Cutting Corporate Event Costs with Event Planner Tammie Hawkins

Corporate events require strict budgeting, according to event planner Tammie Hawkins. It can be difficult to organize an event that is fun and memorable for the employees and staff, without breaking the bank for those in charge. There are, however, a few very simple ways to control the costs of a corporate event, without disappointing the attendants. The food and beverage output is one of the primary ways an event can blow its budget out of the water. So how do you have an office party with great food without overspending?

The easiest way to do this is to change the time of the event. Corporate events serving food are always more expensive if hosted during the dinner hours. Instead, have a lunch or breakfast time party. The attendants will still have plenty to eat, but the overall menu cost will be far less. Another smart option is to eliminate alcohol. While some employees may feel a few drinks are necessary to survive a corporate event, those are also the same people who usually cause trouble after consuming said drinks. Removing the cost of alcohol is a large savings to any menu budget, and keeps the chances of poor decision making at a minimum.

When planning the actual menu, regardless of the time of day, Tammie Hawkins says to only use ingredients that are fresh and easily accessible. If strawberries are not in season, it would be a giant waste of money to offer strawberry shortcake for your 300 employees.

Tammie Hawkins and the 21st Century Corporate Cocktail Party

Los Angeles Event Planner Tammie Hawkins has witnessed a surge in the popularity of corporate cocktail parties. These events, which harken back to the 1950's, are reminiscent of a time when couples dressed up to have dinner and businessmen liked to rub elbows with their partners. Today, both business men and women can use the corporate cocktail party to mingle with associates while still having a certain agenda. CEOs and industry leaders are fond of the corporate cocktail party, as these events are budget friendly, while still evoking a sense of class.

When Tammie Hawkins plans a swanky corporate cocktail affair, there are a few very specific things she looks out for, each a detail that is easily missed. One of the beautiful things about a cocktail style event is that there is no sit-down meal served. That does not mean, however, that there is no food at all. It is never a smart idea to serve cocktails and other alcoholic beverages to guests without also providing snacks or hors d'oeuvres. Fortunately, these smaller menus can consist of any items that pair well with drinks and are easy to eat while standing or milling around.

To cut costs, it may be tempting to have a friend or relative act as the bartender for the event, but that is usually not the best option. While this acquaintance may cost less than a real bartender or caterer, they will not be prepared to meet the needs of all of your guests. It is better to spend the additional money and hire a professional to serve beverages and hors d'oeuvres at the event. On the same note, if you are responsible for providing the serving and drink ware for the corporate cocktail party, make sure that you have enough of the right glasses in stock. It would be uncouth to serve Manhattans in a Pilsner glass or Merlot in a rocks glass.

The budget of a corporate cocktail party is easily controlled through not only the proper selection of foods, but also the beverages themselves. To avoid overspending on alcohol, and the embarrassing occurrence of not having the right ingredients for a certain cocktail, plan a beverage menu in advance. Themed beverages can be listed on a stylish menu that is posted by the bar. Tammie Hawkins uses this trick to manage the corporate event more smoothly.

Tammie Hawkins: The Finishing Touches

Tammie Hawkins has learned that the finishing touches of any event are almost as important as getting the planning stages completely correctly. It’s the little things that matter and they can play a large part in how attendees remember the event once it has concluded.

Ensuring that the venue used for the event is presented well is important. This means checking that there are no loose cables or hanging threads that compromise the atmosphere that the event is intended to create. Once the set-up has been completed, it is important to go through all of it with a fine-toothed comb to ensure that there is nothing out of place.

Gift packs are also an interesting touch that many people may want to consider. Offering a small bag filled with goods at the end of the event ensures that the attendees leave in a good mood. Better yet, if it is a corporate event you can use them for promotional purposes by branding the items with your company information.

Furthermore, you should also consider scents in addition to sights and sounds. The sense of smell is incredibly powerful, so pungent aromas are to be avoided. No matter how good the event looks, if there are odd smells wafting into the room, a lot of people are going to focus on that rather than the event itself. Do a “sniff” test to check for any stray aromas and trace them to their origin to resolve the issue.

As President of Hawkins Events, LLC, Tammie has worked on a range of event management projects and brings practical experience to every client.

Also Read: Tammie Hawkins: Team Building Events

Tammie Hawkins - Events Management & Administration

From her base in Los Angeles, Tammie Hawkins has seen the occasion administration develop throughout the most recent ten years, to the point that it is presently bigger than it has ever been some time recently. On the other hand, she likewise takes note of that it is imperative that organizations don't lose the individual touch when they are arranging an occasion.

