3 Tips to Choose The Best Corporate Event Planning Company | Hamilton

When hiring a corporate event planning company, you place your event’s success and brand reputation into someone else’s hands. Carefully consider your future event partnership. You need a company understanding of your vision and who can fulfill your expectations. This guide explains everything you should know when selecting the best event planning company. 

What Do Corporate Event Planning Companies Do?

Event planning companies collaborate with brands to strategize, design, produce, and execute memorable events. Corporate events vary widely in scale, style, and objective, and the premier event planning companies bring your unique vision to life. Let’s look at the steps you should follow to find your corporate event planning company. 

How to Choose a Corporate Event Planning Company

1. Understand Your Company’s Needs and Event Objectives

To hold a productive conversation with an event planner, you must evaluate your company’s needs and event objectives. Create a list of essential points, including: 

• Goals for your event

• Target audience 

• Key messages

• Event size 

• Tentative event date(s)

• Thoughts about the location for your event

2. Commence Your Search

Once you understand your company’s needs, start researching event planning companies. Utilize word of mouth or the internet to discover possible partnerships. Investigate companies by reviewing their website, about page, portfolio, and list of services. Narrow down your list by only including the companies that may be a good fit for your organization. 

3. Make Your Selection

Some brands choose their corporate event planning company after conducting research, but to get the ideal fit, you should speak with each company directly. Here are some questions to ask the companies who make your shortlist: 

• What is your experience with the kind of corporate event we want to host?  

• What level of creative talent and expertise can you dedicate to our corporate event?

• What aspects of the event production do you handle in-house, and what services are outsourced? 

• What vendor, venue, and entertainment relationships do you have?

• Can you facilitate hybrid and virtual event components, extending the experience beyond in-person activities? 

Pro Tip: If you are still struggling with deciding between multiple companies, request a proposal from each and use the proposal results to inform your selection. 

Green Flags: Good Event Planning Companies

The best corporate event planning companies have these desirable attributes: 

• The company provides a comprehensive range of services. 
• The company has received numerous important industry awards and recognitions. 
• The company has extensive experience creating similar events.
• The company has proprietary products and solutions, distinguishing them from competitors. 
• The company’s website shows numerous photos and videos of previous events. 
• Client testimonials and company descriptions align. 
• The company creates a dedicated team of experienced and skilled event professionals specifically for your partnership. 
• Your dedicated team is engaged, curious, and committed to doing whatever it takes to bring your event to life. 

Red Flags: Event Planning Companies to Avoid

In addition to the list of desirable attributes, you should avoid some supplemental characteristics. Red flags do not necessarily mean that the company will perform abysmally, but they may cause concern.

• The website lacks information about the company, their services, and their portfolio. 

• The company’s website does not include photographs of previous events.

• The company refuses to provide references or a portfolio of past events. 

• The company offers references, but the client reviews do not align with the company’s reports. 

• During conversations, the company representative does not show interest or an understanding of your event. 

• The company representative speaks over you and pushes their agenda rather than listening to your ideas. 

• The quote for services is substantially lower than competitors.

Partner with Hamilton for your Next Corporate Event

Hamilton is a full-service event marketing agency with a 75-year legacy creating immersive brand experiences for companies throughout North America and around the world. We design, produce, and execute integrated experiences – corporate events, corporate environments, exhibits, proprietary events and conferences, outdoor events, mobile tours, and digital solutions – that drive meaningful connections between your brand and your audience. 

To bring your next corporate event to life, contact Hamilton today!