Why Should Your Event be Professionally Planned?

Everywhere we find people we find planned events. Events are hosted by individuals, groups of individuals, corporations, and communities. Events may be small or large, formal or informal, exclusive or open to the public. Events are also produced to achieve a wide range of objectives. The objective of an event may be purely social or celebratory, or it may have serious implications for the business or professional prospects of the host. It may be just for fun. It could, in fact, have some combination of all these objectives. Regardless of the objective an event will have little chance of success without good planning.

If you, your company, or your organization is hosting an event, you have probably considered whether to plan it yourself or to employ the services of a professional. We have all attended events that were planned by private individuals. Mothers plan birthday celebrations for their children, administrative assistants plan business meetings for their bosses, and nearly everyone has planned some sort of get-together or meeting with friends, family, or business associates.

This article will describe some of the advantages of professional event planning and production. And suggest a number of assets, skills, services, and economical advantages that a professional event producer can provide, and that would make the use of an event planning professional a wise choice, especially when the event in question is either large, complex, or of special significance.

Whether your event is an off-site business meeting or a wedding, whether it is a Christmas gala or a team building exercise, a new product launch or a class reunion its success will hinge on three factors: vision, procurement, and direction. Because of his (or her) experience and expertise an event planning professional is uniquely qualified to influence  each of these areas in ways that result in greater success for a lower price.

Vision

Assuming that you know your objective, any successful event will begin with a vision, a mental picture of what kind of event will best suit the objective. The vision is the blueprint for the event; from it all the requirements of event production can be determined. Some hosts will have a crystal clear vision of their event, right from the start. They will know the location, type of entertainment, type of decoration, food, and a million other details. Other hosts may want someone who can present them with creative suggestions and alternatives which would satisfy their objective. An event planning professional will have had extensive experience in both cases. A good event planner can execute the vision of his client flawlessly or he can provide a vision which is fresh and creative and meets the desires of the client. Using a professional event planner will allow you to work out as many or as few of the specific details as you like. Over the years experienced event planning professionals develop a good sense of what works and what doesn’t, they keep up with trends, and they know what is current and what is out of style.

A professional Event Planner or Event Planning Company will offer knowledge and ability to research new areas and unique requests. Once a request is proposed a Professional Event Planner will begin to research creative ideas, location possibilities and technical information to help better define your celebration or professional event. Further in depth research conducted by your event planner on the site you choose will determine the services you require and establish competitive rates for specific location and lodging possibilities, activities and entertainment as well as historical and traditional curiosities of the area depending on your event.

Procurement

An event starts with a vision, but, the implementation of the vision will involve procurement and coordination of goods and services. An event planning professional will have had a lot of experience examining the vision of an event and translating it into a list of all the goods and services that will be required to produce it. He will be especially able to see that nothing is overlooked.  The list of services which might be included in an event is endless but a few of  the most common are location, food, beverage, entertainment, interactive games,  audio/visual support, transportation, registration, decoration, complementary gifts,  security, insurance, food service, greeters, speakers, and parking arrangements.  Each of these services will be procured through a vendor, and this is where the professional event planner will really shine. Your event planning professional will have had extensive experience with vendors in your area. He will know which vendors are reliable, which are reasonable, and which offer the best value for the money. More importantly he will know which vendors to avoid. Because he has frequent dealings with all of the best vendors he should be able to negotiate the best prices for their services. For this reason your event planner can probably produce your event cheaper than you can, despite the fact that his price includes a mark-up.

The right venue for an event is of particular importance. For some events the host will be able to provide an appropriate location. But even large corporate concerns with first class meeting and event facilities on-site sometimes require a change of scenery. Even though your corporate event facility or dream home may seem like the perfect place to do your event it still may be posing unexpected difficulties and pitfalls not so easily resolvable.  Rely on an experienced professional who is fully cognizant of the nuances of producing the perfect great event, logistics, load-ins, electrical distribution, recommended venders and available services. In some cases the providers of a venue will require that you work with their in house vendors for other services. Coordinating the activities of a number of vendors can be challenging. It’s even harder to work with in house venders, caterers or event specialties when you have no other choice and need to get the best results out of them. Your professional Event Planner or Event Planning Company should have the experience to deal with any in-house vender or caterer.

