Anyone can plan and manage an event, right? Wrong. So often this misconception can spell disaster for SMEs looking to execute events using solely internal, dare we say it, inexperienced resource.
Don’t let your future events suffer, discover the 4 core benefits of putting your event in the hands of a well-chosen event consultant.
Strategic Direction
No doubt, you will have a comprehensive understanding of what your event is setting out to achieve, but what’s next in ensuring your key objectives are delivered? If this question leaves you feeling a little bemused, don’t fret. A professional event partner will collaborate with you and take the time to really understand your vision and ambitions, establish who your target audience is and what message(s) you’re looking to communicate to them. With all this information collected meticulously, a scope for your event project will be formulated. It’s imperative to define the strategic direction of your event as early in the process as possible, as every decision made from that point forward in relation to location, venue, format, programme, content etc. should support and align with the purpose of your event and the achievement of specific, predefined goals.
Industry Knowledge and Experience
It may seem like a daunting prospect entrusting your event to an outsourced entity, but in reality, it is likely to be the best decision you make for your event. Why? A seasoned event professional will already have established relationships with venues and a whole host of suppliers, which can be advantageously leveraged to make cost-savings and add value to enhance the overall experience proposition. Having in-depth knowledge and understanding of how the event industry operates behind the scenes, means shrewd decisions can be taken to optimise your budget against each cost-line.
It’s true that, “the only source of knowledge is experience” (thank you Albert Einstein) and when you employ the services of an expert event organiser this is exactly what you will be benefitting from: knowledge gained from direct event management experience. This combination of knowledge and experience will ensure that every facet of your event, from concept to onsite delivery, is taken care of, with contingencies put in place to competently deal with any issues should they occur. Trusting the end-to-end management of your event to an event specialist removes the complexities and challenges, that can be encountered, from your workload, allowing your time to remain your own and to be invested in other priorities.
As well as cost and time-saving advantages, an event planner will also be able to present creative and engaging ideas and important insight from previously tried and tested event formats. This input customised to your specific event brief and budget will help elevate your event and the impact it delivers.
Planning and Budget Management
With a scope for your event agreed and objectives outlined, an event organiser will take the reins and work to produce a highly-detail orientated master plan that will take account of every component of your event from start to finish and beyond. This plan will identify timelines, with key project milestones, task ownership/responsibilities and the targets that must be hit to execute a successful event. Approaching the planning phase with applied event expertise, means that all elements of your event will be weaved into what will become a working document; this will be managed stringently to negate project creep and to make sure deadlines are adhered to.
Do not underestimate how critically important budget management is in event planning. An experienced event consultant will have a full overview of what costs will need to be incorporated into a comprehensive event budget. Throughout the entire process they will oversee spend against the budget and account for variances with full-justification and follow-up measures, making sure there’s full control on all event associated expenditure. Poor planning and uncontrolled spending, even with the best intentions, can seriously damage the effective delivery of an event - is it worth the risk?
A Dedicated Extension of Your Team
Live events can present excellent opportunities for your business, from raising brand awareness, launching a new product or generating leads – the power of face-to-face interactions is largely unrivalled. If you don’t have an event manager in-house, you may be feeling a little overwhelmed at the prospect of organising and running an event – there’s no escaping the fact that it is a formidable undertaking and if you’re not experienced, it can quickly take over your working day and leave you feeling bewildered. But, with so much to be gained from live events, how can this predicament be overcome?
Looking outside your business and contracting an event manager as a dedicated extension of your team, for the duration of your project, is a solution that shouldn’t be dismissed. With a sole focus on your event, an external resource can offer a highly personal, tailored and agile service. This approach to event management removes the necessity for an ongoing salary overhead, whilst simultaneously giving your organisation the benefits of working with an event professional who, after working with you once and having an astute understanding of your business, can be called upon as and when required to assist with all your organisations future event needs.
Ready to realise the benefits of working with a trusted event consultant on your next corporate event? Talk to Events Together and discover how we combine our creative flair, with precision planning to produce outstanding events that not only deliver results, but that create long-lasting memories in the minds of your audience. Call: + 44 7971 122 214 or email: create@events-together.co.uk