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Just like there are a lot of people out there claiming to be artists and writers, many of whom you would not want to let near a canvass or spend time reading their book, there are no shortage of people claiming to be event planners, team building event suppliers, event management agencies, event management services – the list goes on.

So how do you know whether you are getting Botticelli’s The Adoration of the Magi or Vinnie Barbarino’s The Adoration of Elvis on Black Velvet.

1. Check out how much of their company’s practice is actually devoted to planning corporate retreats, special events, team-building seminars, annual general meetings and the like. In many cases for example, public relations companies will list event planning as one of a long list of things they do. Often their experience is limited to holding a press conference or organizing a ribbon cutting or two. Ask them who in the company specializes in event planning and find out the type of events they have organized. Do they all look the same? How creative are they?
2. Does the company have experience in dealing with the types of service providers you will need in the location you want? Ask if they can list off a few different hotels in the area and the pros and cons of each one.
3. What skills do they bring to the table? To be a good meeting planner you have to know a lot about a lot of things – for example, a good meeting planner can hold their own discussing everything from the latest trends in cuisine and which wine would best fit which dish, to understanding what software must be available to make your meeting a success. On top of that, if you are looking for corporate retreat services and team-building events, then you want someone with an understanding of nature and people. They should be able to discuss the tangible benefits such exercises will have on productivity and employee satisfaction and they should be able to explain the ingredients that are necessary to make those things happen. Do the people you are talking to seem to have that kind of knowledge?
4. What kind of questions do they ask you? How interested are they in the purpose of your meeting, what your company does and what you hope to achieve? If they stick to questions like how many people and for how long, then you can expect to have to make your company fit what they have to offer and not the other way around.
5. Do they tell you to pick between a few packages or do they work to customize to suit your particular needs?
6. Are you important to them? When you talk to them do you get the feeling your event matters is just another mark on their calendar? Do they tell you over and over again that your event “is small” compared to what they normally handle?
7. Ask them why they do events. If they are taken aback, then you know you should probably go elsewhere. Event planning, corporate retreats, team building - these things tend to be a passion for the people that are really good at them. They simply could not imagine doing anything else.
8. Most people don’t hand their neighbour an instamatic and leave it to them to capture the best moments of their daughter’s wedding. They bring in a professional. They look at their portfolio and they ask for references. They do not want to leave such an important event to chance. This meeting/event/product launch/AGM/corporate retreat/management meeting/staff training and motivation meeting – is also important. Make the moment matter. Hire someone who will do things right.