I take an extremely hands-on way to deal with my work, so I will in a perfect world meet the customer eye to eye on various events and be in steady correspondence with them about everything about the occasion we are arranging," states Tammie. "This permits me to stay associated with the customer and guarantees them that their venture is a key worry of mine and I need to do everything that I can to offer them some assistance with achieving their objectives.

Read in details at here: http://tammiehawkins.jigsy.com/entries/general/tammie-hawkins-the-personal-touch-in-events-management

Tammie Hawkins: Thinking Outside The Box

While there is nothing wrong with sticking to the traditional aspects of event planning, Tammie Hawkins enjoys having the opportunity to think a little outside of the box on occasion. This allows her to get the creative juices flowing, in addition to being able to plan something that will be remembered for a long time.

“My pulse always starts racing when a client comes to me with the seed of an idea that sounds a little different. I’m always looking for new challenges, so as soon as something a little outside of my comfort zone comes up, I jump at the opportunity to work on it,” she comments.

“For me, it’s all about client satisfaction. I find that a lot of companies look for fairly standard event planning services for conference and the like, but they like to take a more creative approach to team building exercises and events where fun is as important as any other goal the event aims to achieve.

“It is important to have a few ideas to bring to the table in these situations, especially if the client isn’t sure about exactly what they want. I find that a mix of drawing on previous experience and researching activities that I’ve never planned before usually works. If the client likes something I’ve offered previously, it is easier to plan. However, if they like an idea I haven’t tried before, I have something new to sink my teeth into.”

Tammie Hawkins enjoys the excitement that the event planning industry brings and is always eager to face new challenges.Upon founding Hawkins Events, LLC, Tammie Hawkins has continued to build her reputation as a corporate events planner in LA

Recommended Read: Tammie Hawkins - Weddings and Anniversaries

Tammie Hawkins: Planning For When Things Go Wrong

Following the founding of her company in 2009, Tammie Hawkins quickly grew to understand that not every aspect of an event can be controlled, no matter how much planning is conducted. Sometimes, there are unforeseen issues that can cause problems, so it is important to have contingencies.

 

“It is not uncommon to run into problems that put a spoke in the wheels, so to speak,” states Tammie. “For example, summer events that are held outdoors are always going to be affected by the weather. You can plan based on forecasts, but if the weather takes a turn for the worse you need to be prepared. Ensuring that there is plenty of shelter available by erecting marquees and large tents can go a long way towards helping.”

It’s not always the forces of nature that are a cause for concern though. She continues, “Any event that makes use of live entertainment needs to have a back-up arranged just in case. This may cost a little extra at times, but if a member of a band gets sick or a family emergency arises, it is important to have a replacement handy. Even if it isn’t another live band, try to arrange for a local deejay to be on call if the event is intended to have music. Always try to consider where things could go wrong and consider how you can come up with a ‘Plan B’ when possible.”

Following the completion of her Communications and Public Relations degree at UCLA, Tammie Hawkins became a member of the Events Planners Association and has owned and operated Hawkins Events, LLC, since 2009.

Follow Tammie Hawkins on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tammie-hawkins-99b7aa17

Weddings and Anniversaries - Tammie Hawkins

Tammie Hawkins is a professional events planner who has planned many different types of special events over the years. Tammie Hawkins says she must be a romantic at heart, because her favorite type of event to plan, by far, is the wedding anniversary.

“And the older the marriage is, the better,” she adds with a smile.

She once planned for a couple’s 75th wedding anniversary. “Those don’t come along every day, needless to say.” Compared to weddings, anniversary events tend to be small affairs, with seldom more than a few dozen people on hand. “This is especially true in the early years – fifteen or less. Couples usually like to go off on a second honeymoon. As they get older, though, there are usually children involved, and once they become adults they like to organize anniversary celebrations for  their parents. Which is where we come in.”

Also Read: Tammie Hawkins: For The Do-It-Your-Self 

For the big milestone anniversaries a party is usually in the offing. Tammie Hawkins says it’s better to include the couple in the planning, rather than make it a surprise party, although of course personal preference comes into play here: “Some people really like surprise parties.”

Tammie Hawkins recommends at least a month of lead time, and preferably two. Invitations should go out about four weeks before the event. “A lot of times couples don’t want people bringing gifts – more often than not, in fact,” she says. “I tell my clients that it’s important to discuss this and respect the wishes of the couple. It’s always a good idea to put that on the invitation, because it can be embarrassing if some people bring a gift and others don’t. The party is about celebrating love everlasting, and you don’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable for any reason whatsoever.”

