Dive into the heart of successful event planning in Manchester. Discover the top 10 practices that seasoned professionals swear by, ensuring every Manchester event is memorable, seamless, and tailored to perfection.
Planning events can be exhilarating, yet very stressful. The bigger and more high profile the event, the more stressful it is! Corporate event hire is big business, and you need to get it right!
Seasoned event planners across the UK know their stuff, and this is an example of where experience counts for a lot. Their ‘little black books’ of contacts in the industry means that they have help and assistance at the end of a quick email or phone call. Newcomers to the industry might, however, need some help when it comes to event hire planning in Manchester, and so our information below may well be invaluable when the time comes, and you are looking for venue and event equipment hire in the city.
Define your audience
Whatever your event, you need to consider and define your audience. Have you been tasked with delivering a corporate hospitality event for your blue-chip client? If so, then you need to define who the guests are – is it clients, employees or even a mix? Wedding planners, on the other hand, should really know the general demographic of a wedding reception. And, by the same token, if it’s an awards ceremony, what is the associated industry? All these considerations of your audience will help you define the event as a whole in terms of the theme, colours and so on.
Choose your dates carefully in Manchester
Manchester is a vibrant city with lots going on. With two of the most successful Premiership football clubs in the country in Manchester, there is usually a Premier League fixture taking place at either the Etihad Stadium or Old Trafford. This means that demand for hotels in the city centre will be high, and so why not look to hold your event during one of the international breaks in the season!
Set your budget and stick to it!
This is, perhaps, the most important element of all, as it’s all too easy to get carried away with spending. With so much to organise, it’s important that you have some sort of event planning software or, failing that, a big whiteboard! Keep track of your spending against budget, and don’t be shy to ask for better deals – if you don’t ask, you don’t get! Any saving will help your wider event budget.
Work with the best venues in Manchester
What constitutes ‘best’ for one person might be different to another. For us, perhaps the best way to describe ‘best’ is a venue that is looking to accommodate your needs in the most flexible way possible – in other words, a venue that doesn’t dictate what you must have, but will suggest what you could have to make your event the total success you want it to be.
Consider transport & accommodation
Of course, as part of your venue selection, you will need to consider transport links and accommodation. Your venue needs good transport links with trains, airports and even trams in Manchester. Likewise, those guests travelling from afar will most likely need accommodation, and whilst there is plenty on offer in Manchester city centre, it’s always preferable to simply roll upstairs to a hotel room at the end of the night.
…and the best event hire suppliers in Manchester
And once you’ve got your venue sorted, book the equipment hire in Manchester that you need with local contractors. easyEventhire, for instance, is a great example of a Manchester based event hire company offering furniture hire, catering equipment and tableware for almost event, large or small. This ‘local’ presence enables us to provide a seamless, proactive hire service to our clients operating in Manchester city centre and across the North West region.
Book early!
As with anything else, if it’s any good, then demand will be high, so book your venue early, and liaise with your suppliers in a timely way – it’s always easier for suppliers to tinker with an order closer to the time, rather than you leaving it until the last minute when you then run the risk of being disappointed. And, of course, the earlier you set your date, the more time you have to advertise the event, sell tickets, and start a groundswell of interest on social media.
Engage on social media
And talking of social media, this is an incredibly FREE marketing tool where you can advertise your event, take client bookings, upload photos and engage with clients in all different ways. Social media is much more than just posting photos, so get it working for you and your event!
Aim for 100% client satisfaction, not 100% YOUR satisfaction
Sometimes, we all think that we know best. This is worth considering during your event planning, as what works for you might not be the best solution for your client. A satisfied client means repeat work time and time again, and so always endeavour to achieve the ultimate goal, which is 100% customer satisfaction!
Enjoy the occasion!
And last, but by no means least, try to enjoy the occasion. Yes, we realise that it will be stressful, but during the course of the evening, try to take a step back and enjoy the fruits of your labour. Hopefully, there will be lots of guests taking photos and posting to social media – this is a good gauge of success!
Ultimately, here at easyEventhire, we want to remove some of the stress from your event hire planning and so when it comes to your event furniture hire, chair hire and more, simply visit us online and place your secure order 24/7, safe in the knowledge that you are putting your faith in the hands of the experts, not only in Manchester, but across the UK.
