1) What kind of events does Complete do planning and Management for? Click Here
2) What size events does Complete do? Click Here
3) Can I plan my event by myself? Click Here
4) How much is it going to cost me to have an event planner? Click Here
5) I am behind schedule on the recommended planning time line for my event, can Complete help me get back on schedule?
6) How does Complete keep each event unique?
Click Here
7) Where can I go to get more information about Complete? Click Here
8) What thoughts inspire Complete to do what it does? Click Here
9) Are references for Complete Inc. available? Click Here
10) What vendors does Complete recommend? Click Here
11) My event is being planned locally but we need to travel for the actual day of the event. Is Complete equipped to do that? Click Here
12) What is a CMP? Click Here
13) This event is critical to my job performance. How can I be sure that Complete is the right fit for my event?Click Here
14) I want Complete to appear to my guests to be a part of my organizations. Can they do that? Click Here
15) I have a new event that organization has never done before. What kinds of things can Complete do to help alleviate my concerns? Click Here
16) Can Complete help with my Marketing efforts? Click Here
17) How soon should I start planning my event? Click Here
18) I feel a lot of fear & resistance about trusting someone else with my event. How will I maintain control over it? Click Here
19) In what ways can an event planner save me money? Click Here
20) I want to project manage my event bit I need to extend my staff/support network. Will Complete do that?
FAQ's and Answers
1)Q. What kind of events does Complete do planning and Management for?
A. Corporate , Non-Profit and Private . TOP
2) Q. What size events does Complete do?
A. Events range from small and intimate gatherings for 4 people to fund raising foot races for 8,500 people. TOP
Turkey Trot 2007 at the finish line.
3) Q. Can I plan my event by myself?
A. It would be a lie to tell you that you can't plan your own event. Event planning requires attention to detail, contract negotiations, coordinating with multiple vendors, tracking RSVPs, creating an event timeline, set-up and break down of the venue. Event planners have years of experience, ability to leverage professional relationships with other vendors to save you money and can help save you from costly mistakes while also alleviating stress. TOP
4) Q. How much is it going to cost me to have an event planner?
A. The fees you will pay for an event planner will generally range from 10%-20% of your overall budget, depending on the planning time needed and the complexity of your event. Talk to your event planner because a sliding scale on the fees maybe available. At Complete Inc. we offer a discounted rate to Non-Profit organizations. See question 19 on ways an event planner can save me money. TOP
5) Q. I am behind schedule on the recommended planning timeline for my event, can Complete help me get back on schedule?
A. Yes, we have the resources and expertise to get your event logistics taken care of and make sure your event happens on the date your selected. TOP
6) Q. How does Complete Inc. keep each event unique?
A. The key here is that we understand that every event is unique - even if it is similar to other events we have planned before. We prefer to stay in the present and concentrate on the elements that make an event special. We respect the level of trust our clients give to us and work hard to uphold that responsibility. By the time the event happens we want to have helped create an occasion that has the right look and feel for the people or organization that hired us. It is our goal to provide our clients with an event that not only delights their guests but most importantly delights our clients! TOP
Where we started... Almost Finished
7) Q. Where can I go to get more information about Complete?
A. See profile for Carole Whitman-Smith, President & CEO of Complete Inc. on LinkIn
http://www.linkedin.com/in/carolewhitmansmith. See section on client testimonials. References are available upon request. Call Carole Whitman-Smith to request them at (408) 728-5366 TOP
8) Q. What thoughts inspire Complete to do what it does?
A. There is a fantastic quote by Dean Koontz from the book "Life Expectancy".
We offer it here for your to consideration:
Nobody’s life should be rooted in fear.
We are born for wonder, for joy, for hope, for love, to marvel at the mystery of existence, to be ravished by the beauty of the world, to seek truth and meaning, to acquire wisdom, and by our treatment of others to brighten the corner where we are.
Dean Koontz, Life Expectancy, Dec 2004 TOP
9) Q. Are refernces for Complete Inc. available?
