Behind the Scenes: Estimating an Activation

“How much would it cost?” 

Clients often ask this question when embarking on a brand activation or event. So, how do you develop an accurate budget? 

Establish objectives and develop a high-level scope - what do you want to achieve from the project? 

Map out the activation big rocks who/what/when/where = attendees, activation, date, location. 

Establish a budget (if known)—Typically, we are asked to estimate the budget based on the scope using our tools, but a starting budget does help to narrow and guide the scope. 

At this point we can also model (and change) all the different variables with the click of a mouse.  For example, different number of event locations, staffing levels, time/days, number of attendees, travel, catering, campaign support, all of which can affect the total cost and assist you with making informed decisions.

Develop a refined estimate to deliver this activation. At this preliminary stage, we utilise ranges for different cost categories and often use past experience to estimate these costs.

Agree scope and source exact supplier quotes to get accurate and final costs.   

Agree on the final budget  (plus timeline, implementation plan, communications plan, concepts, build plan etc!!!)

“Last question, what if the budget blows out?”

We always allow a small 5-10% contingency, but continue to monitor actual spend and any significant variances.   

With good planning, estimating an activation is collaborative and an informative process.

Team Contributor: Michaela Scott

Get in touch: michaela.scott@arrowvane.com | LinkedIn