An event planner knows how to plan for and deliver great events.
Orchestrating a successful company event isn’t easy. Things often can and will go wrong. Rarely does an event go off without a hitch‑either the transportation company is late, or not all of the linens have been delivered. Whether you’re planning a corporate anniversary celebration, a team-building event or a company picnic, an event planner can save you time, money, and perhaps most important, eliminate stress.
Businesses often turn the responsibility of planning and executing a company party, sales retreat, team-building event, or conference over to an office manager, or an administrative assistant. Unfortunately, this is a huge mistake. By delegating these responsibilities, you’re diverting their time and energy away from their normal day-to-day responsibilities. Plus, you’re creating a level of expectation and responsibility that doesn’t fall under their job description. An event planner knows how to plan for and deliver great events. Lumping that degree of stress onto an employee who’s not equipped to handle it with grace is bad for your event and bad for your business. A company party or team-building event that falls flat on its face was meant to raise moral when in fact it had the opposite effect. Here are five ways a professional events planner can help you plan your next event.
Professional planning
Your business can benefit from an event planner’s expertise in budgeting, etiquette, event design and logistical planning. An event planner takes the big picture and breaks it down into small details. The planner will ensure that every aspect of your event is seamless and taken into consideration. Logistics like transportation and lodging can be a nightmare for the inexperienced. Try getting a place to stay for 50 sales people in Healdsburg during a large wine event weekend. An event planner can pull strings and has the connections to negotiate discounts, and think outside the box by reaching out to private estates and listings for Air Bed and Breakfast or Vacation Rentals By Owner, so your sales retreat doesn’t turn into a nightmare.
Venue scouting
When planning an event, one of the first places to start is venue scouting. Each event has its own requirements. An event planner will listen to your wants, needs, vision, and help you make it happen within your budget. An event planner knows many hidden gem locations along with large facilities that can accommodate larger groups. There are many private estates in and around Sonoma and Napa Counties that the general public does not have knowledge or access to. A well-connected planner can pair the right venue with right client.
Attention to detail
A professional event planner ensures that even the finest details are managed, making them a tremendous asset. A professional planner will do the homework, for example, and might learn that one high-level executive enjoys a certain bourbon. A professional planner makes sure there’s a bottle set aside for him or her. And a professional planner makes sure there’s a coat check for guests at large events, a small detail often overlooked. Event planners know what works and what doesn’t, they know what people want, what their clients want, and they know how to set up a meeting room, move guests from one location to another, or who to call for an unexpected medical emergency to avoid a catastrophe. Event planners are masters of juggling the details, people and priorities and can help you pull off a flawless event to prevent your event from turning into a flop.
Staying on budget
The most common argument against hiring an event planner, of course, is tied to cost and fitting it in the budget. An experienced event planner is familiar with the costs of renting items such as tents, tables and chairs, beverages, lighting and entertainment. Event planners have longstanding relationships with vendors and venues. This is key to planning a successful event. It takes a team effort to execute a flawless event, and your event planner’s relationships with vendors often lead to cost effective ways to save money, so the event comes in at or below budget.
Negotiating contracts
There are many contract agreements that take place when it comes to planning an event. Event planners are skilled at negotiating contracts with vendors, whether it’s working with caterers, beverage companies or the venue location. They ensure that the clients get the most out of their investment, and know to source expensive items for less, or find a vendor that specializes in exactly what you want.
With a professional event planner in your corner, clients can enjoy the event as well as the planning process. Do yourself a favor and hire a professional event planner, so you can relax and enjoy the event with your employees.
Marisa Manna Ferrell is the CEO and Certified Wedding & Event Planner of So Eventful LLC, a professional, full-service planning company offering clients a comprehensive planning experience. At So Eventful, our team is comprised of some of the most skilled and talented wedding & event planners: each with a unique background. What makes our team so successful is our passion to create extraordinary events and make our clients feel like a guest at their own event. For more information, go to www.so-eventful.com, or www.soeventfulproductions.com