A professional Event Planner or Event Planning Company will tackle the frustrations and problems inherent in planning a special event and diplomatically act as your intermediary to resolve issues with troublesome third parties, late deliveries, legal documentation, and event services.

Direction

Successful implementation of your vision will require more than simply ordering the right mix of goods services at a reasonable price from your vendors. It will require careful planning and coordination of the efforts of a large number of people. From the people who prepare the site to the people who clean up afterward. Every vendor, entertainer, food server, audio/video technician, and floor sweeper must have a clear picture of what is expected of them and how it is critical to the success of the event. This can require a staggering amount of telephone and face time. It also requires extreme attention to detail. A professional event planner will take nothing for granted. He will want to meet by phone or in person with all parties involved. Unless he is extremely familiar with the venue he will want to perform at least one on-site inspection and meet with the providers of the venue. In some cases he will require that vendors familiarize themselves with the venue or with each other.

Depending on the size and complexity of the event planning and coordination may begin weeks, months, or even years before the date of the event.

A spectacular event needs on-site coordinating and savvy problem-solvers for the inevitable roadblocks and difficulties that arise during the planning and execution of any important event. After months of preparation it may be difficult to begin hours of hard work to coordinate on-site your special event. This is why a professional Event Planner or Event Planning Company comes in to do the work so you can arrive relaxed, ready to host and enjoy your guests or be a guest yourself, free to fully experience this memorable occasion.

Final Overview

A professional Event Planner or Event Planning Company is set up and staffed with full time professional that do this for a full time living and can, in most cases, save two thirds the amount of time it would take even a creative housewife or a talented administrative assistant to produce the same event. Since time is money the usual 10 or 15% commissions or up charges that a professional Event Planner or Event Planning Company charges is well worth the investment when you look at it from an analytical viewpoint of getting the job done right the first time and on budget.

In the Carpet business there is a saying “measure twice and cut once’, In the professional Event Planner or Event Planning Company business we have a similar saying that says “Think it trough twice and act on it once”. This makes sense to a professional Event Planner or Event Planning Company because not only are mistakes costly and cut into the profits but they do nothing to encourage the client to recommend you to their friends and associates or to call you back the next time an event , meeting or team building need arises.

A great producer knows how to gain confidence and maximize budgets giving their client the assurance that they’ve picked the right Event Planner or Event Planning Company to realize their needs. A great producer knows how to communicate their ideas and how to motivate the people around them so that everyone is working towards the same goal as a team. Picking a great producer is as important to the end result of an event as is picking the right wine to complement the perfect meal or picking the right furniture and decor to maximize the comfort and appeal of a room.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Event Planner or Event Planning Company ask for several references to find out how past and current clients enjoyed working with them. Were they professional? Were they detail oriented? Did they communicate well and did they do as they said they would? These are the perfect questions to ask a past client. Try to ask for past and current clients to get a feel for their consistency.

A great Event Planner or Event Planning Company knows how to deal with money responsibly and should be given the respect that one would give to their accountant or attorney. Do you hire a professional house painter or auto mechanic and then stand next to them and instruct them on every little thing they should do? I think not... So why would you want to do that to your event producer? Aren’t they as important to you as the paint on your home or the engine in your car? Especially, when your event can cost as much as a car and in some cases a home.

When selecting a great Event Planner or Event Planning Company find the one that you can have fun with, you respect as a professional and look forward to working with. A great producer can go a long way towards producing a great event and will ensure that not only will you have a successful event but one that is enjoyed by all in attendance and remembered for years to come.

Remember experience is everything. With today’s budgets and high demand to create the ‘Wow’ event you want a great Event Planner or Event Planning Company that not only knows how to get things done but sees the event, party or meeting before it happens. Like a professional skier making their way down the slope with their eyes closed standing still a professional Event Planner or Event Planning Company can and should be able to do the same.