Why They’re High, Why They Matter, and How to Save
Audiovisual (AV) technology is one of the most overlooked costs in event planning, often catching organizers off guard. Rising demand, supply chain challenges, and increasingly complex tech are pushing AV costs higher than ever.
However, with strategic planning, event organizers can make sure they focus their costs where they matter most. This guide breaks down why AV costs are rising—and how to stay on budget without compromising quality.
Biggest AV Costs & Considerations
The first step in optimizing your AV budget is understanding where most of these expenses originate. Here are three key AV expenses to plan for:
Labor and Overtime Costs
On-site technicians are highly skilled professionals who manage and monitor complex AV equipment. Larger events may require AV teams with more technicians to operate and monitor complex technology setups. Given their expertise and the high demand for their services, labor costs—particularly overtime—can quickly escalate.
Venue Fees and Internet Bandwidth
Many venues add unexpected fees for rigging, power, and vendor exclusivity, which can significantly impact AV budgets. Internet costs are another major factor, as venues often set high pricing for necessary bandwidth. Plus, don’t forget for reliable service you’ll need a dedicated internet feed for livestreaming and presentations separate from attendee Wi-Fi.
High-Resolution and Advanced Tech Needs
AV is about more than the hardware you can see, like screens, speakers, and projectors—behind the scenes, elements like storage, processing power, servers, content design, and delivery all add to costs. Data and networks also need robust security to stay safe from cyber threats. Additionally, experiential technology that enhances the attendee experience, like large video walls, LED displays, and custom graphics, lends gravitas to your event but comes with a price tag.
How to Save on AV Costs
AV costs may be high, but they form the most crucial parts of your event: ensuring your audience can see, hear, and experience your message. Without the proper AV setup, events risk weak audio, poor visuals, technical failures, and diminished impact.
Here are several strategies to reduce AV costs without compromising quality:
1. Get Serious About Pre-Planning and Rehearsal
The best way to mitigate high AV costs is to lock in your event plan early and keep teams, speakers, and leadership aligned throughout the pre-planning and event production process.
One of the most significant ways to mitigate AV costs? Ensure presenters rehearse before the full tech run-through.
For example, plan for enough time at your venue. Make sure to allocate extra time for setup and teardown to avoid costly overtime fees or conflicts if another event is booked too soon after. Leadership may also want to add last-minute additions to the run-of-show when prices are higher and assets are more difficult to coordinate. Solidify your run-of-show early, and don't be afraid to push back on late-stage changes by reinforcing budget constraints.
One of the most significant ways to mitigate AV costs? Ensure presenters rehearse before the full tech run-through. Utilizing a Speaker Ready Room allows presenters to practice their presentation beforehand, avoiding later adjustments and overtime costs during the AV tech rehearsal, which is staffed by large technical teams. (Read more: 3 Reasons Why Your Event Needs a Speaker Ready Room)
2. Negotiate With Your Venue—Before Signing the Contract
While venues often present AV-related fees, like rigging, internet, and vendor exclusivity, as fixed costs, they can often be negotiated—especially for clients who are already spending big on lodging, food and beverage, and more.
However, clients must leverage their negotiating power before signing a contract with the venue. A trusted partner like Stagedge can help review contracts, identify unnecessary fees, strike unsavory clauses, and negotiate better pricing. For one event, Stagedge worked with a hotel that wanted to charge 600 amps for power when the client only needed 45 amps, negotiating down to just 100. Engage with an expert partner early to help you navigate this process before you get locked into inflated vendor pricing.
3. Use AV Equipment Strategically and Often
Consider what equipment and assets you can use multiple times across events or business needs. Modular stage setups, reusable on-site graphics, and other scenic materials can help reduce costs across various events.
Plus, think strategically about your audience experience. Do you really need to live stream your event? Perhaps your audience would be better served with high-quality recordings instead—which can also be repurposed for future marketing materials or internal training—while removing the need for on-site live streaming equipment. Considering AV costs as a core part of your long-term business strategy can help increase your ROI.
4. Combine Vendor Services for Greater Efficiency
Working with a team of specialized vendors may seem attractive for your event, but sometimes, working with a single production partner with multiple capabilities can save you money overall. Consolidating services can improve coordination and reduce overall costs with packaged pricing.
Venue fees can often be negotiated—especially for clients who are already spending big on lodging, food and beverage, and more.
Where you can, try to utilize local labor; flying in specialists only for essential roles can cut down on total travel expenses and ensure that most of your on-site team is familiar with the venue and location. Stagedge maintains a network of technical professionals worldwide so customers can utilize labor local to their venue to maximize cost and logistics efficiencies.
5. Don’t Underestimate the Significance of AV
Many clients prioritize “tangibles” like food and beverage over AV technology. But what’s the point of your meeting if no one can hear the message? Event organizers may approve $6 for one bottle of water per four thousand people but won't pay for three extra microphones to make their on-stage panel run more smoothly.
What's your per-person cost for everyone to see and hear your message? Ultimately, there’s no detail more important than that.
One tip: Develop a deeper understanding of AV so your team values its impact. Think about the per-person cost of your AV—just like coffee and lunch. What's your per-person cost for everyone to see and hear your message? Ultimately, there’s no detail more important than that.
For budget-conscious clients, invest in the core technology you need for your audience to see your show, hear your message, and feel your impact.
6. Co-locating Multiple Events
Combining multiple business unit or regional meetings into one larger event (with a shared budget) can be a significant overall savings. This is a trend that Stagedge is seeing more and more of.
Get the Best AV for Your Budget
Navigating AV technology and budgeting can be complex, but you don’t have to do it alone. A trusted partner like Stagedge provides expert guidance, transparent pricing, and a global support network to help clients maximize their AV budget while delivering unforgettable events. For expert tips on handling last-minute AV challenges, check out our blog post “3 Tips for Handling “Oh Sh*t” AV Moments.”
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Stagedge: Creating Immersive Experiences for 50 years is proud to be one of Boston's premier full-service event production companies dedicated to conceiving, creating, and executing immersive brand experiences through live, virtual & hybrid events, domestically, and worldwide.