Here's how you can use assertiveness to excel in vendor negotiations for event planning.

When planning an event, having a detailed checklist is crucial. Whether it's a social gathering, a signing ceremony , or a professional event, some key information is essential. First, consider the number of guests and whether any dignitaries will attend. Plan for dietary restrictions and ensure the caterer can adapt to last-minute changes. Choose the right venue and determine if A/V equipment is needed, along with support for potential malfunctions. Consider the most beneficial seating arrangement and check if keynote speakers have special needs, or if an ASL interpreter is need for the guest/audience. Event planning can be challenging but highly rewarding when successful!

La rédaction d'un cahier des charges précis est essentiel. Identifier les besoins. Fournir les moyens les moyens humains et techniques. Faire des suggestions participatives incluantes afin d'intégrer l'équipe à la demande.

Es importante comunicar al proveedor que es lo que se quiere comunicar con el evento a los participantes y a quienes se informe de este. Muchas veces, si entienden el objetivo y el mensaje central pueden ayudar con sugerencias e ideas que aporten desde la puesta en escena.

In one negotiation session with a venue vendor, I carefully listened to their concerns and needs regarding pricing and contract terms. By actively engaging in dialogue and asking clarifying questions, I gained valuable insights into their priorities and constraints. This allowed me to tailor our proposal to better align with their requirements, ultimately leading to a more collaborative and mutually beneficial agreement.

In a recent event planning project, our team was tasked with setting a budget for a client's corporate retreat. To ensure accuracy and alignment with the client's financial constraints, we conducted thorough research on industry standards and cost projections. We also engaged in open communication with the client to understand their budgetary expectations and priorities. By meticulously outlining expenses and presenting transparent budget estimates, we were able to establish a realistic budget that met the client's needs while ensuring the success of the event.

The way we define our value is to provide high impact and ROI for our clients. We recently hosted a virtual event that cost $11K with 19 prospects which converted to $823K in sales within 2 months for our client. We are valuable when we help people like you succeed and we've developed some plug and play systems that are certainly worth sharing! In December 2023, we hosted a virtual tasting featuring a thought leader where 20 of our client's prospects were in attendance. One month later, 15 opportunities closed with 9 accounts generating $525K in pipeline. The cost of hosting this engagement? $11K...high impact, high ROI plus a targeted follow-up strategy for maximum impact. We aim to help you convert.

Les limites. Du sol au plafond, du seuil à la sortie, le budget est un chemin que l'on parcours. Sprint ? Endurance ? Il peut aussi être la boussole qui permettra d orienter ses choix ou encore faire pencher les décisions et orienter les priorités.

El conocimiento del mercado y la gama y nivel de servicios que existen en la cadena de valor ayuda a que el primer acercamiento sea asertivo. En ocasiones los clientes no comparten los topes y si puede generar re trabajos y/o propuestas no adecuadas.

Estabelecer um or?amento claro antes de iniciar qualquer negocia??o é fundamental para manter a assertividade e o controle durante o planejamento de eventos. Conhecer seus limites financeiros permite direcionar a conversa para solu??es que beneficiem ambas as partes. A transparência sobre suas restri??es or?amentárias n?o só promove respeito, mas também incentiva os fornecedores a oferecerem solu??es criativas dentro da sua faixa de pre?o que o cliente pode pagar. Penso que esta abordagem honesta facilita negocia??es e ajuda ambas as partes a promoverem um evento de sucesso e que caiba no or?amento.

Communication is vital to assertiveness. Write down the expectations and get them signed. Also, each milestone and due date must be determined beforehand. Get updates regularly to work through any issues before they become major. Vendors rely on clear, consistent communication and managable written expectations. No one knows your company like you do. Vendors need you to guide them to make the right choices.

Being assertive doesn't necessarily mean aggressive; it means clearly communicating and ensuring that each party understands the point and is aligned. It can be challenging at the beginning of a new vendor relationship, but ultimately the practice of writing down expectations, outlining scopes, and agreeing upon deadlines is the best foundation for a lasting client-vendor relationship.

Echanger, faire participer. Rien de pire que la rétention d'information nocive et toxique, pourquoi ? se rendre indispensable. J'ai toujours travaillé de fa?on à pouvoir être remplacé aisément, donc communiquer. Mais il faut parler la même langue, c'est pourquoi la formation pro. est la clé vers une meilleur communication. Quel canaux ? Est ce que les "répondre à tous " sont efficaces ?

When planning an event, it's not possible for your vendors to know everything that you need, or the importance of delivery within a certain timeframe. By communicating the exact deliverables and timeline, and informing them of the parts of the event that will rely on their service, vendors can better understand the importance of their timely follow through. For example, we had an event with 30 vendors who all had to load in via three designated locations. I sent each of them a document where they could see their time slot and location amongst the other vendors, which helped them to see how the whole operation was dependent on their cooperation to the instructions- this resulted in excellent vendor follow through.

I believe that transparency on both sides is crucial to clear communication and negotiation. For vendors, don’t just talk about the things that will/may go well, also discuss the things that might not go well, and openly discuss potential mitigation plans if this occurs. Where possible, give examples of projects/events that didn’t run smoothly and what was learned through those experiences, and how it can be avoided. Also emphasise that while the expectation is that things will run smoothly on the day, in the likelihood that it doesn’t, there is a “backup plan”. On top of that, set expectations by agreeing on the immediate actions required (by both sides) if issues do arise, so decisions can be made quickly to resolve issues.

