Are you having an outdoor event?

When planning an outdoor event, depending on which city your event is going to take place, be sure to check with the city for policies and regulations in regards to having an oudoor event.  Every city has a different requirement and ordinance.  Some city require permits for both public and private proprties and some only require permits when on public properties while others don’t require permits if you only have certain tyes of equipment involved at the outdoor event.

~ Posted by Plan Ahead Events of Phoenix Metro

What are the benefits of hiring a professional meeting or event planner for your company’s meetings or events?

Businesses (large or small) utilize in-house full-time staff who are hired for a specific job function other than meeting event planning to plan, organize, and manage internal as well as external meetings or events thinking it will save them money.  On the contrary, it costs them more money in the long run.  So, I would like to take a moment and explain the benefits of hiring a professional meeting or event planner.

Benefit #1: Save Money

A professional meeting event planner has relationship with vendors and venues in the industry that people or businesses outside of the industry typically do not have.  This relationship enables a professional meeting event planner to negotiate for better rates on behalf of the clients, in terms, saving clients money.

Benefit #2: Save Time

Typically when companies use in-house full-time staff to plan, organize, and manage the meetings and events, it’s an additional task that the staff would have to take on.  In spending the time that they may not already have on the time-consuming, labor-intensive details of planning, it leaves not a whole lot of time left for the jobs they were originally hired to do.  It becomes counter-productive.  In all businesses, time IS money.  Therefore, you are not only losing time, you are losing money as well.  A professional meeting event planner can save you and your staff time by taking the time-consuming, labor-intensive details of planning off of your desk, so you and your staff can focus on other important tasks that need to be taken care of.

Benefit #3: Less Stress

Having an in-house full-time staff that is not a professional meeting event planner plan, organize, and manage the meetings and events can only add on stress that is not necessary to have.  Not only you are putting pressure on your staff, you are putting pressure on yourself because you don’t know how the meeting or event is going to turn out.  By hiring a professional meeting event planner, you eliminate the stress.  A professional meeting event planner is there to make sure your meeting or event goes off without a hitch and is being executed professionally and successfully without you even need to be involved.

Benefit #4: Focus on Your Own Meeting or Enjoy Your Own Special Event

Hiring a professional meeting event planner will allow you and your staff to focus on what you need to prepare or do for the meeting itself or enjoy at your own special event without having to worry about who is going to manage the meeting or event on the day of and make sure all the vendors are doing what they are suppose to do and be there at the time they are suppose to be at, etc..

Posted by Plan Ahead Events of Phoenix Metro

What’s the difference between an event planner and the event coordinator on staff at hotels or event facilities?

I hear this comment from clients all the time, “I don’t need to hire an event planner because the hotel or the event facility has one already”.  The answer to that comment is – let me explain the difference between a hired event planner vs. an event coordinator hotels or event facilities have on property. 

The event coordinators on staff at hotels or event facilities are hired by the hotels or the event facilities to make sure everything goes smoothly from the facilities’ side.  In the event when the client does not have their own event planner, they will then take on the role to help you out when necessary.  They are not hired to work for you.  They are not there to hand holding you every step of the way or to answer questions or concerns you might have in regards to your event.  They are also not there to consult you on what color you should pick for your linens or which photographer you should use.

A hired event planner works for YOU.  His or her job is to hand hold you every step of the way and be there for you to answer questions or concerns as well as providing consultation whenever needed in regards to your event.  They take care of every little detail for you, so you have a worry free and stress free event to remember and cherish. 

One thing they do have in common is that a hired event planner works very closely with the event coordinator on staff at hotels or event facilities for one common goal, to make your dream event come true.

Posted by Plan Ahead Events of Phoenix Metro

Should you hire a professional to plan your meeting or event?

Many people would question if it’s necessary to hire a professional to plan their meetings or events.  Well, the answer is yes. 

A professional meeting event management specialist can help you save time and money, take the stress and the pain of planning away from you so you and your staff can focus on the more important tasks and operation of the business.  There may also be things you and your staff wouldn’t think of but are important to address in regards to the meetings or events.  That’s when a professional would be helpful.

Hiring a professional meeting event management specialist can help you cut cost.  He or she can identify the wasteful unecessary spending you are currently spending on your meetings or events.  He or she can also help you maximize your return on investment (ROI).

A professional meeting event management specialist can also help you take your meeting or event to the next level so every attendee would feel the meeting is worth their time and the event is one of the best they’ve ever been to.

posted by Plan Ahead Events of Phoenix Metro

What Had Happened to AIG in Las Vegas Was a Misconception!!!

The misconception of what had happened to AIG is really hurting the meeting industry. Companies still need meetings and corporate events on a regular basis. Media tend to blow things out of proportion and they REALLY blown it on this one. It really makes me mad!

Companies NEED meetings and corporate events for employee retention, client retention, and buidling the continuous relationship with partners. People still need that face-to-face interaction. Meeting and events are considered event marketing. Studies show that event marketing has the highest return on investment (ROI) compare to all other marketing flatform including print, radio, pr, etc.

Someone representing AIG should have come out and explain that this convention they had in Las Vegas Venetian Hotel was booked probably at least two (2) years prior. To cancel it, the attrition would be huge. Granted, they could have tone it down a little, but to say that they were wasting money and shouldn’t have this meeting is just WRONG!!!

The media and the public need to be educated. Meetings and events are an important part of marketing for businesses.