Mention budget preparation to most meeting planners and their eyes glaze over with boredom and trepidation.

Creating budgets is challenging work but extraordinarily important to the success of your meeting, and if you budget with confidence, it actually can be fun.

In this webinar, moderated by top meetings industry educator Bonnie Wallsh, you'll be walked through the process of budgeting in an easy-to-understand manner. You'll learn three key factors that are essential in preparing your budget, and you will discover how to avoid seven common mistakes that can lead to budget overruns.

You will learn practical and effective ideas on how to stretch your budget as far as you can and acquire techniques and tips that will impress your boss, and also will receive 70 specific cost-saving tips. In addition, you can submit your most effective money saving tip as participants share how to reduce costs without diminishing the effectiveness of meetings and events. The tips will be compiled and included in our follow-up session.

As a result of participating in this session, attendees will learn the following:

• Identify three key factors in preparing your budget
• Discover the seven common mistakes that meeting planners make, and which should be avoided at all costs
• Produce a budget customized for your meeting or event
• Learn how you can save money by becoming more effective with your:
  • Accounting
  • Audiovisual/technology
  • Credit cards
  • Negotiating
  • Program design
  • Shipping and postage
  • Signage
  • Sleeping rooms
  • Speakers
  • Staffing
  • Transportation

Earn CEUs: This webinar is worth 1 clock hour of continuing education toward the initial CMP application and recertification through the Convention Industry Council.