Some of the most important tips you’ll get from top event planners are to start with a clear vision and set a realistic budget. Your goal is to not only provide guests with a memorable experience but also a valuable one. However, it can be difficult to plan a major event like this, let alone juggle all the different moving parts. You need to find the right venue, get the best vendors, and somehow make it all work within your budget. Corporate event planning companies can help ease the stress and do so much more. Here are twelve reasons to hire professional event management services for your next corporate event.
1. Save Time
Planning an event can take a lot of time and effort. It’s not as simple as calling up a venue and asking them to set things up. You’ll need to factor in different things depending on the type of corporate event you’re throwing. For example, you may need a variety of vendors, guest speakers, and activities to keep people occupied. If you do have guest speakers, you’ll need to figure out presentation times that work with their own schedules.
Just organizing your guest list and inviting them all can take a while, depending on how big the event will be. One benefit of utilizing a corporate event planner is that they know how to get everything done as quickly as possible. You can focus on the big picture while they set up the smaller details. Event management services professionals are instrumental.
2. Less Stress
It’s not uncommon to find yourself stressed while planning a large event. There are a lot of different parts to juggle and potentially mess up. If a food or drink vendor cancels last minute, you’ll need to find a way to keep your guests satisfied. You don’t want them leaving to get lunch and never coming back. Guest speakers are a big draw at certain events, and you’ll need to arrange backups just in case someone doesn’t show. The same goes for any activities or presentations. Even if you create a team to handle event planning, they may not have the necessary skills or experience.
3. Creative Event Planning
Planning a memorable event means being creative and standing out from the competition. Not everyone can imagine that kind of event. It’s even more difficult to bring it to life. For example, how do you intend on utilizing all the space a venue has to offer? What is your event themed around, and how do you plan to emphasize that?
Don’t just hire a corporate event planner to set up a room and invite your guests. Event management services professionals also responsible for putting on a show and creating a memorable experience for everyone that attends. Even better, they’ve done this many times before. They can offer up ideas that you hadn’t considered and help make good use of your available resources.
4. Work With Your Budget
Speaking of resources, event management companies are used to working on a budget. Not every company is a billion-dollar entity that can afford to fly in guests from overseas on jets. Many events are meant for smaller businesses to network and expand their reach. Some are solely meant to educate their staff and promote a friendly work environment.
As such, you don’t want to find yourself in the red after throwing an event. Corporate event planning companies know how to budget wisely and still give their clients exactly what they want.
5. Find the Perfect Location
Finding the perfect location for your event can be a balancing act. You want to give your guests ample space to walk around and for vendors to set up, but not so much space that you’re operating in a nearly empty event hall. It’s also important to find a space that’s within your budget but not too small.
Professional event planners will often already have a list of potential locations for you to pick from. If you aren’t happy with their suggestions, they will work with you to find something more to your liking. All you need to do is provide them with a list of how many people you expect to come, what kind of event it’ll be, and the general area you want.
6. Planners Bring Connections
A relatively easy thing to do is find vendors for your events. As long as you make the calls well in advance, you shouldn’t have a problem finding ones that’ll show up. However, you won’t exactly know the kind of quality or service you’ll get if you’ve never used them before.
When you hire event management, you also get access to all their resources and connections. They should have an entire database full of vendors that meet your specifications, whether you want vegetarian food options, non-alcoholic beverages, or gluten-free options.
In addition, they know which vendors to trust and which will give you bad service. They may also be able to get you discounts you’d otherwise miss out on.
7. Risk Management
Even the best-laid plans go awry sometimes. It’s important that you have some kind of plan for when things don’t go exactly how they were intended. The guest speaker may arrive late and need a replacement. Someone might drink too much and cause a mess. You may run into issues with sound or lighting.
Are you trained to handle risk management at an event while also trying to keep your guests satisfied and engaged? An event production company has plenty of experience dealing with these situations. They’ll also have hired security to handle any misdemeanors or rowdy guests.
8. Attendee Satisfaction and Oversight
How do you plan on tracking attendee satisfaction and managing follow-ups afterward? If the primary goal of a corporate event is to network, then you’ll naturally follow up with some of your guests. However, it won’t be with the intention of measuring whether your event was a success.
Your corporate event management company has the resources available to measure guest satisfaction. Since they did all the planning, they’ll have all the contact information of the people who attended. Any questions about the event can be taken in the form of polls or emailed questionnaires.
9. Legal Expertise
There’s also the matter of avoiding legal trouble. Risk management is one thing, but legal issues can come up even after the event has ended. The best way for your business to manage this issue is by relying on your event management company. They’ll take into account legalities while they’re planning the event.
Guests may sign waivers that take liability away from your business. Vendors take on a share of the responsibility. Your planners will also make sure that you aren’t violating any rules set up by the chosen venue.
10. Efficient Communication
Effective and efficient communication is important when dealing with any business matter. It’s especially crucial at an event where accidents can happen at any moment. Modern cell phones have helped minimize this issue due to how fast you can call or text someone. However, not every building has great cell reception or a strong wi-fi signal. It’s completely possible to end up in a dead zone and miss out on important information happening elsewhere.
Most of the time, event planners will have access to the venue’s PA system for announcements. They’ll bring their own two-way radios for instant communication with other staff members.
11. Handle Event Setup
One struggle your company may face includes setting up and managing things like audio, visuals, IT services, and lighting. You want to create a memorable event, after all. It’s not enough to settle for standard lighting and PowerPoint slides.
You can trust that the professional event manager you hire will set up the venue exactly how you want it. They’ll also handle any technical issues you may run into.
In addition, your planner will help you figure out what kind of event layout you want. You may want guests to filter through booths before making their way into the auditorium space. It’s also important to have your vendors in spaces that are easy to locate.
12. Cleanup Afterwards
The final step of any event is cleaning up afterward. While you can expect vendors to pack up their belongings, guests may not be as careful. It’s normal to find all kinds of random items and trash littering a venue afterward.
In most cases, the ones renting out the venue will expect you to handle the bulk of the cleaning yourself. Luckily, your event management company will hire custodial services on your behalf. You can leave it to them to clean up while you handle the social aspects after your event.
Plan a Better Event
Event management services are pivotal for all your event planning endeavors. You’ll waste less time, hire reliable vendors, and avoid potential legal trouble after the event. More importantly, you’ll find an event management company you can rely on in the future.
If you want to learn more about event planning, make sure to attend The Event Planner Expo 2023. You can get your tickets at this link and learn more on the main ticketing page.
