Why should I hire an external event coordinator? An experienced event manager's point of view

A lot of people think that organizing an event is within everyone’s reach. But is it really true? If you want to organize one for your company, a lot is at stake, including brand reputation as well as the satisfaction of your customers or guests. If you don’t want to take any chances and make a positive impression, it’s important to set up a team dedicated to your project.

If you are the organizer in the hot seat, you are likely asking yourself many questions. Should I call a specialist or do the project internally? How do I make sure not to forget anything important? How do I manage the stress and additional work load? And the list goes on. To help you sort through the questions and challenges of planning a successful event, I interviewed Marine, our experienced and extremely efficient event manager, about the advantages of hiring an event coordinator.

Q: Marine, why would someone hire an Event Manager? A: Hi Pierre! If the entire weight of the event rests on your shoulders, you will eventually reach the point of burnout. So, to minimize the physical and mental stress associated with leading an event, it is important to streamline roles and responsibilities and get comfortable with delegating most tasks across the team. That said, internal delegation only goes so far. Sometimes you need to bring in experience to ensure success.

Q: Tell us more, which tasks could be offload**ed to an external event organizer? A: Well, you can start with your least favorite tasks! (laughs) Seriously, you are already juggling your everyday work demands. If someone else takes care of your least favorite tasks, you will be more able to focus on the big picture. Clients love that.

Q: What about the coordination with other suppliers? A: Throughout the process, an event coordinator can be your trusted link with suppliers: no more calls from the caterer about how many napkins to provide; no more infinite to-do lists filling your day with secondary details. They can keep you updated on the progress of your event step-by-step and answer any questions you have along the way.

Q: There are so many decisions to make when organizing an event. Can the coordinator help there? A: Of course. If you have never organized an event before, you may be feeling overwhelmed about where to start or how to make wise choices. A professional coordinator will have done this dozens of times before. I have worked on events across a wide variety of industries and can therefore guide clients through any and all decisions they need to make with more confidence than someone who is doing this as a one-off. We are used to multitasking and handling the spectrum of event challenges that inevitably arise.

Q: Teams know their organizational culture best. So how can someone external help clients make an event memorable? A: It’s true external coordinators must partner with internal stakeholders to make an event meaningful. That said, our methodology of highlighting key messages, unifying them under a common theme and offering fresh ideas with an outside perspective has shown time and again to make a remarkable difference. We select and organize creative activities that infuse events with fun and memorable moments. After all, you want your team to remember an amazing event for what it meant to them and not just for the quality of the champagne.

Q: Organizing an event can be stressful. How do you help our clients keep calm? A: Even if you have the time and experience, there is no denying that event management can be stressful. The risk, responsibilities, negotiations, and myriad other things to handle flood in. Having us by your side guarantees a lighter load and sweeter, smoother experience overall. We will ensure you don’t overextend yourself or your team. Creating an amazing event can be a wonderful experience, and it is our pride and pleasure to be sure you enjoy the process.

Thank you very much Marine for taking the time to share your perspective on how you have supported our events clients.

If you want to learn more about how to create an amazing event, here are our 12 tips.