{"id":1205,"date":"2019-10-17T10:55:27","date_gmt":"2019-10-17T10:55:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/?p=1205"},"modified":"2023-03-07T13:42:16","modified_gmt":"2023-03-07T11:42:16","slug":"how-to-find-vendors-for-an-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/how-to-find-vendors-for-an-event","title":{"rendered":"How to Find Vendors for an Event"},"content":{"rendered":"

Event vendors might seem indispensable. But like with any supplier, the reliable ones are incredibly hard to find. Veteran organisers will have plenty of stories about last-minute dropouts, late arrivals and general incompetence. Each can seriously harm your event if you\u2019re not careful.<\/p>\n

The industry is in constant need of vendors that are professional, experienced and comfortable with representing clients and their values. A quick search for caterers in Barcelona might return hundreds of potential options. However, only a small cluster will be able to deliver the gold standard of service to your event and its audience.<\/p>\n

If you want to know how to find vendors for an event<\/strong>, here are seven pointers from our team:<\/p>\n

Ask for recommendations<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re lucky enough to have friends in the industry, try asking them to share their trusted suppliers.<\/p>\n

Events tend to be loyal to their partners. And you never know, you might even get a discount from knowing one of their best clients.<\/p>\n

\"-\"<\/p>\n

Stack your options<\/h3>\n

Imagine you\u2019re booking a trip abroad and need to sort your travel. You wouldn\u2019t take the first price on flights, so why do the same for your vendors?<\/p>\n

Tools like Punchbowl allow you to conduct quick searches for caterers, venues<\/a>, entertainers and more. From here, you can start to build a list of quotes and get a much better idea of your costs.<\/p>\n

Be brutal<\/h3>\n

If you want to know how to find vendors for an event, we assume you\u2019re entering the process a little blind. If so, don\u2019t go for anything that does not answer your basic requirements. Picking a cheap yet substandard option will only have a negative impact on your event and attendees.<\/p>\n

Value experience<\/h3>\n

The perfect vendor will have experience of working with the exact type of event you\u2019re putting on. This enables them to outline contingencies in case something goes wrong. Less-experienced companies will have little knowledge of things like pinch points and issues with their own supply chain and will react slower in adverse circumstances.<\/p>\n

Get a presentation<\/h3>\n

Much like you would if you were hiring a new member of staff, you should ask your vendor to lay out a proposal for your event. Site visits are a great idea, provided you have the means of conducting one. Otherwise, be prepared to ask plenty of questions to quell any doubts.<\/p>\n

\"-\"<\/p>\n

Look for reviews<\/h3>\n

If you want to know how to find vendors for an event, and you don\u2019t mind being a little picky, try searching for reviews on platforms like Google and Facebook.<\/p>\n

While these probably won\u2019t share graphic detail of a company\u2019s mishaps and mistakes, their volume should give you an idea of how many times they\u2019ve done a great job.<\/p>\n

Request evidence of results<\/h3>\n

To really delve into your vendor\u2019s track record, ask for a reference from a past client. It\u2019s a competitive market and suppliers will be happy to name drop an event they couldn\u2019t deliver for. The real truth is in the reference.<\/p>\n

\"crm\"<\/p>\n

Download “The role of CRM within the events business” Whitepaper<\/a><\/p>\n

How to find vendors for an event: our recap<\/h3>\n

If we were to summarise the best way of finding a trusted supplier, our advice would be to follow the same standards you uphold within your team. Over the coming months, your vendors will represent a vital cog in the engine and one that is definitely prone to breaking.<\/p>\n

You need experience on your side and a cool head to manage the inevitable hiccups. Find companies that want to work for you, and you won\u2019t go far wrong.<\/p>\n

For more specific advice on finding the perfect venue, take to <\/em><\/strong>our recent blog<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Do you want to know how technology can help you in managing events before, during and after they happen? Book a demo today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Event vendors might seem indispensable. But like with any supplier, the reliable ones are incredibly hard to find. Veteran organisers will have plenty of stories … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":1211,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pgc_meta":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[58],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1205"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1205"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1205\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4535,"href":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1205\/revisions\/4535"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1205"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1205"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1205"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}