FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• How do you charge for your services?
• When should we retain you?
• Can you help us at the idea stage?
• My firm has an event planner on staff.  Do I still need to work with you?
• Is it true that videoconferencing and webcasting are replacing traditional meetings?
• How do you use the internet in your event planning work?
• How important is your CMP designation?
• How do you respond to client requests for "Green Hotels and Meetings"?

Q.  How do you charge for your services?

A.  Charges are customized to each project's requirements.  No two scopes of services are the same.  For each client, we prepare a detailed scope of work and an estimate of our time and fee.  We like to make this process as transparent as possible so the prospective client can see what they'll be paying for.  As a general rule of thumb, event planning and management costs will run between 15% and 30% of a total event budget.

Q.  When should we retain you?

A.  The earlier the better.  That way, we can use our experience to help you shape your program in ways that can save you money and guarantee a more successful event.  Our experience with venue selection, program design, audience definition, sponsor identification, and development of marketing strategies can prove invaluable to the client.  If desired, we can also serve as "event doctors," coming in at a later stage in the planning process to help you deal with unforeseen emergencies or staff overloads. 

Q.  Can you help us at the idea stage? 

A.  Yes, we often assist clients with initial brainstorming and conceptualizing.  We sometimes do this through a small start-up contract in which we facilitate the development of a program, prepare a budget and planning timeline, confirm a venue and help position the event to attract participants and sponsors.  In some cases, this initial work helps to focus the client's thinking.  In others, our input leads to considerable re-framing of the event for a more successful result.

Q.  My firm has an event planner on staff.  Do I still need to work with you?

A.  Perhaps.  We sometimes team with client's staff, dividing the tasks in a mutually agreed upon way, to make best use of our and your resources.  This kind of collaboration has the added value of providing on-the-job training, with us imparting new skills to your staff that will be of value to you in future events.

Q. Is it true that videoconferencing and webcasting are replacing traditional meetings?

A.  Not really.  Videoconferencing and webcasting substitute for some meetings.  They change the nature of others by giving added flexibility and opportunities for cost reduction.  We help clients assess the merits of "beaming in" their speakers rather than flying them in. It's possible to assemble attendees not only at one central hotel but also at a number of widely dispersed satellite locations, with each location able to communicate with the others in real time.  As both of these technologies become cheaper and more flexible, we can expect even more imaginative applications in the event and meeting world.

Q. How do you use the internet in your event planning work?

A.  In many ways, with new applications being added every month, it seems.  To name a few - we use email in our work with client steering and advisory committees, keeping communication flow going through-out the planning process.  In event marketing, carefully targeted email provides a valuable supplement to fax broadcasts and print material.  

The event Web site can fill many functions, including a flexible brochure, a vehicle for attendee registration, and an archive for presentation material.  We've found it's possible to "extend the shelf life" of an event, and build community, by creating an Internet mailing list or bulletin board.

Q. How important is your CMP designation?

A. This internationally recognized certification (Certified Meeting Professional), provided by the Convention Industry Council, shows that Devon Knight, the company's owner, has completed intensive training and education in a wide variety of subjects related to event planning and management, and successfully passed internationally administered standard exams that attest to her proficiency.  The procedures for recertification insure that she remains up to date on the latest techniques and practices.

Q.  How do you respond to client requests for "Green Hotels and Meetings"?

A.  We are experienced in responding to such requests, as our clients become more interested in making sustainability, recycling and other ethical practices part of their meeting experience and requirements.  Achieving a "green meeting" requires attention to a number of details, including hotel practices, catering decisions, and transportation options. While many hotels and conference centres have caught onto this trend, many have not.  We also provide training and education for meeting facilities that may require it.