When you hear “high-profile event,” what first comes to mind? A celebrity event? The Met Gala? Or is it the most important event of your life, where the stakes are so high that you simply cannot afford to mess it up? Scary, no? We experienced this with the Smokey Smith case back in 2005. Now, you must wonder why we’d bring up such an old case? Because it’s the perfect case study for creating an unforgettable experience for a high-profile client, also known as the Canadian Army.
We had less than two days to organize “A Tribute to Veteran ‘Smokey’ Smith” for over 5,000 people, a funeral that 250,000 people were expected to attend, and a fully catered reception for 1,200 guests. Plus, all of it had to be in place by 8:00 am Thursday. Were we nuts?!? The simple answer is yes, but we did it.
Now it’s time to reveal some tips we used back then to secure an event’s success.
Understanding the Client’s Vision
Remember, we had 36 hours, so time was incredibly precious.
First and foremost, before starting anything with such an event, we scheduled a meeting to align our client’s vision and expectations with what could be done on such short notice to accommodate such a large number of attendees. The task wasn’t easy, we admit, but we rolled up our sleeves and started planning. Luckily, we had a venue to work with, however, finding 20,000 feet of blue carpet, 800 feet of black drape, and over 75 stanchions and red rope was a different story. Lucky for us we had amazing relationships with our event vendors and managed to complete it all in time.
And as we rushed to put up the décor, it wasn’t our only focus.
Assembling the Right Team
The importance of having the right people around you can shift any plan from 0 to 100 quickly, as our team coordinated our high-profile event in such a short period of time! Since event planning takes months to prepare, we knew that we were up against a huge challenge. We were lucky to have amazing people on our team who shared one goal in mind – that everything is possible!
So, here’s a little secret. Communication is the key to success, in fact, to any success.
Choosing the Right Venue and Logistics Management
Fortunately, we did have a venue from the start to work with, however, the venue should never be neglected, as it’s the base of everything. A good location, especially for a high-profile client, is a must. Therefore, our tip is when looking for one, hopefully not at the last minute as we did, make sure it accommodates all needs, from size, scenery, transportation, and event vision. Remember, it’s one thing to have a big venue and another to have it too empty.
On top of the venue, having a risk assessment and evacuation plan is just as important when planning a short-notice, large-sized event. Never skip that task – you’ll thank us later!
Mastering the Art of Flexibility and Crisis Management
The key during a crisis is not to panic. It sounds easier than it is, because it’s hard. However, it doesn’t mean that the job can’t be done. While we had barely any sleep and the amount of pressure to find specific décor in such little time, some might even say that we’re simply blessed that everything just aligned perfectly.
Nevertheless, at any type of event, it’s important to master the art of flexibility and crisis management, as these types of big-shot events can happen at any moment and as event planners, we need to be ready for anything.
Creating a Memorable Experience
Details matter, and your high profile clients will notice that too. Always make sure to give the highest respect and quality when planning such an significant event. Whether it’s décor, catering, or lighting, all are important to build up the prestigious atmosphere.
Conclusion
We can continue on and on about all the great things and secrets to planning an important event, but that wouldn’t be fair to our team who was instrumental in focusing on the end goal. They worked so hard to achieve success and maintain our reputation. Yes the high profile client is important, but caring for your event team is equally important.
If you would like to read more about this incredible event, click here to read all about it in our Tribute article or here to read how it was one of our top events of our career.
If you would like help planning your next high profile event, get in touch with us today.
~~~
You might enjoy reading the following blogs