What has always proved helpful in every professional interaction that I have engaged in is remembering the human element of the work. Approaching each interaction with empathy and respect will almost always support a better outcome on both ends. Even when leaning into the mantra that the client is always right, remember that your vendor is a partner in the work. If respect is demonstrated it sets a solid foundation for a successful partnership, which is always the goal. Also remember that your vendor is a part of a community and referrals can work both ways. If you want a glowing referral from vendor, begin with respect. Respect their time, resources, input, and value add and great events are sure to come!

Sempre! Respeito é a regra básica para vida! O respeito come?a por respeitar você e todos os demais. Nada justifica a agressividade verbal ou egos exagerados. No fim todos olhamos para o mesmo objeto, cada um dentro do seu escopo de atendimento.

O bom relacionamento é crucial para o êxito do projeto. Lembre-se que o network é válido para a sua trajetória profissional e n?o apenas para aquele projeto.

é fundamental manter o respeito mútuo durante todo o processo, reconhecendo a expertise do fornecedor e valorizando seus servi?os. Ao mesmo tempo, comunique suas necessidades com clareza e firmeza. Essa postura assertiva, porém respeitosa, abre portas para negocia??es mais vantajosas e colabora??o a longo prazo. Transforme suas negocia??es em experiências positivas e construa relacionamentos duradouros! ??

Flexibility means accommodating the customer in the best possible way by maintaining your principles. It's not always easy to be flexible but there is always room for understanding

Flexibility is a skill i would call it - being grown up. Means being ready and being able to take responsibility. I think without any of it none can be achieved in any field of relationship.

Soyez flexible mais connaissez vos limites ! Il est important de savoir aussi imposer sa méthodologie de travail et de ne pas se la laisser imposer ! Cela ne veut pas dire être inflexible mais savoir où vous n’irez pas et le rythme que vous souhaitez respecter pour cela !

Although it's important to stand firm on your goals and limits, it's also crucial to be flexible during the negotiation process. Being willing to consider different approaches and compromises can open up new opportunities and strengthen long-term relationships with your suppliers.

Following up after negotiations is essential to ensure all agreements are honored. Assertiveness extends to this crucial step. Sending a summary of the discussion and any decisions made to all parties involved demonstrates professionalism and holds everyone accountable. This follow-up reinforces the terms of the agreement and shows that you are attentive and serious about the commitments made during negotiations. It helps to prevent misunderstandings and ensures that both parties are on the same page moving forward.

Debemos ser amables en todo momento, también cuando las negociaciones finalizan. El análisis de las gestiones y sus resultados nos permite descubrir y adelantarnos a posibles eventualidades posteriores. Y esa amabilidad debe permanecer tras las negociaciones; dejemos siempre la relación abierta a un posible encuentro más adelante.

Think of the follow-up with vendors as the 'gentle nudge' after negotiations. It's like sending a friendly reminder to ensure everyone stays on the same page. By summarizing the discussion and decisions for all involved, you not only show your professionalism but also keep everyone accountable. It's basically the adulting version of making sure everyone sticks to the plan and knows you mean business, all with a touch of charm and wit.

Acompanhe todo o seu projeto. Seja em reuni?es semanais ou até mesmo diárias. é responsabilidade do gestor de projetos entender o caminho e a qualidade do que está sendo preparado.

Follow up is often considered an add-on, a boondoggle or at worst, a bother to the receiving party. I don't see it that way at all, follow up is a required step to ensure productive communication. When you ask for something, or something is asked of you, repeat it back. If you don't hear back on something, ask until get a response. Do not assume silence for an answer or ill intent until you know otherwise. Put your requests into writing, summarize meetings, verify that what you thought you said, was properly heard. That email you sent, ask for feedback. When you're wrangling a dozen vendor agreements, the last thing you want is to leave something unclear, lose touch on a good lead, or worst of all, lose your venue!! Follow up.

When negotiating with a vendor, clear, concise and open communication is imperative so that they understand your needs. The vendor needs to also be flexible in satisfying the customer’s expectations so that a successful event is executed. Once a relationship is built many companies tend to utilise the same vendors to avoid the repetitive processes eg vendor onboarding which saves time as well for future engagements. Once the customer is happy with the end result, you have won yourself a customer for a long time.

I find a written “thank you” goes a long way. -Even if you find you can’t work with a particular vendor on one particular event, a thank you and asking if you can keep their information on file to hopefully work with them on future projects goes a long way. People put their time and effort into trying to make things work, and even if it doesn’t work out this time around, it’s nice to be acknowledged for the effort and time. A little basic gratitude is so easily overlooked when being overwhelmed with event planning, but so appreciated when it’s extended.

Under certain circumstances, keeping a full set of backup plan is essential! Often, you end up working for events that are planned in a very short schedule, have numerous revisions in planning, and the guest list keeps on updating every hour! Conveying these contingencies and accommodating these in the service contract with the vendor is what saves you from unnecessary stress. Adjust as the situation demands, and make sure to communicate the changes to the key contact from the vendor.

After hosting or attending a professional event, taking the time to write thank you cards is not just a polite gesture, but a powerful tool for building lasting relationships. This practice, though often considered a lost art, demonstrates genuine appreciation and professionalism. Furthermore, providing referrals for deserving vendors who helped make the event a success is equally important. It not only acknowledges their hard work and quality service but also supports their business growth. These simple acts of gratitude can leave a lasting impression and foster a network of trust and mutual respect.