Follow Tammie Hawkins on Crunchbase:  https://www.crunchbase.com/person/tammie-hawkins

Tammie Hawkins: For The Do-It-Your Self

Tammie Hawkins says that she is not in the habit of sharing trade secrets on a public forum, but doesn’t mind sharing some tips with the readers of her blog.

She is the founder and CEO of Hawkins Events, LLC, a Los Angeles-based Special Events planning company. She makes two to three posts on her company blog each week, and uses the forum to talk about anything from business to her grandmother’s recipe for pumpkin pie, which she shared with readers just before Thanksgiving one year.

“You should leave event planning to the professionals!” she wrote in a recent post. “But we all know that there are committed do-it-yourselfers out there – and is there any better way to grow as a person than to take on new challenges?

Also Read: Tammie Hawkins: Customer Service - Consistency is King

“So, if you’re not going to heed my sage advice and call us at Hawkins Events, LLC, to plan your event, here are a few tips you may find useful. The first consideration should always be: how do you want your event to look and feel? Of course the answer to this question is determined in large part by the sort of event it is. Once you have answered this key question, make a checklist of the things that need to get done. It should include the date and time of the event and how much money you want to spend on it.
“Identify the venue and schedule it well ahead of time. Book some kind of entertainment: if it’s a kid’s birthday party, magicians or jugglers or storytellers are ideal.

“Above all, make sure that it is a meaningful event. This is guaranteed to make it a success!”

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Tammie Hawkins: Damage Control

Tammie Hawkins is the President and CEO of Hawkins Events, LLC, a Los Angeles Special Events company. Tammie Hawkins communicates with her clients and just about anyone else through her company’s blog, on which she shares industry insights along with occasional flights of fancy.

“I had a client cancel on me last week,” she wrote in a post not long ago. “It was a big contract, and we had to do some scrambling to shore up our immediate short-term prospects. We succeeded, and all is well.

“But it got me to thinking about my previous employer, Acme Events, founded and still run by my good friend and mentor, Jill Samuelson. A small part of the business at that time was public relations. It has since been phased out, but that’s why Jill hired me in the first place, to work in the PR department.

“I got pretty good at damage control. If that client who cancelled on us last week had talked to me first, I think I could have saved them a lot of trouble (and probably the contract, too!). There are some hard lessons I learned about damage control that would have served him well. So I thought I’d use this post to share them.

1. If a crisis hits your company, own it. Immediately publish an explanation of what happened and the steps you are taking to make it right.
2. Apologize, and be sincere about it. Make sure the amount of information you share is adequeate.
3. Don’t feed the fire. Pressure can bring out the worst in any of us. Don’t succumb to it.
4. Get on top of your story before your competitors do. Don’t let them use it to destroy you.

Bad things happen to good people and good companies. If you follow these suggestions, you’re likely to survive your crisis and endure.

Tammie Hawkins: Five Basic Steps

Planning a special event like a wedding or a graduation is a demanding undertaking. It takes a lot of time and expertise to plan and organize such events, and have them done right. And that is why so many organizations turn to Event Planning professionals.

When it comes to event planning, the devil is in the details, and the planners who excel are invariably detail-oriented people. While no two events are identical, there are five basic steps to planning a successful event. If they are followed carefully, success is all but guaranteed.

1.The first step is to define terms: establish a time frame for the event, and set goals. Creating a realistic timeline is probably the single most important step in event planning. It lets the event planner set various deadlines and identify all the tasks that need to be done.

2.Get a team in place and establish a master plan. A team that can be counted on is essential. Team members need to have specific roles and responsibilities that do not overlap.

3.Create a budget. Like any budget it is critical to stick to it, since budgets let the planner see the actual costs of the event and see whether there might be a profit involved.

4.Identify needs, and find necessary vendors. This cannot be done until after the event’s budget is in place.

5. Finalize all of the event’s details.

Tammie Hawkins is the founder and CEO of Hawkins Events, LLC, a Los Angeles even planning company. Tammie Hawkins is as member of the Event Planners Association and is a Certified Special Events Professional.

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Tammie Hawkins: Owning Your Own Business - Risk Vs. Reward

Starting your own business is not without risk. About one-third of all small businesses in the United States fail in their first year. Many businesses aren’t profitable until after their third year. Many people have to declare bankruptcy because they can’t pay back the loans they took out when they started their business. If you can make it, however, owning your own business can be a highly rewarding experience. The key is to weigh risk and reward.

