There’s rarely enough time and money, is there? Those in charge of event planning of conferences, meetings, trade shows and the like for their organizations know this crunch well. Every year when the time to plan an event comes around, the budget is a little smaller, there are fewer people on staff, but the expectations are higher. What’s the solution that gets every detail in place, gives the attendees a fantastic experience, and makes the organization’s staff look like geniuses?

In many situations, outsourcing the work of event planning to an event management firm is the perfect solution. Making this choice involves a lot of research and discussion, but the decision to outsource is becoming more popular for various reasons.

1. Time

The large number of details involved in planning a successful event can be overwhelming. Each area involves numerous large and small decisions and each has an impact on the budget. Many hundreds of man hours can go into researching venues, entertainment, housing, transportation, speakers, contracts, to name a few. Each area can involve contracts and other legal details. A few undotted I’s or uncrossed T’s will diminish the experience of those involved, reflect poorly on the corporate image and on the event planning team. Instead of overextending already stretched staff, outsourcing the event frees the team for the most important take-away for attendees: the content.

2. Overall Value

An experienced event management organization has established relationships with the best hotels, convention centers, caterers, speakers, entertainment, and audio/visual companies and can provide reliable, professional and affordable services. Like having friends in every business, the lowest prices and the best values can be assured without having to use personnel and hours to relocate and develop contracts for everything from printing to microphones. There’ll be no hidden surprises on the bill because the event management firm negotiates everything. Maximized buying power preserves resources that can be used to enhance and improve the experience in more meaningful ways.

3. Experience

Event planners have already invented the wheel and have been rolling with it for a while. While most organizations have someone with some degree of event planning skill, it’s probably not enough to pull off a huge affair. An event management firm has experience in place. There won’t be any surprises because they’ve seen it all before and have the expertise to gracefully handle any glitch that might occur. They work with an organization to execute its vision and can suggest ideas based on best practices of the industry and their knowledge from past success.

4. Professionalism

Along with experience comes unsurpassed professionalism. The appearance of those in charge knowing what they are doing is evident to patrons when everything they need is readily available from schedules and local information to pleasant meal experiences and the meeting of special needs. A stress-free time allows those in attendance to focus on the reason they are there and to go away singing the praises of the organization that hosted the event.

5. Peace of Mind

With everything in place behind the scenes, the host organization is free to focus on their colleagues, clients and guests. The ability to put people first is a priceless factor that will provide benefits for years to come.

Outsourcing event planning to an event management firm is definitely something to think about when it comes time to start work on the next big event. The comprehensive services provided by one firm will save resources and create a higher quality experience for everyone involved.