Unless you work for a major event planning company, you probably don’t have a lot of staff to help plan your events. In fact, many planners do the majority of planning and event execution chores themselves—everything from finding an adequately sized venue to securing vendors for sound, lighting, decor, catering, and entertainment. That involves a lot of research, a lot of paperwork, and a lot of your precious time.
But professional help is available and eager to assist you. Many event planners are completely unaware of this resource or are unfamiliar with the services offered. Most cities that market themselves to conventions, meetings, and events have a convention and visitors bureau. This bureau is staffed by a team of local experts skilled in marketing, PR, and event planning. These valuable services are offered free to event planners bringing groups and business into the city. It is like having your own multi-talented staff at your command.
The CVB staff knows its city—hotels, attractions, transportation, restaurants, event venues, caterers, decorating/party supply companies, and entertainment. One phone call to the local CVB can save hours of research, providing unbiased information about the advantages and drawbacks of potential venues and vendors. The CVB can also provide contact information to ensure that you are connected to the right person at each company.
The mission of a CVB is to show off its city in the best possible light, and to fulfill that goal it will do everything possible to make sure your event is successful. In addition to providing information about venue sites and hospitality vendors, the CVB can offer collateral material to promote its destination, including brochures, customized maps, and high-resolution videos and imagery.
The Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau is a prime example of a CVB that offers a wide range of free services for meeting and event planners. The City of Long Beach has become a premier event and tourism destination, with major attractions that include the Aquarium of the Pacific, the majestic Queen Mary, and four distinctive museums. Long Beach boasts 11.5 miles of Pacific Ocean beachfront and inland waterways and bays. The possibilities for memorable one-of-a-kind events are endless.
The staff at the Long Beach CVB assists in creating successful experiential events that wow attendees and bring praise to the event planner. Some great past events include beach parties, unique product launches, receptions in the aquarium’s Great Hall, costume parties in the Grand Salon of the Queen Mary, dinner cruises on luxury yachts, Western-style barbecues at an authentic Spanish rancho, and sound-and-light extravaganzas in the new Pacific Room at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center.
Many CVBs offer unique services to meeting and event planners. For example, depending on the size, scope, and attendance of the event, the Long Beach CVB can facilitate personalized welcome letters from the Mayor or key city officials, inclusion in the CVB’s social-media outreach, and public relations assistance in contacting local media. If your group would like to plan an educational or charitable outreach program in the local community, the CVB can advise on the types of opportunities available and assist in contacting local schools, colleges, and charity organizations.
When planning your next event, take a moment to check out the local CVB and see what services it can offer. One phone call can lead to you saving money and a lot of valuable time.
