Successful companies are those who concentrate on core business while outsourced partners supply expert services for non-core functions. Since they are time-consuming exercises, events are ideal for outsourcing because your personnel's time is freed up to focus on core functions.
Statistics show that 80% of sales are derived from existing clientele and therefore it is imperative that companies find ways to maintain service levels to their existing clients. Events are effective mechanisms to do just that!
”Why do it?”
Now anyone who has ever been involved in the co-ordination of events will know that it is a time-consuming project which does not directly create revenue. Therefore the question is asked, “Why do it?”
Well, the answer, of course, is simply because it is a value-added service to existing clients and an excellent networking opportunity for new clients – provided that the outsourced events managing partner understands the client's strategy, goal and brief with this very event.
Since it requires dedication and time commitment, the outsourced management of an event will increase the efficiency in the running, and not the ruining, of the event.
If an event is properly outsourced, the client focuses on his business and gains the expertise and knowledge of the events management partner who knows the trends, the solutions and the recipes of this key marketing function.
Time and money
Very often the managing of an event by in-house personnel causes burn-out and exhaustion, which affects the business not only in the preparation process of the event but even after the event, sometimes for days. This causes stress and prevents personnel from attending to their core functions at the office, costing the company even more time and money.
Rather have your key personnel concentrate on your clients – before, during and after the event, thereby fulfilling the objective of relationship building.
Rather increase revenue by improving existing customer satisfaction and loyalty and by capturing new markets with face-to-face events opportunities.
Janyce Currin is head of Currin't Events (www.currintevents.co.za), a BEE events company primarily servicing the corporate market with a 10-year proven track record of well-managed events that meet clients' objectives and specific needs. Contact Janyce on +27 (0)11 783 8869 for further details.
In my experience, both as an in-house event co-ordinator and as a company representative who attends industry events, I find that money spent on outsourced events is not often spent wisely. The catering is usually not of the standard that those who attend these events expect,'freebies' such as t-shirts are shoddily designed and the cut makes them suitable for use at gym, or as pyjama tops! And there is little personal attention paid to important guests - I even had an experience where my MD was asked to register somewhere, when the events staff should have known who was who!
I would rather cut down on 'freebies' as regular attendees, such as media people, are not easy to impress anyway. I find that time and resources spent on getting the right caterer, an enthusiastic an co-operative venue owner, passionate sponsors and key staff who are sensitive to protocol and own their responsibilities, make the money worth it. In addition to this, doing your event in-house, means that anyone who communicates with the co-ordinator, is dealing with a company representative, who acts, during that interaction, as an entry point into the organisation. An employee also knows the intricacies of their industry, as well as the nature of the relationships his/her employer has with other companies. An event company may not necessarily be privy to such issues, as these are dynamic in nature.
An event is also not necessarily an effective marketing & communication tool as it is difficult to gauge how spend on it translates into greater brand awareness and higher sales of your product. My opinion is in-house is the way to go. Posted on 18 Apr 2007 11:52
Its not exactly rocket science to organise a party, and I hardly think the exhorbitant fees charged by event companies can be justified. I guess something has to pay for the bleach and botox. Posted on 9 May 2007 14:18
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