one meeting at a time. You can often get more favorable terms if the property is assured of future business. They can double their revenue if they are willing to negotiate.
<em>Rachel Porter</em>

• If a speaker that you want is booked in the area in which you'll be meeting, ask if he or she can do a keynote and/or workshop, preferably on the same day. It will save on expenses, and you may get a discount.
<em>Laurie H. Meyer, president, Programs Plus International Inc., New York</em>

• After topics have been selected, I always look inside the organization for experts on the subject (to be speakers). Obviously, they should have experience in public speaking and clear instructions on the goals of the program.
<em>Stephen J. Schick</em>

• The best speaker gifts are donations to something related to the organization — (say it's building materials folks; Habitat for Humanity would be perfect) — or to something that results in scholarships for those studying the speaker's profession. A handwritten or beautifully printed card can be given. Most speakers have enough “stuff,” and this, I've found, is so appreciated!
<em>Joan L. Eisenstodt, Eisenstodt Associates, LLC, Washington, D.C.</em>

• Ask, ask, ask. Very often hotels will have props and miscellaneous decor on-site that you can use at no charge.
<em>Rachel Porter</em>

<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Deals on Wheels</span>
</strong><a href="https://strategic.events/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/QB5O1HU0QX.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img class="alignright wp-image-2149 size-medium" title="Looking for cost-saving tips? Look no further than fellow meeting planners: • Order continental breakfasts and refreshment breaks a la carte, not per person" src="https://strategic.events/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/QB5O1HU0QX-300x225.jpg" alt="Looking for cost-saving tips? Look no further than fellow meeting planners: • Order continental breakfasts and refreshment breaks a la carte, not per person" width="300" height="225" /></a>Ground transportation is an easy place to save money — if you know how to do it. Here are some tips from Brian Whitaker, vice president of operations, Chicagoland Transportation Solutions, Barrington, Ill.:
<strong>Less is more —</strong> The farther apart you can spread the shuttle pick up times, the better. You can save one to five vehicles by adjusting the times by 10 minutes.
<strong>Sponsorship —</strong> Get everything possible sponsored. You can even get airport transportation sponsored. Consider showing videotape advertisements on the overhead television of the bus, or having a sponsor for the coolers full of drinks for the ride.
<strong>Limos vs. Vans —</strong> In many, many cases, planners don't want to transport anyone in a limo because it looks too costly. However, the limo actually can be $50 to $100 cheaper than a van.
<strong>Cut down on “Greets” —</strong> This works best for sales and internal meetings. Have guests walk to a meeting point in the claim area. This reduces the number of staff at the airport.

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<em>Tags: Tips From The Field Affordable Meetings, Tips, Event Planning, Event Planners, Strategic Planners, Strategic Events, Corporate Meetings, Corporate Events, Corporate Travel, MeetingsNet</em>

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