A well-run convention can have electric energy. In a convention, hundreds or thousands of people all meet for a mutually held purpose. The COVID-19 pandemic put a pause on these gatherings, but now they’re back. Businesses looking to hit the ground running when it comes to conventions need the best staffing possible to stand out.
It can be challenging to get an excellent event staff together. We see businesses spending countless hours preparing only to discover, too close to their execution dates, that they don’t know exactly what they need in terms of staffing. Perfectly executing your company’s pitch at a convention all comes down to hiring a great event staff.
What Kind of Staffing Do You Need?
We find that the first step — once a company decides how they want to present at a convention — is to define what kind of convention staffing they need. For example, the yearly Comic-Con convention in San Diego is home to many performances. Brands promoting their new stories and characters fight for the attention of the convention’s 150,000 attendees. To stand out in a large crowd, companies need to ensure that any performers they hire are top-notch.
Here are questions to ask when considering your needs for event staffing:
- Do we need bartenders or servers to offer food and beverages?
- Is there a presentation in which professional models could help preview our product?
- Does our event staff need to have any special skills?
- How do we envision our event staff to look?
- Would it be beneficial to have bilingual event staff?
- Does event staff need to collect data?
- Do we need an event manager to oversee event staff?
- Do we need temp staff for just one convention or full-time staff that will travel to multiple events?
Ensuring that staffing needs are perfectly met will always put a company ahead of its competition.
Should You Use an Event Staffing Agency?
Event staffing agencies specialize in providing companies with what they’re looking for. They’ve fielded varied requests for staff, so it’s likely that whatever a company’s needs are, they’ll have someone for the job.
When using an event staffing agency, you only have to do one interview for your entire staff — the interview with the agency. Once you find a staffing agency you like and communicate your needs, you can confidently trust them to provide you with excellent staff.
What To Look For in an Event Staffing Agency
You need to look for an event staffing agency to help you find the staff you need and allow you to have more time on your hands for other business concerns. Here are considerations to make when choosing an agency to work with.
Experience
Many event staffing agencies out there offer beautiful people to promote a brand, but that’s not enough. You want an event staffing agency that specializes in conference staff management and logistics. A staffing agency shouldn’t just provide people but understand exactly how specific events work. Be sure to ask a potential agency about their event experiences. Ask them for details on what jobs are needed at your specific kind of event.
Discretion
You’ll also want to know that an agency is discreet. Sensitive marketing information will be shared with an event staffing agency and the staff it hires. An agency that exercises discretion will not advertise its biggest clients out of respect for their privacy. Take a look at an event staffing agency’s website and see if they’re name-dropping — that’s a red flag.
Work Environment
A good company attracts good employees. Dig into the internal culture of an agency. You can look to employees’ social media, read reviews on employer websites like Glassdoor, or look for word-of-mouth information. Ensure that an agency is not only meeting the minimum requirements for paying event staff but also providing them with perks.
Once you choose and work with an event staffing agency, you can contribute to a positive working environment. Be sure to let an agency know which employees do a great job and who you’d like to work with. These employees look good to their employer, your company can feel confident in getting consistently great event staff, and life is easier for the agency that already knows what a company likes.
An Event Staff That Stands Out at Conventions
It will take time to find your perfect staffing agency. Plan several months before your convention to begin vetting event staffing agencies. The earlier you start, the longer you have to find the agency that can meet your needs.
Brand Activate creates unique experiences where brands, consumers, and culture convene. We interview and hire the best event staff in the business because that’s what you need to stand out from your competition. Brand activate doesn’t just supply people. Brand Activate utilizes innovation, technology, and talent to create strategic programs that connect brands with your company’s target consumers. Contact us to learn more.