Page 51 - DMGT304_EVENT_MANAGEMENT

Event Management

Notes 8. Are they spectators or participants?
9. What are the budgetary guidelines for the decor?
10. How long will it be in use?
11. Which existing scenic pieces can be modified to fit your theme or convey your message?

2.5.2 Decor Costs

When hiring a design professional for an event, expect to cover not only the cost of labour,
delivery, and the actual product, but also the consultation fee of the designer. In some cases this
consultation fee may be included in the final bid for the job. If you are soliciting many different
proposals, it is best to outline your budget range for the project to the prospective designers up
front. This openness may dictate the selection of products for your event. Labour is a major
component of design charges because the designer-decorator’s craft is so time consuming.
The complexity of the design will affect costs, as will the amount of time available for installation.
The longer the time allowed for installation, the fewer persons required. Allow enough time for
the designers to do their work from the very beginning, alleviating the need for extra last-
minute labour to complete the job. While many variables are involved in pricing decor, a
typical margin of profit above the direct cost of materials and labour is 40 percent. This does not
include the general overhead associated with running a business, including insurance, rent,
promotion, vehicles, and the like. Therefore, today’s designers must be very careful when
quoting prices to ensure that costs are recovered adequately and allowing for a profit. When
purchasing design services, remember that each designer possesses a unique talent that may be
priceless to your particular event. This perception of value may, in your estimation, overrule
the pricing formulas described above.

2.5.3 Developing and Implementing the Design for your Event

Once the design has been developed and the plan finalized, the two must be merged to begin the
implementation process. During the coordination phase we arrive at the intersection of research,
design, and planning and through the convergence of these three places begin to operationalize
the event itself. The coordination phase provides us with the opportunity to see the results of
our early labors in research, design, and planning. It is also the opportunity to ensure that we
preserve the integrity of our early efforts. Too often, changes are made during the coordination
phase that affects the outcome of the event negatively because they do not preserve the integrity
of the design and planning process. One technique for ensuring that you continually preserve
the integrity of your event design is to appoint one person to monitor the coordination and
make certain that there is a obvious relationship between the design, plan, and the final version
of the event. Another method is to develop a series of written or graphic cues, such as design
renderings or goals and objectives to make certain the stakeholders hold fast to the early vision
of the event.
2.5.4 Purposes of Event Technology

Whether the purpose of your event is to educate or entertain or perhaps both, the technology
that you select will help you best achieve your goals and objectives. In the conference event field
you may select slide projectors, overhead projectors, a TelePrompter, or perhaps one microphone
to improve communications between the presenter and the participant. The entertainment field
may require theatrical lighting and special effects such as fog, laser, or strobe lights. Other fields
will require different technology, however, ultimately the purpose of the event will determine

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