Tip 18: Control Conference Costs

Here are some ways to save money on producing your conference:

1. Don't pay high speaker fees. Use generic "rent-a-speakers" only when they will definitely add pre registered attendees.
   
2. Don't pay actual expenses for your speakers. Instead, offer a lump sum to those eligible and let them make their own travel arrangements. You define who is eligible, but those not eligible could include exhibitors, press, consultants and anyone else who has to be at the show. This policy saves money and untold staff time booking travel for speakers.
   
3. Don't print abstracts nor produce CDs. Instead, post the presentations and handouts on your website and encourage the attendees to download them. (You must supply a password to conference registrants.)
   
4. Provide only the basic AV and staging for a Keynote that features a vendor (or vendors)—they pay the extra costs for gilding the lily.

Should your policy be not to pay speakers anything? We disagree with this approach—stay tuned for why.