Hiring an "Event Planner"

During a recent coffee date, the topic of my event consulting services arose. I was sharing how I attend events and debrief clients on their event experience like a secret shopper. My friend loved the idea of an event consultant, but admitted that they’d never heard of one before. Through that conversation, I surmised there are probably many other people who don’t know the distinctions between the top 5 types of event professionals. In this article, I’ll delve into 5 different types of “event planners” you can hire for your upcoming event. I use quotation marks for “event planner” because that’s the catch-all phrase most people use to describe the 5 types of event professionals outlined in this article.

Before we explore the differences between event professionals, you should identify what type of help you need. The event planning process brings together sales, communications, marketing, suppliers, vendors, talent and talent agents, hair and make-up artists, fabricators, the hosting company’s internal leadership team and you. You might need someone to help with managing the entire process, including working with your internal team. On the other hand, you might want someone who can provide suggestions and basic information for specific vendors. Knowing what you need help with is the best place to start when hiring an event planner. Like with any industry, event professionals have different levels of experience, areas of expertise and demographics they serve. While it’s true that they all work on events, their help will not yield the same results.?

Event Consultants

First, event consultants are the least known event professionals on today’s list, though they can literally save a project with their insights. Event consultants provide feedback, analysis and solutions. They don’t implement the plan, unlike the other event professionals on this list. Depending on the event agreement, event consultants will work alongside an internal team ranging from a hired marketing agency to the event host’s corporate team. Throughout the event planning process, the event consultant will provide feedback around the event experience, audience reception to event/marketing elements and KPI updates. Thus, they help the internal team ensure that the event purpose and audience experience are centered in all aspects of the event. A company can also hire an event consultant to attend their event and provide feedback on their guest experience like I described above. Lastly, event consultants can work with your event speakers and hosts to create their speeches or conference content. If you want a second opinion to make sure your event experience achieves your event goals from a logistics and content perspective, hire an event consultant.

Event Coordinator

Another common event professional is an event coordinator. This is the most junior role on this list of event professionals. Event coordinators are responsible for managing simple event tasks that are explicitly outlined by an event lead. Requesting venue event portfolios, getting estimates for a specific list of items, and scheduling artist auditions are all great tasks to assign to a coordinator. Coordinators should not be given tasks like creating menus, extensive event designs or event budgets. Event coordinators are crucial to the event planning team. They help with the flow of the event planning process by conducting research, maintaining event vendor communication and scheduling meetings. Without event coordinators, it’s easy for small details to fall through the cracks. If you need help with specific event tasks, you need an event coordinator.

Event Planner

Event planner is the most common term used to describe an event professional. Event planners are responsible for all aspects of event planning, from providing vendor suggestions to creating event schedules and timelines. Event planners typically create standard events and have a specific specialty like weddings or birthday parties. They can provide great insight on industry norms and support in managing the event planning process. For an additional fee, most event planners will oversee the event setup, the event program and the event breakdown. This support allows their clients to focus on their speeches, ceremonial activities and hosting. When clients have the ability to focus on their attendees and the event content, the event KPIs improve significantly.

Event Director

The fourth event professional on our list is the event director. Event directors have extensive experience in event planning and managing intricate events with large budgets. They come with a healthy rolodex of resources, from event vendors and talent agents to fabricators and caterers. Since event directors have a longer track record, they’re able to work across departments and work with their client’s internal teams and event vendors to create a cohesive event experience that engages the audience from the moment they arrive. They’re able to think outside of the box and create a professional and noteworthy event that is on brand and communicates the event purpose. Some event directors focus solely on the event management aspect of the event planning process, opting to hire someone else to create the visual look of the event and the event collateral. If you want a signature event that is well-run from beginning to end, spend a little more money for an event director. You’ll greatly appreciate their insight, how much easier they make the event planning process and their overall support from the idealization stage to the event debrief stage.

Event Designers

Last, but not least, we have fabulous event designers. Event designers, like event consultants, are less well-known by the general public, unlike event planners and event coordinators. Event designers create the overall look for the event, from the invitations and marketing collateral to the stylized event spaces that include activation areas, dinner rooms, conference stages, VIP spaces, etc. They create the Instagrammable events that fill your event inspiration folder. They understand color theory, current design trends, local event industry trends and how to balance it together so that walking through the event spaces does not feel overwhelming or underwhelming. Event designers are paid for designing the event and executing the event look. They are not responsible for managing the event vendors or preparing the event talent. Note that you should have an event budget of at least $100,000 if you are going to contact an event designer. Otherwise, a planner who provides event decorating can help you with simpler standard setups that don’t require transforming a space. If your team can handle the content and event management, and you simply need help with the decorations and event staging, then you should hire an event designer.?

No matter what your event needs are, there is someone to help. If you need event management, consulting or design services, feel free to contact me at?Rielle Events.