How To Properly Use An RFP For Event Planning: 5 Steps

By Richard Brody

Planning, producing, and putting forth, the best possible event, is both an art, as well as a science! While many fail to consider it so, the event coordinator, planner, or chairman, should be a quality, effective, productive, skilled leader, who has developed the skills, abilities, and practical perception, to know, what's needed, necessary and relevant, and proceed accordingly, One achieves the best possible results, when the process begins with producing a meaningful, Request for Proposal, or RFP, and using it, to its best avail. With that in mind, this article will attempt to consider, review, and discuss, which, after more than four decades of professional planning several hundred events, the 5 steps, which I suggest, in order to get the best possible, potential results.

1. Analyze; know needs: Begin by fully evaluating, considering, and understanding the needs, and why they must be addressed. Your analysis must be an objective one, which considers, both, the strengths and weaknesses, from the past, as well as how the particular group, may have evolved, and factors, such as specific, heritage - related, or mission - sensitive considerations, as well as competitive forces, and financial challenges.

2. What is the purpose?: What is the purpose of the specific production, and what do you hope to achieve? Why do you believe you will, and what do you consider the challenges and obstacles? How will you focus on these specifics? Why do you believe, potential attendees, will be attracted, by this particular perspective, etc?

3. What are the priorities?: Understand, know, and focus on priorities, goals and perceptions! Go beyond merely knowing them, but take the time, and make a real, concerted, thorough effort, to evaluate each, and rank them, from those which are absolute musts, down to things you want, but you can still be successful, without them. Know, both the revenues (and the sources), including the competition, etc, as well as the costs/ expenditures. Every step along the way. re - focus on the goals, etc!

4. What type of venue do you seek/ need?: Every type of event takes place, in some type of venue, etc. Are you choosing this, based on what's been done, in the past, or thinking, outside - the - box, and evaluating present needs, and what is best suited, for present needs? Never let any emotional attachment, direct you, to one, specific, site, but, rather, use a well - defined, fully formulated, RFP, to create a competitive scenario, where you will have the best opportunity, to achieve, the best, bang - for - the - buck!

5. Create and use your RFP: Once you've thoroughly considered, and familiarized, yourself, with your specific needs, and financial considerations, carefully craft, this Request for Proposal, and make certain, the responses, become an addendum to, the final contract. This must not be a mere exercise, but, rather, an essential tool, to get the best results.

Understand, even addressing, and utilizing these steps, does not guarantee, you will have the success, you seek. It must be a starting point, which puts the best terms, in place, and must be followed - up, with a personal touch, making attendees feel welcome, and carefully overseeing, and proactively, addressing, what needs to be done and achieved!

Richard has owned businesses, been a COO, CEO, Director of Development, consultant, professionally run events, consulted to thousands of leaders, and conducted personal development seminars, for 4 decades. Rich has written three books and thousands of articles. His company, PLAN2LEAD, LLC has an informative website http://plan2lead.net and Plan2lead can also be followed on Facebook http://facebook.com/Plan2lead