- Event success comes from clearly understanding the business objectives of the client
- Both client and agency must be open and honest with each other throughout the process
- The event must be focused on delivering on the client’s business objectives
Business is built upon people and people need to communicate effectively to make business a success. Clear and regular communication is vitally important in the delivery of a successful event, and how you manage the relationship as client and supplier will determine the level of success an event can achieve.
It all sounds obvious when you write it down, but how often does it not materialise?
To deliver a successful event, which has real lasting success, not just an instant feel good factor which quickly fades, the agency producing the event must have a clear understanding of the client, their business and the core business objective they are trying to achieve. Simply put – they need to understand their client and their business model. Without this, you might easily miss out on creating the right event solution.
A good events agency will strive to understand what their client’s business environment is and what their business objectives are. The easiest way to understand, as always, is to simply ask. Do not be embarrassed by asking questions. It might not be clear on the brief, but do not be afraid to ask, “what is your business seeking to achieve?”, “what is defined as success for your business” and “what is your business objective”.
It is only by knowing this information can you design an event that delivers value.
It is important that an events company does not get carried away with wild creative ideas if it does not relate to their client’s brand and what they are trying to achieve. You simply will not deliver on the brief. The mixture of content and creativity is key but without a clear understanding of why the business exists, you are more than likely not to provide the solution the client desires.
Delivering an event should be based on a mutual relationship which has a clear focus on a desired outcome for both parties. Here at SJ Events, we believe it is vital that we operate as an extension of our client’s team. Being integral to the client and what they are doing is a key component of our service delivery. It is only by being closely linked that we feel we can clearly demonstrate the value we are adding – the imagination, the experience, the contacts and the ability to take the stress of organising the event away from the client.
Ongoing open dialogue helps to improve understanding on both sides. Clients need to understand how agencies work and agencies need to understand why sometimes it is hard to clearly define the objective in a simple briefing document. Ongoing discussion and sharing of ideas can only help.
This needs to be an ongoing learning process for both sides. We should not fear feedback, instead we should thrive on it. Lessons learnt are great exercises. Approached in the right manner, they can be hugely valuable and provide essential learnings to take into the next event. Fundamentally we all want to do our best, so an honest and open mutual relationship that has clear communication at the heart of it should help us do that.