As In-Person Events Come Roaring Back, One Local Planner Offers Tips for Success
Perry Consulting LLC produces events for businesses and non-profit organizations
When marriage and a move from California to Arizona presented Nicole Bennett with the opportunity to prioritize her events business, she went for it — turning a side hustle into a profitable, full-time endeavor. As owner of Perry Consulting, a full-service meeting and events business that pays homage to her maiden name, Bennett never looked back.
“For the five years before that, I didn’t jump,” Bennett said of juggling the events business with a full-time job. “When I got married, I had benefits, and it made it less of a risk. I’m not inherently a risk taker, but that gave me permission to just do it.”
That was in 2006. Since then, she has expanded her services, introduced modified ones to fit the needs of pandemic-era events, and built a portfolio of clients that is largely referral driven. Her team will take an event vision and put the entire plan into action or manage individual aspects of it.
And Bennett is doing it all when events are returning to their pre-pandemic regularity.
According to the Event Marketing Institute, industry insiders predict a major surge in events in 2024. In fact, 84% of corporate event planners plan to produce an in-person event this year.
"No matter how well you plan, there will always be unexpected obstacles when you're on site," Bennett explained. “I like having to figure out how to make things the way they’re supposed to be with what I have on hand. I call them my ‘MacGyver’ moments.”
Nicole Bennett, owner of Perry Consulting LLC
Bennett understands that planning events often requires more effort than busy professionals realize.
“Sometimes, people simplify the job because they don’t understand the nuances in the event industry. There is a knowledge base you don’t tap into if you’re not using an event professional. Nothing is ever just one phone call,” she said. “They don’t realize the knowledge we bring to the table. I equate it to an accountant. How much money are you leaving on the table because you don’t know what you don’t know?”
Over the years, Bennett — through Perry Consulting — has forged valuable relationships with vendors and venues that come in handy for those planning an event, be it a corporate celebration or a fundraiser for a nonprofit organization. She has witnessed a few things on her journey.
Perry Consulting LLC will take an event vision and put the entire plan into action or manage individual aspects of it.
In honor of Black Business Month, Bennett, a legacy member of Local First Arizona, has gathered some helpful tips for local business owners and organizations preparing for upcoming events.
Make it an open house. Schedules are more compact and condensed than they used to be, so Bennett suggests that businesses with a brick-and-mortar presence host open house-style events rather than appointment events. It makes it easier for people to attend and it helps manage the flow and volume of attendees.
Designate a theme. Attendees love themed parties. From Roaring 20s to beach to Mardi Gras, make your event an experience that will feel more interactive and participatory.
Choose practical giveaways. Gone are the days where pins or keychains will entice people to attend or take part in an event. Bennett suggests choosing giveaways that are practical, useful or novel. Consider a succulent or an organizer.
Plan ahead with parking. Give attendees a sense of the parking situation at your event. Provide them with information about whether an attendant will handle parking, if a parking lot has been designated, or if they are responsible for figuring out parking on their own. Prior knowledge reduces in-the-moment stress.
Most importantly, go with the flow. Things happen, she said, but no one who is attending knows how things were expected to go.
