Hiring an event planning company can be tricky business if you never have before. You may be hesitant to hire an event planning company because the thought of entrusting the outcome of your event to someone else is scary. If you do your research and ask the right questions, then hiring an event planning company can reduce stress, minimize tears, and help you sleep better at night during the planning process.
Here are some questions you should ask:
Why hire an event planner?
Besides reducing much of your stress and to keep you from pulling your hair out, event planners act as a buffer between you and your vendors. There can be a lot of go between and follow-up when dealing with different vendors (and you’ll likely have a lot).
How much experience do you have?
Someone experienced in the field will have rapport with local vendors. This is important when working to achieve what you envision for your event. More experience also means that over the years the event planner has likely dealt with many event catastrophes and now knows event emergency preparedness.
What types of events have you done?
Event planning companies well versed in different events are great to create business relationships with. Although you may be planning a conference now, they can also help you with that business luncheon or cocktail party you have in a couple of months. Building a relationship with one specific event planning company will pay off in the long run. They will know your needs, quirks, who you need to impress, and you can have open and honest conversations about what you want.
How frequently can I expect to be updated?
It is important to establish a timeline or frequency of contact with your event planner from the get-go. You may be someone completely hands off or wants weekly updates. Just be sure to be upfront with them so that they know what you expect and to be sure you are getting what you want.
Are you there for the events you plan?
This is highly dependent on what you prefer when working with an event planning company. In most cases you can expect that someone from the company will be there to oversee the flow of the event and make themselves available in case an emergency arises. Depending on the involvement event coordinators can be behind the scenes to wrangle speakers, oversee video and PowerPoint, and ensure vendors are following the timeline as closely as possible.
Who will be my point of contact?
It is good to know who will be your main point of contact throughout the event planning process. Having a high amount of turnover can be frustrating and disappointing. Ensure that the company will have one or two points of contact that will keep updated on your event information and can quickly answer your questions if you contact them.
Can you translate vendor terms and agreements for me?
This again goes back to using an experienced event planning company. Those who have been in the business for a long time have been around various vendors and seen numerous vender contracts to be able to help you understand what type of agreement you are getting into before you sign anything.
Last of all it is important to find an event planning company that will put your wants and needs first. It is critical to have someone that can work with you to help you achieve your event vision rather than taking over to create “their creative vision”.
If there are any other questions you may have or advice you may need, feel free to shoot us an email and ask away!!
Blog header photo credit: Waag Society / Flikr / Creative Commons
