Event Planning Buyer’s Guide

Event Planning Tips

Unusual requests. Some businesses want to offer audiences something special from a professional dance troupe to live exotic animals. While this event planning tip would certainly grab your audience’s attention, such a request can add tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars to your total costs.

Air travel. Most event planners only handle ground transportation (limousines or buses traveling to and from the airport) and don’t coordinate air travel. In most instances, the attendees will make their own travel arrangements for the event. If you are part of a large company, you may have an internal group that coordinates your air travel; otherwise, you’ll have to work out a deal with external travel agents.

Consider the age of your attendees. Choose activities or entertainment that appeals to all, whether it’s the theme, music, or even speakers. It’s important to follow this event planning tip so you avoid activities or events that seem too “hip” for the older crowd or “ho hum” for the younger demographic.

Free perks. Since many hotels have to meet a specific quota, it may be difficult to get a volume discount beyond the standard corporate rate. Instead, your event planner might be able to leverage alternative perks for your patronage such as suite upgrades, limousine transportation, or free tickets to local events.

Speaking of perks… Here’s a final event planning tip: check with the event planner early on to find out who gets to keep any perks that a hotel or event venue provides. Some event planners have it in their contract that they have “first dibs” but you may be able to negotiate those benefits for yourself.

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