For Event Agencies used to planning events for big Fortune 500 clients, organizing an event for a small business can look like an easy walk in the park.
But small companies deserve as much attention when it comes to their corporate events as bigger ones. And they expect you to put as much energy in crafting the best event for them as you would if they were big names.
Let me tell you a story…
As the person in charge of Communications and Marketing for a medium-sized IT company in Paris, France, I was also in charge of corporate events.
And I was a one-person team…
My list of attributions was fairly extensive and I obviously could not devote 100% of my time to organizing events.
Although it was one of the most enjoyable tasks I was entrusted with, I had other imperatives that were keeping me from organizing those events from A to Z. I thus enlisted the help of event agencies on several occasions.
I was lucky enough to find an agency that suited my needs really well for one specific type of events: our end-of-year party.
This event was a formal one, consisting of a cocktail, sit-down dinner, and entertainment in an as-prestigious-as-possible venue in Paris.
It was meant as a “gift” to our employees and best clients. Around 200 people attended that event.
So many things to do…
I realized pretty fast that there was no way I would be able to do all of the following on my own:
- Scout Paris to visit all possible venues
- Meet with a number of different caterers
- Meet with entertainers
- Plan and organize the whole night
- Craft and send invitations, follow up, make the table plan
- Make sure everybody was happy while keeping tabs on the providers
- Send pictures of the event to the attendees as a follow-up
- And so much more…
So many things had to turn just right, and there was never enough time.
As much as I would have liked to take care of all of the above, I was also very conscious that for such a big event (for our company), I was not going to be able to do it by myself.
As I said before, I was lucky enough to meet early on an Event Agency in Paris, whose representative understood rapidly my concerns and my needs.
Here are the 10 things they did just right.
1. They listened to my needs
I know this is going to sound bad…
I did not send the agency any RFP document, with all our needs detailed…
Instead, I called them and asked them to come over for a meeting. They came prepared with questions about our company’s culture, what our main objective was, when we wanted that event to take place, etc.
2. They gave me an idea of a budget very early on
Again, it is going to sound weird but I didn’t really have a budget defined when I asked them for a proposal.
We had organized such types of events in the past but on a much smaller scale, and not with quite the same prerequisites. So I needed them to come up with a budget idea early on.
3. They came up with a multi-options proposal
This is, by far, one of my favorite things a provider can give me. A proposal where I can pick and choose options. That way I know exactly how much it will cost me to choose, let’s say, a more exciting entertainer or a fancier dinner menu.
4. They were willing to go the extra mile to find exciting and/or unusual venues or entertainers
They would send me a list of venues, with pictures and a complete description (including how to get there, because one of our prerequisites was for the venue to be accessible by public transportation and have parking space available nearby).
And if I wasn’t too happy about the selection, they would send some more.
Same with the entertainment options.
Of course, it became easier for them after the first event, they knew better what we liked and disliked.
5. They respected my time (in return I tried my best to respect theirs)
They only made me visit venues they knew were in line with our philosophy for that event and checked all the boxes.
They figured out the type of entertainment we were most attracted to, and focused their proposals on those.
6. They accommodated most of my top management’s quirks
Remember that the person who is your direct contact is not necessarily the one who can decide ultimately…
In my case, although I had a lot of freedom in the picking and choosing, my top management wanted the last say in the choice of the venue and the choice of the menu.
Funnily enough, the entertainment was less important than the choice of the right appetizer, entrée, dessert, and wine… But maybe this is a French quirk 😉
7. They prepared a detailed timeline for the event
Way before the event, they would send me a detailed and timed description of all the steps of the night.
But they also accommodated the inevitable slide of said schedule and were always gracious about it.
8. They were present during our event
Obviously, the person in charge of the event production was there and available. That was a blessing on numerous occasions, because as everybody knows there is no event that goes completely smoothly.
But my account manager was also present during the whole event, taking note of what was going really well (most things) and what was going not so well (somebody complaining because they were feeling a draft for example).
9. They debriefed with me very shortly after the event (and even during)
Everything was still fresh in our mind, and we were able to write down everything that went right and everything that went not so right.
That proved to be a big help when organizing future events.
10. They didn’t forget to follow-up to see if they could organize our next event
This might seem like a no-brainer, but believe me, not every salesperson follows up with their clients after a project… And that makes a huge difference for the client.
Your clients want to know they are important to you.
Conclusion
Ultimately, because that Event Agency met all my concerns, my needs, and organized very successful events for us (not necessarily perfect ones), they became my go-to agency for this kind of events.
As an event planner, your biggest concern should be to listen very carefully to your client’s needs and be available to answer their most pressing concerns.
Now, let me hear from you…
As an Event Agency, do you do all those 10 things for your clients? Maybe you do even more, share in the Comments section if you would like to discuss this.