#1 Know what your non-negotiables are. Is there a specific day your event must be held on? Are you obligated to use a specific theme or branding? Does the venue have to have free parking for 500 guests? Do you need or want your event to have zero carbon footprint? When meeting with an event planner make sure you have a good idea of what your minimum standards and expectations are. It becomes more difficult and more expensive to set limits and expectations further into the event planning process. Also it is good to know what your budget is from the beginning, this will allow you to have a more honest and realistic conversation about what is possible for your event. Your planner will be able to tell you if you are way out in left field or if they should be able to cover everything within the budget you have set. #2 Know why you are holding the event. How will you know if your event is a success? Do you have a fundraising goal in mind? Do you want to show your staff team appreciation for their commitment after a particularly difficult quarter? Does your team need a refresher on certain skills and you want to plan a learning retreat? Do you need stakeholders to come together for an informative session, a celebration? How many tickets do you need to sell? What feeling or vibe do you wish to accomplish with the event? Who is it most important that you impress? How much involvement do you want to have in the planning process? Your event planner should be able to help you expand on your goals and assess intent and impact. Whether you have something very specific you wish to accomplish or a more general idea it’s ok. Your event planner will help you get clear about what your goals and target benchmarks are and will help allocate resources accordingly. *Stay tuned for another post about Primary and Secondary goals. As a corporate event planner my goal is always to feed two birds with one seed – you know what I mean- if not you’ll have to read the next post!* #3 Communicate in a clear and timely fashion. Don’t be afraid to bring photos/websites/examples of what you have in mind (if you have a vision for your event) – just like you might when you get a haircut- and like a good hairdresser, your event planner should be able to tell you if you are trying to get a wash, cut, colour and style when your budget only allows for a trim. If your plan changes or if you have a new idea, communicate this to your planner as soon as possible. The earlier your planner knows of potential changes the easier it will be to accommodate them. This will also help keep costs down as your planner will not be rushing around trying to accommodate last minute changes that have the potential to drive costs up. On the flip side if you are clear on why you are holding an event but have no vision for what you want it to be/feel like, your event planner will chat with you and should ask some really great questions to tailor your event to you and your company. Note about the author: Jill Peters has been planning events since 2009. She also has a background in personal and professional coaching. This mix of specialties provides clients with a fun and relaxing event planning process. She creates events that connect people and leaves them inspired.
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Jill Peters
Jill creates events with heart that will allow guests to connect with one another and leave inspired. Here is where you will learn how she makes the magic happen. Archives |