Planning your corporate event can be confusing. There are so many terms floating around you can often feel lost and unsure where to begin. You may ask yourself, “Do I need Event Consulting Services, Event Production Services, or can I do it all on my own?”.
As an award-winning Event Producer with 30 + years of experience in the event industry, I want to make things a little easier for you. So, with the first part of this new series, I will break down the difference between Event Consulting and Event Production.
What is the difference between Event Consulting and Event Production?
When you take the time to really dig deep into the differences, they each offer their own benefits.
Event Consulting
- Establish Goals and Objectives
- Develop a Critical Path
- Prepare an Event Estimate
- Venue Selection
- Vendor Assistance
- Production Schedule
- Event Agenda
- Marketing Analysis
Event Production
- Full-service event production from venue booking through to day-of-event support and post-event debriefing synopsis
- Book all vendors and manage contracts
- Theme Development
- Hire Event Personnel
- Manage data analytics
- Measure ROI on event investment
Which option should I choose?
It depends on your needs, your skills, and your budget. No one option is better than the other as they both serve a purpose, and one is not greater than the other. Ultimately, the decision is up to you based on which service will best get you to the goal for your event.
When it comes to your event needs, you need Event Consulting if you have the staff to plan the event but don’t know how to do it. On the other hand, you need Full-Service Event Production if you have no team and no time to plan your event.
Regarding your team’s skill set, I recommend Event Consulting if you have a team of staff, but no one has planned events. Whereas if you have planned events in the past but have no time to plan your event this time, you will benefit the most from Event Production.
When looking at your budget and considering which is the most feasible option, I recommend the following; Event Production is suitable for you if you have a healthy budget and can hire someone to do everything from A to Z. Comparably, if you are on a limited budget but need some guidance to get the job done, then you need an Event Consultant.
Sharon’s Event Tip: When planning a virtual or hybrid event be sure to contact a professional Event Producer. Their years of experience managing event technology will be a major asset to you and your event. Especially when something goes wrong, as it is inevitable that something will happen.
Why hire an Event Consultant?
When choosing to work with an Event Consultant, the benefits are endless. For starters, you have the opportunity to work with an award-winning Event Producer in a strategic capacity. You will receive a custom strategy unique to you and your business with mapped-out details to follow. You will also have access to their many years of knowledge and experience from planning thousands of events. Your Event Consultant does the hard thinking for you! They will think of all that could go wrong regarding your event and create plans for success.
How much does event consulting cost?
It will depend on the services and types of packages your Event Consultant offers. I recommend making this decision based primarily on your needs. If you need just a bit of guidance, you can purchase a package for a few hours. However, if you need someone to map out the whole event plan for you to implement, then you will need more than just a few hours. Pricing can range from anywhere between a few hundred dollars to a few thousand.
Before signing a contract, I highly recommend looking at your Event Consultants experience. Ask them for a portfolio of their work and what accolades they have. Checking these aspects in advance will help determine if they are an award-winning Event Producer or only have a few years of experience.
Are you looking for a custom mapped-out plan created by an award-winning Event Producer? I would love to work with you! Bright Ideas offers a free assessment of your needs in a complimentary 30-minute meeting. From there, we can determine if event consulting or event production is best for you. Contact us today to book your complimentary initial consultation!
Follow along with this 10-part Event Consulting series below:
