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Putting on an event is a lot of work. There are themes to decide on, a venue to select, promotions to organize, presenters to secure, decorations to put up, and logistics to figure out – and that’s just the beginning. The good news is that you don’t have to do it alone, but hiring an event planner can feel intimidating, especially if you don’t know what to expect. If you’ve been hesitant to bring on a professional event coordinator, we’re here to bust the top seven myths that might be holding you back.

Myth #1: I don’t need an event planner because my mom, sister, best friend throws awesome parties.

It may seem like a great idea to tap into your mom’s party planning skills or start a new board on Pinterest to get ideas for an upcoming event – whether it’s an office party or your wedding. However, leaning on colleagues, friends, and family who may also be attending the event, stretches everyone too thin. A professional event coordinator can give your event the kind of laser-focus that you simply can’t get from any other source.

If you’ll also have hosting duties at the event, a planner frees you up to welcome guests instead of frantically worrying about when the food will arrive or last-minute A/V issues. If you have friends and family who love events and can’t wait to help, take them up on their offer, but let a pro planner coordinate all the moving parts. That way you can spend your time smiling, enjoying, and breathing, instead of running yourself ragged.

Myth #2: Using an Event Planner for hire is too expensive.

Budget is always a top concern when putting an event together, so you want to make sure each penny is spent wisely. Yes, event planners do come with a cost, but they will usually end up saving you money in the long run. Chances are you already have a set budget for your event, so an event planner should simply be one line item that’s already included. Plan on committing anywhere from 10 to 20 percent of your overall budget to planning services. It may seem like a chunk, but it’s a chunk that will actually help you stay on budget.

Not only do event planners know how to negotiate, but because events are their business, planners have connections and collective bargaining power to make sure your event benefits from the best services and products at the best price. Their years of experience can also keep you from wasting money on costly mistakes that they’ve already learned to avoid.

event planner for hireMyth #3: Event planners only work on really big events.

When it comes to events and event planners, size really doesn’t matter. No event is too small to benefit from the dedicated attention and logistical expertise of a qualified event planner. And, if you’ve ever been the one in charge of planning, staffing, organizing, promoting, setting up, hosting, and tearing down an event, you already know how helpful it would be to have someone else on your team.

Whether it’s putting together an intimate retirement banquet for someone in the office or organizing a business breakfast, no job is too small to interest a genuine professional. After all, there are so many more small and mid-size events than huge ones. A smart event planner recognizes the value of booking more intimate, boutique-style gigs.

Myth #4: An event planner will hijack my event.

It’s understandable to be nervous about ceding control to a virtual stranger, but any planner worth their salt will take the time to truly understand both you and your intentions for an upcoming event. In addition, they’ll be there to head off problems at the pass, before you even know that a potential crisis was on the horizon.

A quality event planner will focus on listening to you, your requests, and your goals for the event.

Thier job is to make your life easier by bringing your vision to life – and letting you soak up all the credit. After all, you were the one smart enough to bring them on board in the first place!

Myth #5: Hired Event planners only care about getting paid.

Very few people look at event planning as a way to get rich quick. Most planners are drawn to the field because they love to see a chaotic idea come together into a seamless event that makes people feel good. Sure, a successful planner will make a comfortable living from their work, but they’ll only be successful if they genuinely care about their clients.

Event planners want to make you, your company, your friends, and your family happy. If you talk to a planner that doesn’t make your satisfaction their priority, keep shopping around. Good planners have only one main goal – to make your event come off without a hitch.

Myth #6: I can use the event coordinator provided by my venue.

Many venues say they include an event or venue coordinator when you rent the space. However, those coordinators aren’t typically available to do much more than walk you through the space, confirm the schedule for the day of the event, and make sure you pay your deposit. It’s not their fault – event coordinator duties are thrown into their real jobs of sales and venue management. They also have any number of events simultaneously happening (even on the same day) so it’s rare to be their top priority.

When you hire an event planner you get an experienced pro who cares just as much about your event’s success as you do. And they know about a lot more than turning on the lights and sending out an invoice. A dedicated pro can help with everything from promotion, planning, logistics, schedule, catering, setup, and even cleaning everything up after everyone else has made their way home.

Myth #7: It’s too late to hire a planner.

Even if you started out taking on the entire event planning process by yourself, it’s never too late to bring in reinforcements. If there’s still room in your budget and you’re starting to suffocate under the pile of to-do’s left on your event checklist, go ahead and set up a consultation. Explain where you are in the planning process and what kind of help you’re looking for.

It’s possible to hire an event planner as backup on the day of the event or to help you make sure you didn’t overlook any crucial element. These may seem like small things, but an extra set of eyes (and hands) can mean the difference between a fantastic success and a frazzled flop.

Don’t let myths and misconceptions force you to go it alone when it comes to planning your next event. Team up with the professionals at In the Event and learn how much easier we can make your life. We can help with everything from event strategy and event design to furniture rentals, floral, catering, and decor.

So you’re hosting a big event. You’ve called your event planner and set up a consultation for this afternoon. You’re excited to start talking about what we’re sure will be the event of a lifetime, but you’ve also got a big question on your mind: “What should I expect from my professional event planner?”

When you’re planning an event, you should have only the best at your side. Not sure what’s behind a real professional event planner? We’ve got some ideas!

PLANNED PREPARATION

The first thing you should expect from your event team is clear and valuable preparation sessions. Though you should entrust most decisions to these experts, you should be involved in the planning process. Number one on an event coordinator’s list should be making sure your ideas become the reality of the event. Something we like to do here at In The Event™ is provide our clients with full floor plans, and custom 3-D renderings. This way, our clients have a perfect picture of how everything from the stage to the centerpieces will look like at their event.

BACKSTAGE BOSSProfessional

We’ve all been there. There’s a lot going on backstage, and it seems like no one is in charge. One thing you can expect from a professional event planner? Order. Or at least some organized chaos. You should be able to walk up to your event staff, ask them any question, and they should have the answer faster than you can say, “I don’t know, ask Bob.” Here at In The Event™, we make sure that our on-site staff is trained and briefed before each show on anything and everything. Good communication between your planner and their staff is another sign that they know their stuff, and are ready to handle your event!

EASY EMERGENCY

Though 911 should only be called if there’s literally a fire burning, other event emergencies should be handled by your onsite fire-fighters: your event staff! Missing equipment, broken lightbulbs, and anything in-between should be handled by your event coordinators. Though some things are out of anyone’s control, your event staff should be doing everything in their power to make sure you don’t have to worry about anything during your event.

CALM CROWDSpa Backdrop

Nobody is perfect. We all lose our cool sometimes, and we all get stressed out; but your on-site event staff shouldn’t be! You can always expect an event coordinator to know what to do, when and how to handle anything that comes their way. Event emergencies should be handled with level-headed urgency, not a close-call mental breakdown. We’re not saying we’ll be meditating monks in the face of unplanned surprises, but we’ll always do our best to keep our cool in remedying problems during your event.

Looking for a reliably professional event every time? You can count on In The Event™! Utah’s premiere event rental and production company. We are dedicated to providing our clients with innovative event design, and a professional event experience. 

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