Hey, Event Planners listen up

To all those who plan events.  Please keep in mind that vendors talk.  If you cancel too many events and don’t refund money, you will get a bad name.  Listen to what vendors and other even planners say.  This feedback will help make future events better and you will have more luck getting vendors.  Just because you get advice it doesn’t mean you have to take it.  But it should be in the back of your mind.  Note you will not make everyone happy.  Just make sure you do what you say. You want to build trust between you and the vendors and customers.  This will create a better environment and will create loyalty.  In the end whether it’s busy or not, you and the vendors are making connections with each other and with you.  This will help your business in the long run because people will remember you and they may refer people to you and to other vendors at the event.  Not every vendor will promote the event.  Some feel that is the event planners job and other vendors like their customer base to know where they will be.  Don’t make it mandatory that they share the event.  By making it mandatory it gives the feeling that you the planner is not doing any advertising and don’t care about the event.

Oh yea, don’t go blocking vendors when they are asking questions.  They are just trying to get more information from you to see if their product would be a good fit.  Plus, most vendors have been doing events for years and know bullshit when they hear it.  By blocking them because you don’t like the questions they are asking makes you look bad and don’t think they won’t talk.  Because they will.  Heck some of us will watch certain event planners because they are on track to being a train wreck.

Also, start with smaller venues.  This will help build a loyalty and a good following.  Planning events takes time and a lot of work.  Have patience and don’t air your complaints on social media about how vendors are acting or any difficulties you are having.  You take it up directly in private with the vendor or customer.  I have been on both ends, I have been an event planner and a vendor at events.  I have learned a lot and could go on for a very long time talking about what I have learned.