Does Procurement Add Value And Why Planning Is So Important In Event Management

Does Procurement Add Value And Why Planning Is So Important In Event Management

By:


After finishing an e bid process and still being unsure if it was won it turned out the system had a magic button that when pressed automatically made your bid the cheapest. To me it feels like playing roulette and yet the procurement team told me it was their favourite button.
The question is. Does procurement really add value in communications

By pressing the button are we not reducing our proposition to a commodity. Can we really compare hiring our services to buying a tin of baked beans. I passionately do not think so. It is about achieving that ideal combination of value with quality and creativity and the price. What is more is that every communications company offers something different within these criteria. Of course your client has to trust that you will deliver what you say you will but how do you communicate this in an e bid or in a procurement discussion where more often than not the only topic seems to be money.

Do I think procurement reduces costs for clients. Absolutely and of course competition is healthy from all perspectives. But at the same time do our clients trade off creativity for price through the procurement process. Unfortunately I often think they do. Successful communication companies have built their business and reputation on the relationships with their clients. So how does procurement fit into this process.

Maybe it is about embracing the procurement teams and trying to love them as much as we do our day to day clients. Sometimes it is really difficult though. Particularly when the pitch process is depersonalised to the point of an ebid. What I do know is if you can get on to a procurement roster and build a relationship with the procurement team based on creativity and trust then it works. You gain a huge amount of credibility and your client gains peace of mind, knowing that you have been fully scrutinised and have passed the procurement test.

Failing to plan is planning to fail. Simple. When it comes to the world of events management What Why When Where How. This may sound like the ramblings of an inexperienced amateur but it is really the beginnings of an all important plan. It does not matter if you have have one year or one week to organise an event, it will always come back to the planning.

Like everything in life structure is important and needed. Think of planning an event such as a dinner party. If you do not study your recipes and prepare a shopping list you could easily forget a vital ingredient. My advice would be to create a system that works for you. However you choose to go about it though here are a few key pointers to bear in mind.

No.1 is the most obvious but also the most fundamental. Scope out your project critical path in full. This will force you to think through the whole project from beginning to end as well as highlighting key deadlines.

Decide how the attendees should feel at the end of the event as they walk out of the door.Once you have that step then work back from there. Everything you plan and do should be focused on achieving these objectives. It is not just about what you say but how you say it. The decor and the tone and style as well as the pre and post event communication. Also the onsite activities. Every element should work together to deliver your message.

Put yourself in the audiences shoes believe it or not most people forget about the audience when planning an event. Think through the whole flow of the event through their eyes. This will really help you iron out the practical elements and identify any logistical wrinkles. Make sure the audience is engaged all the way through the event and delegates are interacting and sharing their opinions. They should be working hard at an event and not falling a sleep in their chairs.
Rehearse rehearse rehearse. Strong messages and content are worthless if they are not delivered effectively.

Whatever the event you are planning remember the 3Ds. Define the target audience, Develop the message and Deliver the desired business outcome.

About the Author:
Aspect LTD is an events agency for b2b, and an agm events agency dealing with agm and egm events and digital communications solutions.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

|

Loading...
Related....
Videos...

Recent Business Articles

Comments

Still can't find what you are looking for? Search for it!

Loading

Site Navigation:

Copyright 2005-2011 ArticleSnatch, LLC - All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service.