Looking for an event proposal that matches your vision?
Here’s 6 things your brief needs.
Picture this:
the event of the year is approaching, and the choice of production partner is yours. You do your research, shortlist three event suppliers, and brief each one. Back come three proposals, and they couldn’t be more different… and none of them match what you had in mind.
In our experience, this is remarkably common. A bespoke event needs more information than most people expect, and without it, many event production companies fill the gaps with assumptions rather than asking the right questions.
At CPG, we believe event production should be uneventful, and that starts with asking. To us, it’s common sense, and it’s what makes the whole process effortless for our client partners. However, not every supplier works that way.
So, if you’ve imagined your event down to the last detail: the atmosphere, the guests, the moment everyone walks in and thinks “wow, this looks incredible!” – here are six things to communicate, to make sure the proposal you receive reflects the event you want.
Purpose.
Before venues, numbers, or tech, start with what the event is trying to achieve. A leadership strategy launch and a company celebration could share the same people and venue yet call for an entirely different solution. A clear objective tells any event supplier, from the first conversation, what success looks like.
Key Dates & Expectations
Share key dates such as event date and quote deadlines. Event production suppliers often spend time managing multiple proposals, and by having a clear deadline, they can make sure they’re prepared to deliver. Be upfront about what you need, and when you need it.
Confirmed logistics,
venue, attendees, and occupancy:
three data points that provide a huge amount of context as to what an event needs to be. Every unanswered question becomes an assumption, and when production suppliers assume different, you can’t compare quotes like for like. Even something as simple as whether the event runs for one day or two changes costs and scope significantly.
Don’t have something confirmed? That’s fine: give your best estimate, and if in doubt, lean towards the higher end than the lower.
Relatedly, venue access and schedule:
If your venue is confirmed, prospecting event production teams will need to know how sound, staging, and other equipment will get into the space. Access routes and loading times matter more than you might think; some venues enforce noise abatement rules that rule out late load-ins, which could mean crew returning the following day. That’s a potential additional cost you’ll want to see in the proposal, not the invoice.
And finally, the budget that will bring this event to life:
Withholding budget doesn’t save money. All it does is risk proposals designed for a different level of event production. A £10k event, a £50k event, and a £250k event might share an objective, but they can’t share a solution. Being clear about your budget lets a supplier do what they do best, while working within the limits that matter to you.
Now, you might have spotted that the first five points are all about what information to give. Number six is a bit different: it’s about giving insight.
What you’ve learned from past events.
Tell suppliers what worked and what didn’t. Perhaps your awards show suffered from sound feedback. Armed with that, an event production team can design for even coverage across the room, ensuring the problem doesn’t return.
This one comes down to communication. It’s perfectly okay to share your concerns and questions – any event production professional who respects their client will welcome them.
From Event Brief to Event Production
What matters most is getting your event from A to B. That means moving from brief, to proposal, to production; the quality of that proposal is shaped by the quality of the information you provide. The clearer the brief, the more uneventful the journey that follows.
At CPG, that approach to communication has translated into clear success for our clients. What could it do for yours?