Live event production: Getting your money’s worth
Choosing a company to handle your live event production can be somewhat overwhelming at times. There are hundreds of companies you could call to help produce your event, and when you commit to one, we’re not talking about some small task like having your tires rotated on your car.
If you run a business or work in public relations, then you know that public events make up a big part of your corporate identity. If people have a negative experience at an event you’re hosting, they associate that negative experience with the company it represents, as they should. It may seem unfair to, say, invest with someone else because of a public speaking event that you didn’t enjoy, but it’s really no different from asking applicants to wear a suit and tie to a job interview.
Simply put, in the corporate world, you must put forward the right image, and you must ‘get it right on the night’.
Given that, how do you make sure that the company you’re working with to produce your live event is going to give you the results you’re after?
Well, it might actually be easier than you think if you know what to look for.
1. A simple, easy to navigate, professional looking website
An unprofessional looking website isn’t a deal breaker if you’re looking for a site that sells computer parts or lists movie times or something, so why should it matter for a live event production company? Well, a live event production company is in the business of presentation. If they cannot present themselves well, then there’s a good chance that they won’t be able to present you well, either.
2. Communication
What it comes down to in live event production, and what some event production companies forget, is that the production company must put the client, and the client’s vision, first. If you call an event production company and they just quote a price and tell you they’ll see you there, then they’re probably not too interested in your vision. This tends to happen with some of the bigger event production companies, who see each client as just another job. In short, you’re not just looking for someone who will go to work for you, you’re looking for someone who will work with you.
3. Professionalism
This one is, of course, obvious. However, professionalism entails different things in different industries, so it’s worth defining what professionalism is when it comes to live event production: Knowledgeable crew, an intensive pre-production process, and respect for the client’s wishes.
A lot of this comes through in the pre-production process, where there should be a back and forth between yourself and the crew. They should keep you informed of all the technical decisions and plans they’re making on their end in terms of the equipment being used, timelines, logistics arrangements and so on, while at the same time asking for as much input from yourself as possible. And they should document every step of the production as part of the pre-production process.
Of course, you may or may not personally be an expert in live event production, you may not know the difference between a spotlight and a floodlight, but that’s what the production company is there for; to produce this event with you on the technical end.
If you run a business or work in public relations, then you know that public events make up a big part of your corporate identity. If people have a negative experience at an event you’re hosting, they associate that negative experience with the company it represents, as they should. It may seem unfair to, say, invest with someone else because of a public speaking event that you didn’t enjoy, but it’s really no different from asking applicants to wear a suit and tie to a job interview.
Simply put, in the corporate world, you must put forward the right image, and you must ‘get it right on the night’.
Given that, how do you make sure that the company you’re working with to produce your live event is going to give you the results you’re after?
Well, it might actually be easier than you think if you know what to look for.
1. A simple, easy to navigate, professional looking website
An unprofessional looking website isn’t a deal breaker if you’re looking for a site that sells computer parts or lists movie times or something, so why should it matter for a live event production company? Well, a live event production company is in the business of presentation. If they cannot present themselves well, then there’s a good chance that they won’t be able to present you well, either.
2. Communication
What it comes down to in live event production, and what some event production companies forget, is that the production company must put the client, and the client’s vision, first. If you call an event production company and they just quote a price and tell you they’ll see you there, then they’re probably not too interested in your vision. This tends to happen with some of the bigger event production companies, who see each client as just another job. In short, you’re not just looking for someone who will go to work for you, you’re looking for someone who will work with you.
3. Professionalism
This one is, of course, obvious. However, professionalism entails different things in different industries, so it’s worth defining what professionalism is when it comes to live event production: Knowledgeable crew, an intensive pre-production process, and respect for the client’s wishes.
A lot of this comes through in the pre-production process, where there should be a back and forth between yourself and the crew. They should keep you informed of all the technical decisions and plans they’re making on their end in terms of the equipment being used, timelines, logistics arrangements and so on, while at the same time asking for as much input from yourself as possible. And they should document every step of the production as part of the pre-production process.
Of course, you may or may not personally be an expert in live event production, you may not know the difference between a spotlight and a floodlight, but that’s what the production company is there for; to produce this event with you on the technical end.
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