All businesses have startup costs. Even selling lemonade on a street corner requires you to buy the lemonade, a table, and a chair. Most businesses start small, with a combination of business loans and investments from benefactors to get started. All of your profits once you start with these investments are weighed against the cost of setting up and running your business. The reason that businesses struggle to make back their investments initially is because they often have trouble developing a customer base in the early days. If you can develop a business plan that details how you will find customers, you will start with an advantage over many other businesses. Developing a marketing strategy doesn’t need to wait until you have an established, profitable business. The more work you put into finding customers when you first start up, the less you will have to do when you’re struggling to keep your business afloat.

Tammie Hawkins started her own event planning business after working as an event planner for six years in Los Angeles.

Follow Tammie Hawkins on Social Media:

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Tammie Hawkins: Customer Service - Consistency is King

Most large companies have a set pattern they use to handle customer service. Companies like Netflix, with large customer bases and call centers set up to handle customer service issues, have scripts they use to keep their employees consistently helping customers in a uniform way. Customer service interactions can be difficult, of course, and each customer has his or her own reason for speaking to a company representative. Because of the uniqueness of each of these interactions, a script will only go so far, but consistently dealing with customer service issues in a productive way is a crucial part of any business. 

If you’ve started a company, and you’re finding it difficult to stay ahead of customer service issues, the best thing you can do for your employees and for your own peace of mind is develop a consistent plan for helping customers. If you can consistently handle customer complaints and other issues, you can nip potential problems in the bud before they begin to seriously affect your bottom line. Developing a protocol for how customer service issues are handled at your company is the best way to start this process. The protocol should allow for some leeway, but still provide your employees with a standard for proper customer service. 

Tammie Hawkins created a consistent way of dealing with customer service issues before they have a chance to affect her business. She owns an event planning company in Los Angeles, catering to a wide range of customers in the area with fine service.

Also Read: Event Planning - Responding to Customers 

Tammie Hawkins: Event Planning - Responding to Customers

Event planners have a very fun and rewarding job, but it can also take its toll. Whenever customers need a large event planned, the work of sorting out every detail can be difficult and involve many late nights and extra hours. Event planners work hard to help their customers create the best atmosphere for whatever event they choose. Most event planners work frequently with couples planning their weddings and receptions. The key to succeeding as an event planner and avoiding getting yourself buried in endless work and preparation is to take special notice of your customers’ requirements. Listening and responding to your clients should be your first priority as an event planner. By recording your clients’ needs and using them as guidelines for your work, you can skip the extra hours and inefficiencies that normally occur when planning an event.

Follow Tammie Hawkins on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/public/Tammie-Hawkins

If you’ve ever planned even a small event, such as a camping trip with friends or a house party, you know that even the simplest-sounding details can go awry. Any time you’re relying on others to help you put on your event, you have to communicate exactly what you need so that they can deliver. As a professional event planner, your clients are relying on you to make their special moment happen. In order to avoid wasting your time, you have to make sure your work goes into satisfying your customers’ specific requirements and measures of success. 

Tammie Hawkins is an event planner based in Los Angeles. Tammie Hawkins has over eleven years of event planning experience.

Also Read: http://tammiehawkins.blogspot.com/2015/08/running-successful-business-crafting.html

Running a Successful Business - Crafting a Vision

All successful businesses come from the vision of the business owner at the beginning of development. When investors see your vision, make sure they see one that is truly yours and can be a recipe for long-term success. Most investors want to see a definitive business plan before they give you the capital you need to get started, and this plan comes from your original vision of how the business should unfold. Start with a product or service that you feel is under-represented in the marketplace. Another place to try to catch that lightning bolt of inspiration is by thinking of a new way to offer already existing products and services. Are you dissatisfied with how certain products are offered? Don’t get mad, start your own business.

Developing a vision you can show to others is not easy, but once you have a proven concept and clear vision for how to develop your business and how to bring it to as many people as possible, you will gain investors, clients, and connections to the industry you have entered. As your business grows, you will need to stick with your vision to keep improving your service in the eyes of your clients. This will help your business grow sustainably.

Tammie Hawkins owns an event planning company based in Los Angeles. She started her business with little more than a few clients who knew her from her previous job, as an assistant for another event planning company, and a vision for success.

Follow Tammie Hawkins on About.me:  https://about.me/tammiehawkins