Hiring a third-party event planner doesn’t necessarily have to be an overwhelming task, but you sure will need to spend time sourcing the best party planners and screen them very carefully. Before doing anything, you need to set down the core objectives of your event. Who is your target audience? What messages do you wish to convey? What is your end goal?
After you have determined these crucial elements, it is time to reach out to a reputable party planner who can both organize the entire event, and also assist you in achieving your overall goal. Listed below are 5 top tips that will help hire the perfect party planner.

1. Source Party Planners through Professional Affiliations

Regardless of the party’s type, the rules of hiring a planner remain the same. You want to invest in someone who has the right expertise.
Consider chapters of reputable membership groups. Contact your local or national chapter of International Special Events, Association of Wedding Professionals, National of Catering Executives, etc.

2. Find out More about Their Areas of Expertise

To find out if your choice of party planner is the right choice for the organization of your event, ask them what kinds of events they usually organize. If they typically work with corporate events, then they might not be the best fit for your informal party or vice versa.

This point isn’t implying that the organizer must have ample of knowledge about your niche to do a good job, but it is always worth inquiring if they have ever organized an event of similar style or scope like yours. Also, make sure to go through their testimonials and general customer feedback.

3. Learn More about the Services They Offer

It is critical to know the kind of services the party planner of your choice is willing to offer. Do you require them to find you a venue, take care of catering, transportation, staffing, audio visuals, accommodation, etc.? Do they have a preferred list of vendors and venues that you use for parties? A good party planner will always have good relations and will be able to help you secure deals that you could not get hold of on your own.

4. Who Will Be Collaborating With You On A Daily Basis?

You will want to know who to contact on a daily basis and – if that is not the person you are meeting with – then arrange an introduction to make sure you have established a good rapport. Important questions to ask include: ‘Will I be working with a team or a solo party planner?’, ‘Is there backup support in case a staff member is unavailable?’, ‘How much will I be charged to hold additional meetings?’ ‘How will the event be staffed on the day?’, etc.

5. Negotiate Terms, and Finalize the Contract

Depending on the planner and the nature of your event, you may be asked to make a deposit. Though there is nothing wrong with this, we advise that you thoroughly go through each point and avoid signing contracts that haven’t gone through your legal counsel.