What third-party planners wish you’d ask for smarter, more seamless events
Corporate planners and third-party planners share the same goal of creating impactful, seamless and memorable experiences for attendees. Yet sometimes the most important questions aren’t asked until late in the planning process. Worse yet, some questions aren’t asked at all. Based on years of planning and executing meetings and incentive trips, here are key questions that should be discussed.
1. Who is the audience?
Knowing the audience is essential. Are they internal associates, partners or external customers? What levels of the organization do they represent, and what is their mindset? Reviewing past feedback can reveal gaps or opportunities to improve. Ultimately, the audience drives content, pacing, environment and tone. The better we understand them, the more engaging and effective the program will be.
2. What is the strategic objective of this event or meeting?
Not all events are created equal. Is it a product launch, a culture shift or an opportunity to reinforce vision? Is the goal to train, motivate, align or celebrate? Understanding the core purpose ensures that every decision, whether it’s the venue, agenda or messaging, is intentional and aimed at a common goal. Being purposeful keeps the planning process focused on delivering maximum impact.
3. What messaging or themes should be threaded throughout?
Are there existing corporate themes, taglines or strategic messages that should be reinforced? What key takeaways should attendees walk away with? Aligning tone, content and creative elements, from branding to breakout sessions, ensures consistency and impact across all touchpoints.
4. What boundaries or guardrails do we need to respect?
Efficiency requires clarity. Do we understand brand guidelines, travel policies or compliance processes? What levels of approval are needed and who must be involved? Are there past event missteps to avoid? Balancing creativity with these guardrails builds trust, strengthens collaboration and keeps projects on track.
5. How do we measure success?
What does success look like for leadership? Are there KPIs tied to the event itself, or broader organizational goals? Will post-event metrics capture business impact, behavioral shifts or attendee sentiment? Having clear success measures allows us to design opportunities for tracking and ensure the event delivers meaningful results.
Read More: Beyond the Budget: Smart Design Drives Success in Financial and Insurance Events
6. Are we building the budget on actual costs or guesswork?
When building a budget, start with the strategy first. Discuss your desired experience for attendees and then build your budget by thoughtfully selecting all aspects of the program, from hotel, production, creative and promotional items. Locking into a location prior to this discussion can affect the budget and ultimately the entire attendee experience.
One of the most common challenges is setting budgets without accurate numbers. If planners come to us with an arbitrary figure, it can mean cutting key program elements later. Instead, when third-party planners build budgets based on actual costs from contracts, hotel menus and vendor bids, we can confidently design programs that meet or beat the budget without sacrificing important experiences.
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Erin Loose, MMP, is Senior Program Manager at Bishop-McCann.
For 27 years, Erin has been an integral part of Bishop-McCann, specializing in planning and executing flawless corporate meetings and events. She values the strong relationships she’s built with clients and takes pride in their shared successes.
