Finding an event agency that inspires confidence in you is already one thing. Succeeding in getting him to understand the perfect event that you have in mind is another! That's where it comes in the brief, or specifications.

This key step allows the agencies you ask for to identify the event that you dream of in order to be able to recreate it from scratch.

In this article you will find all the useful information to include in the brief you are going to write for an event agency. Understand that the more accurate information they have, the more relevant it will be in their proposal.

The moment of the brief is essential and you must devote the necessary time, preferably with all decision makers, to make it as complete as possible. Any change in the brief afterwards will be a waste of time for you, the agency (s) requested, and all the service providers they will use. For the sake of your event, it is important to write a brief worthy of the name from the start of your project.

The essentials ✅

• The objective : The motivations can be multiple and intersect: create links, federate teams, pass on a message, have fun, celebrate a new project... In short, why do you want to organize this event?

• The type of event : After the “why” comes the “what”. Do you want to organize a Kick Off? A company anniversary? Team building? A customer evening?

• The date : But in fact, when will this great event be? We recommend that you avoid having a single fixed date. It is better to be flexible and have several dates as an option, especially so as not to miss out on a great place that would already be privatized on the desired date.

• The location : Do you already have a location or do you want to find one? If so, in what area? Intramural Paris? Île-de-France? In the region?

• Schedules and the provisional program : Are you going to get your teams together for a few hours or encourage them to dance until the end of the night? Also, define a provisional program, even if it is not very precise at first.
  
  Example: 19:00: arrival of the guests - 20:00: speech by the president - 20:30: launch of the cocktail and entertainment - 22:30: dance party/DJ - 1:00: end of the event

• The number of guests : It is often complicated to estimate the number of guests in advance, but you should still have a fairly accurate idea of this number. This will in particular make it possible to guide the research of the place. Ideally, write a low range and a high range in your brief.
  Our tips for reducing no-shows !

• The catering : Would you rather have a gourmet dinner or a 20-piece cocktail dinner? Street-food, tapas, cocktail pieces, culinary activities, culinary activities, champagne, beer, wine, cocktails... The choices are numerous, hence the need to express your desires. Remember to take into account any dietary restrictions your guests may have.

• The budget : We are going to give you a big revelation: the event that will be organized depends on the budget you want to allocate to it. You can indicate a total budget, per person or communicate a price range, but try to be as specific as possible. Without a budget, no agency will be able to make progress on your project, the possibilities are far too numerous.

• The deadlines : If the selected agency will take charge of the deadlines to be respected for the production of your event, you must provide your internal deadlines. When do you want to get a proposal from the agency? When are you going to send out your invitations?

To refine your brief 👌

• The profile of your guests : As when defining your personas to know what message to send them and how, you need to know your audience to know what their preferences and expectations are. What is the average age of the guests? The male/female distribution? What are their values?

• The type of place : Ha the choice of location! It is essential and will often define the atmosphere of the event. Do you want to privatize a barge? A rooftop? A loft? A cultural place? Don't be afraid to think big, the event agency that will meet your request is just there to find the perfect place for you.
  
  Did you know that? At UNEXPECTED, we are constantly on the lookout to find the most incredible places for your events.

• The ambiance : If you know the type of place you want, you certainly know the atmosphere you are imagining. Friendly? Chic? Corporate?

• The theme/common thread : Defining a theme and/or a common thread ensures coherence to your event, from invitations to food, including scenography. If you have a specific idea in mind, specify it in your brief to guide the agency's research.
  Looking for ideas? Discover 5 theme ideas for your next professional evening.

• The animations : Nothing mandatory but it is true that the activities are always appreciated by the participants. Do you have specific ideas for animation (collaborative, creative, festive...) or do you want the agency you are looking for?

• Technical needs : Do you have specific technical needs for your event? Sound system for spaces, setting up an outdoor scene, lighting spaces, livestream...

• Staff needs : While event agencies usually offer you the necessary staff themselves, it is always better to specify your needs. Do you want your guests to be welcomed by hostesses? Do you need stronger security?

• Other needs : Do you want to have parking nearby? Does the place need to have a smoking area? Do you want a space with natural light? Do we need to set up a shuttle? Is it up to the agency to manage the sending of invitations? Do you need a photographer?

• Your previous events : Do you have references to provide to the event agency? It's time! Perhaps you have points that you particularly enjoyed at previous events or, on the contrary, things that you want to avoid at all costs. Express yourself, this brief is yours!

Do you need help writing your brief?

At UNEXPECTED, we are committed to supporting you, from the taking of a brief to the production of your event. So if you have trouble writing your specifications, or if you still have questions about the best event format, do not hesitate to ask us !