blog
Leading... Since 1987
How to Work with a Professional Event Planner to Maximize the Experience – Part 1

How to Work with a Professional Event Planner to Maximize the Experience – Part 1

Have you ever worked on a major project in your home which eventually caused a budgetary disaster because you didn’t have the experience or skills required to complete it? You thought that DIY approach will whittle down the budget. Instead, it caused you to spend more money than hiring an experienced contractor would’ve.

Sometimes the efforts of people to save their money by doing things themselves ends up costing them more than hiring an expert. This theory is true for corporate events as well.

Professional events planners are considered professional for a reason. They receive formal event planning education and spend years maximizing their expertise in the field. They know what works and what doesn’t. They are well-versed in what they do which is why they’re able to share ideas for your event that are worth your money and time. While you may be able to pull off certain DIY projects, there are a few things like event planning for which you should turn to the experts.

Get Pricing

Should You Work with a Professional Event Planner for Your Event?

On the fence about whether you should take help from an experienced event planner for your corporate event? Here are some reasons that’ll nudge you in the right direction:

  • A big downside to DIY event planning is that you lose a lot of time. If you aren’t familiar with event planning and haven’t organized an event before, you’ll likely take much longer to organize an event. By hiring a professional event planner, you can free yourself to focus on more important things.
  • An event planer can help develop a budget for you and help you stick to it. It eliminates expensive and unpleasant surprises from event planning. An expert may also help you avoid spending in areas that are not cost effective.
  • Corporate events and meetings are a big deal. The reputation of your company may depend on them. A professional event planner will work to ensure that your corporate event is a success.
  • Allocating work to a professional will eliminate stress and give you peace of mind.
  • Experts are well-versed in their field; so, a professional event planner will provide you with extra insights that may prove effective in event planning.
  • Professional event planners have an ability to economize and this ability comes from their connections in the industry. They have connections with staffing agencies, venues, restaurants, DJs, audio-visual firms, bands and more. Service providers often partner with event planning firms and offer exclusive discounts for referrals of clients. So, by working with an event planner, you can get discounted rates.
  • Many corporate events have been ruined because of inadequate scheduling. For example, popular venues are booked in advance for holiday season – when many parties and events take place. This may leave you with inferior venues. Event planners know proper scheduling procedures and they’ll book the venue at the right time to ensure that you get what you had hoped for.
  • Professional event planners have been in the industry for a long time which is why they know what’s experimental, what’s traditional and what’s cliché. Depending on the culture of your company and type of event you are organizing, a professional event planner can help you express your creativity.
  • One of the best traits of event planners is their organization. There are a lot of things that must be managed to plan a successful event. It requires many phone exchanges and emails with vendors and other service providers. A professional event planner can take care of these tasks so that you don’t have to worry about them.

More Information

Now that you know why it’s important to hire a professional event planner for your corporate event, let’s show you how you can actually work with an event planner. We’ll discuss how to work with a professional event planner to maximize the experience in a two part series. In this first part, we’ll talk about:

  • Important documents to review
  • Building a timeline of deliverables
  • Having a consistent communication

Important Documents to Review

When you’re working with an event planner, it is important for you to review all the important documents you receive from them. You’ll receive a contract from the event planner. Make sure to carefully read the terms. Once you have read the contract, sign it (if you agree to the terms) and return it to the event planner. Make sure to pay your deposit on time to ensure that the event planner can move forward with making arrangements for your event.  

You’ll also receive a menu for your event. Review all the items and if there’s anything you would like to be removed from the menu or added to it, inform the event planner. Entertainment description will also be provided to you from the event planner. See the different entertainment options offered by them.

If you don’t see something you definitely need at the event, ask the event planner if they could arrange it. There’s a good chance that they’ll be able to find what you’re looking for. If they can’t, they’ll likely provide a good alternative. Make sure to check the pricing on different entertainment options to ensure you stick to your budget. You can’t blame the event planner if the bill comes out to be more than what you had expected.

You may also receive a description of event lighting and décor from the event planner. If you would like a theme décor, you can ask them for it. If there’s something else you want, ask the event planner about it.

Reviewing a Timeline of Deliverables

Once you have finalized the menu, entertainment and décor of your event, the next step is reviewing a timeline of deliverables. As you get closer to the date of your event, you’ll receive a detailed form from the event planner showing all your deliverables and timeline. Review this to ensure that every detail you expect is included in the list of deliverable. If something is missing in the list, call the event planner and tell them about it.

If there are any last minute additions or changes you’d like to make, inform the event planner as soon as possible. Last minute additions and changes can cause unnecessary delays and may even increase your costs. Therefore, try to inform the event planner about everything required before they send you a timeline of deliverables.

Having a Consistent Communication

A challenge in working with event planners is that there can be a lack of communication which can affect your event. By lack of communication, we are referring to not sharing all the information throughout the event planning process. This can cause delays in your event planning and devour your budget. You can overcome the challenge of lack of communication by staying in contact with the event planner throughout the planning process. 

Make sure that the event planner you’re working with understands the objectives of your event and your vision. Communicating openly and completely with the event planner on your desires and expectations will add value to the event planning process. 

If there’s something you want to be included in your event, don’t hesitate to ask the event planner for it. An event planner may be well-versed in organizing events but they can’t read your mind. They won’t know what you want from your event unless you tell them. Therefore, lay down everything you require to ensure that the event planner can deliver all the things you expect from them.   

That’s all from the first part of “How to Work With a Professional Event Planner to Maximize the Experience”. Let’s quickly review what’ve learned: Review all the documents you receive from the event planner like the contract, menu description, entertainment description and décor details. Tell the event planner about your expectations to ensure that you’re both on the same page.

Few days after you’ve signed the contract and finalized the décor, entertainment and menu, you’ll receive a list of deliverables from the event planner. Review it to ensure that everything you expect is included. If you’d like to make any last minute changes or additions, inform the event planner about them. Most importantly, stay in constant communication with the event planner throughout the planning process. That way you’ll be able to communicate your expectations to them and ensure that your demands are met.

Schedule a Call

Get Pricing