By Sofeeyah Lloyd
So you’re looking to plan an event in Nairobi, Kenya? That’s an excellent idea; Nairobi is one of Africa’s most vibrant business hubs with a growing cultural and economic influence. There’s a reason Nairobi was the leading business travel destination in 2021.
However, it’s essential to ensure your event runs smoothly and provides an unforgettable experience for the attendees. That’s why you should hire an event planner in Nairobi, Kenya. They can prevent stress, reduce expenses, save time, and deliver incredible results.
Should I Hire a Freelance Event Planner or Event Planning Company?
Choosing between a freelance event planner or an event planning company is crucial when planning your event. Both options have pros and cons. For example, freelance event planners in Nairobi are far more affordable if you’re running a small event. However, freelance event planners work alone, meaning they can take longer to complete tasks. That’s not ideal if you have strict time constraints.
In contrast, event planning companies in Nairobi have professional teams with vast experience. They can deliver quick, coordinated, and effective results, regardless of your event. Although freelance event planners can be cheaper, you can also save money when hiring an event planning company in Nairobi because they have greater bargaining power with local vendors.
Things To Know Before Hiring an Event Planner
First, you must know your event’s objective before hiring an event planner in Nairobi, Kenya. For example, do you want to create a networking event to showcase your brand? Once you know your objectives, you can determine your budget for the event. As a result, this will allow your event planner in Nairobi to find a suitable venue to match your finances.
In addition, define the tasks you want to complete and the tasks your event planner needs to finish. For example, do you want your event planner to book transportation, hire security, or handle guest accommodation? Once you know these, your event planner can work on these tasks and create the most incredible event.
Here are some other questions to ask yourself before hiring an event planner:
- What is your level of knowledge about local business culture?
- How much time do you have to prepare?
- Do you have a full-time team working on the upcoming event?
Local Vendor Connections
If you choose to plan an event on your own, you’ll need to find local vendors. If you don’t have the right vendors, your event can massively suffer. You’ll also have to negotiate with vendors, handle payment terms, and ask many vetting questions.
On the other hand, event planning companies in Nairobi, Kenya, already have a preferred and professional vendor list — which can save you time, money, and stress. Not all vendors deliver an excellent service.
Most freelance event planners in Nairobi don’t have the industry connections to offer you the right vendors. Event planning companies, however, have all the industry connections to handle the negotiation, vetting process, and payment terms for you. Consequently, you can feel confident your event will operate flawlessly.
Local Kenyan Knowledge
There’s nothing more important than knowing your destination when planning an event. Still, what if you’ve never been to Nairobi before? Your event planning can become more challenging because you don’t know the best event locations, accommodations, local attractions, or nearby entertainment. But that’s where an event planning company in Nairobi can support you!
Your event planning company should know Nairobi like the back of their hands. You may want your attendees to visit some of Kenya’s magnificent attractions during their visit. If you pick a good event planning company in Nairobi they should know the do and don’t in Nairobi, keeping you attendees safe day and night.
References
The best event planning company in Nairobi, Kenya, will have excellent references; they will have delivered incredible results on other events before yours. Therefore, you should go further to check references before hiring an event planning company.
The event planner should communicate regularly with their clients, handle their projects effectively, and deliver a world-class service — which will reflect in their references. If the event planning company has excellent references, you can feel confident the event planner will deliver results for you.
Questions?
Are you planning an event in Kenya? Let us help you! Hallpax has destination experts who are dedicated to making your event planning process enjoyable and stress-free. We are passionate about the cities we work with, and with our in-person presence in Africa, we help our clients navigate their cities of choice with ease.