| |
 |
|
| Q. Why hire an event planner? |
|
|
|
|
|
| If this is the first time you’re planning an event—like a milestone birthday/anniversary party, bridal or baby shower—it is easy to make mistakes that will cost you time or money. It’s smart to have a professional and experienced partner / representative / advocate / assistant / negotiator there when you don’t know which vendors to use, if they’re giving you a good deal, or how to make your event “special” or different. |
|
|
| |
|
|
If you’re planning the event with a committee—like a non-profit fundraiser—you will be bombarded with opinions and judgments from all sides, telling you what you can or can’t, should or shouldn’t do. It is smart to have a professional there as an objective, third party to turn to for expert advice. Otherwise you may eventually run out of energy, ideas or time, and lose those little, but oh-so-important details that make events different and memorable.
If you’re planning a repeat-event—like an annual awards gala or New Years’ Eve party—sometimes your event feels stale and you’re just out of new ideas. We attend several international conferences every year to stay on the cutting edge of event design—so we’re not just copying what someone saw at an event in Houston or Dallas. It also helps to have a fresh set of eyes to look at how to improve the event and take it to the next level, instead of just doing everything “the way it’s always been done.”
If you’re doing this event in addition to a full-time job, we can do the legwork that you don’t have time to do. We provide recommendations, suggestions and guidelines when you’re lacking answers. In addition, and perhaps most importantly, CLINK will help you stay on budget, meet your deadlines, and relieve stress.
|
|
|
| |
Back to Top
|
| |
 |
| |
|
|
| Q. Our venue/caterer has an “event planner/coordinator.” Don’t you do the same thing? |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Not really. While there are some tasks—helping to detail the event timeline, for example—that both of us can help you with, an independent event planner is different in four important ways. |
|
|
| |
|
|
First—we work for YOU, not the venue or a caterer, so you can rest assured that we are always acting in your best interest, and don’t have split loyalties when it comes to advice we’re giving you.
Second—we have an overall view of the entire event, from invitations and website to marketing, to VIP amenities. The venue or catering event planner knows the details of the food and the layout, but that’s about it. We know ALL the details, so we can make sure they come together seamlessly. And if there is an issue with catering and the venue or catering coordinator is busy fixing it, we’re still there to cue the band.
Third—when it comes to vendor recommendations, venue/catering event planners have a “canned” list of vendors that they give to all their clients. We’ve spent time with you to get a clear understanding of your budget, style, preferences and priorities, so we won’t recommend anyone or anything that isn’t a perfect fit for you.
Fourth—Each of our planners works on only 10-15 events a year. Most venue or catering planners are juggling 30-50 (or more) events a year, meaning they have less time for YOU.
|
|
|
| |
Back to Top
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| Q. I have a very good idea of what I want for this event—how can I be sure you won’t “take over?” |
|
|
| |
|
|
| CLINK is about executing on a vision. We can’t do that without tons of input from you. You make all the decisions. We are here to provide answers to your questions, help you design your ultimate event, do any legwork you don’t have time to do, and to coordinate and manage the event itself. We also offer custom packages—if you only want help at the beginning and end, with you doing all the work in the middle, no problem! |
|
|
| |
Back to Top
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| Q. I have a list of very specific tasks I would like for an event planner to perform—do I have to buy a whole package? |
|
|
| |
|
|
| We are at your service. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, every event is different. And as such, our work varies with every event we service. |
|
|
| |
|
|
| If you have a list of specific things you need us to do, run it by us and we’ll create a package that’s all yours! |
|
|
| |
Back to Top
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| Q. Ok, I’m interested. What is the next step? |
|
|
| |
|
|
| E-mail or call us to set up an initial interview, during which we’ll find out more about your event and which services you might want. We’ll also get a feel for each other, to see if we’re a good fit. If possible, we like for you to meet with the planner who would actually be the lead on your event, so if you already have your date we need to know that. If you live out-of-state and need to make a decision long-distance, we’re happy to set up a phone interview. Within 24 hours of that interview you will receive a proposal from us with a custom event planning package. |
|
|
| |
|
|
While you’re waiting for that initial interview, you may want to look at photos of events we’ve done either in our gallery (www.clinkevents.com/social_events/gallery.html) or on our blog (www.clinkeventsblog.com).
|
|
|
| |
Back to Top
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
