Meetings, conferences, milestone celebrations, or team building activities – the list of business events is long and manifold. Even in times of COVID-19, meetings are still an essential part to keep the communication in remote working times flowing, and events have adapted to the current situation. Event planners know about the importance of events, and especially bigger corporations receive proposals and offers to help them organize those from agencies and freelance event organizers almost daily.
But is it really worth the money to hire an event planner for your next meeting? Not necessarily. From simple to complex event planning, your company may already have the resources to get it done itself.
So, when does it actually make sense to hire an external event organizer to support you with the next event and when will you really benefit from their event services?
1. You Need to Save Cost & Time
This is one of the main reasons why businesses get an external event coordinator on board. Events have a fix date. There is no time to lose on this project and postpone it like it may happen with other internal projects. And sometimes, the organization team simply doesn’t have the manpower to manage the extra workload coming along with the event. In cases like these, hiring an event planner comes in handy because (s)he will take over tasks of the team and reduce the temporary bottleneck, keep the schedule on time, and tasks will be done faster thanks to effective, professional event planning skills. Additionally, you can be sure that nothing will slip your mind, and with the great overview of your event organizer, you stay on top of things easily and don’t get lost in an overflowing inbox.
Moreover, the event planner’s expertise will help you save lots of money. Not only can you benefit from his/her connections by receiving special deals or negotiated discounts, but (s)he also knows where you can save money. (S)he may even propose less costly, more efficient alternatives to ease your financial contribution. Tell them your budget and (s)he will make sure you stay in it, while at the same time guaranteeing you will get the best value for money.
2. You Need Excellent Organization
Professional event planners are highly organized. If you ever come across one and cannot see a single checklist, turn around and look for the next. To-do lists, checklists, and excellent time management are their bread and butter. Event planning involves multiple vendors, suppliers, and other stakeholders, not to mention the numerous tasks to carry out for a successful event. Being organized is essential and comes naturally with every event professional.
Moreover, since meetings and events are very often planned a year in advance, these organizational skills are not only temporarily necessary, but you can rely on him/her being organized over the long-term as well. In order to do this, tech-savvy event coordinators use organizational tools and software smart and efficiently. Ask them what they are using to get a feel for their work methods.
3. You Need Professional Event Planning Skills
I haven’t heard of any event that did not come across some unforeseen circumstances, no matter how small or big they were. And not everyone can deal with these situations calmly and professionally. Get an event planner on board to handle any eventualities; they are used to think fast and turn any potential disaster into a positive experience. That is the magic of successful event professionals: they resolve any issues in the background and your attendees won’t even notice that anything ‘unplanned’ occurred.
Event organizers deal with fast changing environments all the time and are used to adapt to any situation. Plan B (or even C) is part of the routine, sticking to deadlines is the norm, and staying in budget is a given. Moreover, they can give you valuable advice once they understand your event goals, and propose suitable event formats you haven’t considered yet, that may deliver your message even better. In the end, event coordinators are determined and motivated to make your event the best possible. They take ownership of your event and work on it whole-heartedly, always using their skills to produce an answer rather than an excuse.
Events involve people and therefore, event organizers are well-trained in dealing with all kind of humans on a regular basis. From attendee to VIP to service staff, a professional event planner treats everybody with respect and has a meticulous appearance.
4. You Need Attention to Details
A professional event organizer doesn’t leave anything to chance and will cover the tiniest details. It may appear overly precise to you but the devil is in the details. And event planners rock those details, even those you wouldn’t think about yourself or overlook quite easily. Given the unforeseen element in each event, by paying close attention to everything upfront it will help them be prepared for unexpected events.
The attention to detail does not only focus on items but also on all involved parties, from attendees to speakers and staff. They are observant and see it when someone is not feeling well, needs guidance, or assistance, and act upon it proactively. Having thought about as many (worst) scenarios upfront, they are well prepared to attend any situation. So trust them that they know what they are talking about.
5. You Need Professional Knowledge and Experience
Events are one-time happenings and you cannot afford to learn by your mistakes. Everything is live (unless you are planning a pre-recorded webinar or event production), so you want to have professionals by your side who know what they are doing. Make use of their vast source of wisdom and benefit from proven concepts. It is not always necessary to reinvent the wheel, whether talking about event formats or planning documents and strategies themselves.
While you focus on your core business, the successful event professional is constantly developing their knowledge and learning about the latest trends. Research takes time that you don’t necessarily have or want to spend on it. Ease your schedule and benefit from their experience.
Why or when do you want to hire an event planner?
To have a reliable partner by your side. In the end, event planners are experts in their field of services, like you are the expert in yours. They are passionate about their work and know how to implement your ideas and goals best, because their intention is to deliver an outstanding event. They can show you what you actually might want but don’t know about yet.
If you’d like to hear more about how I can make the event planning process more efficient and reduce your stress, drop me an email or call, and I’ll be happy to go through the details.
Have a wonderful day!
Kristin