Cross-promotion is key these days to get the ultimate bang for your event buck, says Nadia Digilov, founder of Celebrating in Style in New York. You give vendors much-needed exposure, and they give you discounts — “I scratch your back; you scratch mine,” as Digilov puts it. Here are her cross-promotion tips:

• Look for venues that want to tap into a key demographic. Negotiate a discounted (or even better, free) rate for use of the space in exchange for inviting 15 to 100 people who might be interested in the space for their own purposes.

• If the catering company you are using wants to boost its business, offer to showcase its promotional material at your event. They get potential new clients; you get a discount on their services.

• Don't ditch your event's entertainment just to save money. Instead, keep it short and simple (and cheap!) — ask talent to perform a 10-minute version of an act already in their repertoire. Then pass out their CDs to guests.

Celebrating in Style, 888/441-1174, celebrating-instyle.com

NADIA DIGILOV
Founder of
Celebrating in Style