A persuasive presentation cannot tell you whether an agency will control scope, communicate early or handle a difficult show day. Selection needs a consistent evidence-based process.
Ask these 12 questions
- Which comparable projects have you delivered, and what was your exact role?
- Who will lead our account and who owns production on site?
- What is included, excluded and assumed in the budget?
- How are supplier costs, mark-ups and professional fees shown?
- How will you translate our business objective into the experience?
- What are the critical decisions and approval deadlines?
- How do you qualify and manage vendors?
- What safety, permissions and contingency documents will you provide?
- How are changes estimated and approved?
- What reporting will we receive before and after the event?
- Which work is produced in-house and which is subcontracted?
- What could make this brief fail?
Give every agency the same brief
Include objective, audience, city, date window, estimated attendance, programme, desired experience, production needs, budget guidance and decision criteria. Use the corporate event RFP checklist to make proposals comparable.
Score evidence and chemistry separately
Score strategy, relevant capability, delivery plan, commercial clarity and team fit. A creative concept can be refined; unclear accountability is harder to repair.
Check the people behind the promise
Meet the working team. Ask for references when the commitment is material, and verify vendor or venue assumptions that affect cost.
Contract the operating model
Document meeting rhythm, approvals, change control and escalation. A good relationship still needs clear rules.
Read how event companies price their services before comparing the commercial offers.
