Business First September 2017 Northern Ireland Conference Guidebook 2018 | Page 8

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If these people on onside, your meeting, event or conference will move along a lot more smoothly.
PEOPLE YOU NEED TO BEFRIEND IF
YOU WANT YOUR EVENT TO RUN
SMOOTHLY
5
arketing events can be a fun and
informal way to get to know your
clients and prospects a little
M
better.
In addition a seamless event
demonstrates the ability of your company
to organise and execute your plans… if
the event is well-executed, that is.
The secret to a truly smooth-running
event is to get on friendly terms with key
members of staff at your venue. It is an
obvious fact of life that friends do favours
for friends. Therefore, it always pays to
befriend those on the inside.
Richard Edwards, Director at
Quatreus, has organized 100s of events
from small intimate client gatherings to
huge sales events catering for 1000s of
people. Here are his top five suggestions
for the people you must befriend when
organizing an event – of any size:
1. The Management
The easiest people to befriend because
there are relatively few of them and they
are often keen to make a good
impression.
Management will direct the venue’s
resources on the day, so if you need more
chairs, for example, they are the people
who will decide whether it is possible and
with what discretion they can be sourced.
Do you want half of your waiting staff to
disappear for 20 minutes just to come
clattering in with some uncomfortable
chairs, or would you prefer management
radioed the grounds staff to discretely
wheel in some comfortable seats for your
guests? That is the power of the
management team.
2. The Caterers
mentioned it but that won’t stop them
feeling bitter if you can’t supply an
alternative.
This is just one example of a situation
that requires the support of the catering
staff. Having them on-side means that
you can quickly resolve issues like this,
ensuring your guest can relax and enjoy
their meal.
3. The Security Team
You may not have security at your event,
but for certain occasions they may be
absolutely essential. Whether that trouble
comes from outside gatecrashers, or from
inside with a drunk co-worker, security is
the safety net that stops the situation
spiraling out of control.
Security has the ability to completely ruin
your evening; if you are met by polite
security staff with a welcoming smile then
your event is off to a good start, if you’re
met with perceived hostility then it can
quickly put you on the back foot.
Caterers are a bit more numerous,
making them a trickier to befriend.
However, you will probably be given a
single point of contact for the catering
team, so they are always a good place to
start. If you are friendly to the security staff
then they will be more relaxed and
friendly around you and, by extension,
your guests.
All too often at events you will find that
person who forgot to mention a food
allergy or other food restriction. It may
well be their responsibility for not having The most challenging group to win over –
due to their large numbers, but hey are
the ones who can really make or break
your event.
4. The Waiting and bar staff
Making friends with the waiting and bar
staff can transform how they perceive you
and therefore how they will behave. If
they see you as a real person and
understand the aims of your event then
they are much more likely to serve your
guests with a smile and polite chat,
helping your guests feel happy and at
ease.
5. The DJ
Whether sophisticated classical music or
a fun party atmosphere, music really sets
the tone of any event. And the behavior
of your DJ towards guests who may ask
for requests will influence how people feel
about the event.
Get your DJ on-board and make sure they
get what sort of atmosphere you’re trying
to create. If you’ve made friends with the
DJ then they are more likely to respond
positively to any requests you make of
them or feedback you give them during
the event.
Event management is a tricky affair, one
that only gets easier with experience. In
our experience it’s the people at the venue
that can really make a big difference and
getting them on-side makes t