Friday, August 17, 2007

Planning now for your end of the year event


As we lead up to the last quarter of the year it is a good time to start thinking about the year end functions. This is the time of the year when my event coordinators really start feeling the heat.

Astoundingly enough I had a client who just took delivery of binoculars for their year end function and just this week I had a call from one of my clients in the air conditioning industry asking for end of the year gift suggestions.

But I have to admit that these fabulously organized clients are a rarity. So many clients may book venues and other elements of the function in advance, but seems to leave the year end gifts until the last minute.

However the corporate gift industry is not isolated in this dilemma. I was chatting to one of my favorite caterers Prue Leith the other when the CEO told me that he had received calls three days before a function to see if he had availability to do catering for an event. Sometimes we can help with the event because we are available, but sometimes it is just impossible.

And again today the communications director of The Communications Firm said that he had to take over two projects where the PR companies had messed up, but were last minute jobs.

The down side of leaving things to the last minute or changing suppliers for your year end function is that availability becomes and issue as does quality. When placed under pressure event coordinators are not able to pay the same kind of attention to detail as they would have with a well structured brief that allows for ample time.

They are only as good as the information and time frames that you give them.

So when planning you year end gifts for your year end functions, please allow enough time to let the professionalism of your event coordinator shine through.

Gifts, branded serviettes, branded gift wrap; banners; invitations all have lead times and some customized items have to be manufactured and factory space has to be booked. Sadly many people see events gifts from a retail perspective. Sometimes the goods are not available the way they would be if you were in a retail centre. Capacity has to be booked.

So it is best to start your planning for your event now if you have not done so already.

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