Forming better working relationships

By Stacy Stern, CSEP

Communicating openly with your event partners makes the whole process go a lot more smoothly. Here are some ideas for better working relationships.

• Create a contact form with details of everyone working on a particular event or project.
• Give specific, detailed instructions.
• Include vendors in the creative process.
• Set a realistic budget. Rely on vendors for help on this: They are experts in their fields.
• When negotiating the contract, be sure your vendor knows exactly what to expect, including deadlines for arrival and set-up, the dress code and who the main contact is.
• Create a timeline that accounts for setup and tear-down.
• Pay your vendors on time. I like to pay my vendors as they arrive at the event site—this can be more motivating.
• Thank your vendors the old-fashioned way, with a letter or a card.

Stacy Stern is a certified, award-winning event producer for The Special Events Group in Boca Raton, Fla. She can be contacted at stacy@thespecialeventsgroup.com.