A. References are available upon request. Call Carole Whitman-Smith to request them at (408) 728-5366 TOP
10) Q. What vendors does Complete recommend?
A. See list of recommended vendors with links are available on this website. Click Here For Vendors TOP
The Chief is moving and shaking to get dinner out on time!
11) Q. My event is being planned locally but we need to travel for the actual day of the event. Is Complete equiped to do that?
A. Yes, Complete Inc. can help you plan all the logistics for taking your event on the road. We can help to book the venue, hotels and air travel. We will also help you pack whatever you need to put on your event. TOP
12) Q.What is a CMP?
A. The Convention Industry Council certifies experienced event planners who have been both tested and have a wide variety of experience with a CMP designations. An event planner must submit an application to be considered for the exam, must study for 6 months and pass a rigorous test on a wide body of standardized knowledge. Only then do they achieve the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation. TOP
13) Q. This event is critical to my job performance. How can I be sure that Complete is the right fit for my event?
A. At Complete Inc. we understand that many times the person responsible for putting on an event has someone else they have to report up to about the planning and progress. We want to help our clients shine with their guests as well as with their co-workers, family and executive management. These days just being able to handle multiple priorities isn't enough. If money is being budgeted for something then it must have a high level of excellence. Our goal is to allow our client to continue to do what they do best so they can stay on top of their day to day responsibilities and at the same time plan and deliver an extraordinary event with real value add. TOP
14) Q. I want Complete to appear to my guests to be a part of my organizations. Can they do that?
A. When we work with our clients one of the first things we try to acertain is the best way to support them within their corporate or personal culture. In cases where our clients may be inviting high level executives, elected officials or celebrities often times it must appear that Complete is an extension of the organization we are hired to help. We measure our success on the success we can help bring to our client. TOP
Carole at Plate to Plate 5K run as staff for Hand to Hand.
15) Q. I have a new event that organization has never done before. What kinds of things can Complete do to help allieviate my concerns?
A. The first thing we do at Complete is to sit down and have at least one session (often several) where we talk about how to execute on the goal in a way that doesn't feel over whelming. New ideas and events can easily feel daunting and we take the time to understand the need for the event, the culture and what works right for our client. We can offer feedback about how to accomplish the event, leverage our relationships and connections to help our client achieve their goal. Complete can create a timeline to break the planning into managable pieces with measurable milestones. TOP
16) Q. Can Complete help with my Marketing efforts?
A. Almost all events have an element of marketing. Complete has been involved with the planning and management of hundreds of events and can help structure a marketing plan for most any event. We recommend for large fund raisers and Corporate events that you hire a professional marketing service for the same reason you would hire an event planner, a marketing company will be able to leverage their connections, experience and help deliver the desired results. TOP
17) Q. How soon should I start planning my event?
A. Sooner is always better than later! The level of detail that event planning requires can overwhelm you. Here are some general planning timelines for various events:
Fund Raisers - 6-12 months
Employee Appreciation Events - 3-6 months
Conference/Seminar - 12-18 months
Parties - 2-4 months
Weddings - 6-15 months
Grand Opening - 1-3 months TOP
18) Q. I feel a lot of fear & resistance about trusting someone else with my event. How will I maintain control over it?
A. We realize how hard it is to let go of something when the outcome is critical. Early in our conversations with our clients we take the time to understand how to best support them and adjust what we do to fit the client's need. Our clients frequently like to oversee the planning of the event from a project manager vantage point. At Complete we plan to meet with our clients on a regular basis - as much as once a week - to report on the planning progress. We may also make contract arrangements, hashing out the details and then handing them over for final review and approval to our client. At all times we want our actions to be as transparent to our client as possible so they do know exactly what we are doing. TOP
19) Q. In what ways can an event planner save me money?
A. While it is true that an event planner is an additional line item expense there are many ways that an event planner can help you to save money. Event planners can utilize their vast experience to help avoid costly mistakes, leverage long term professional relationships to get a lower cost, negotiate reduced fees on contracts - asking for things that should be provided free of cost, and allow our client to focus on their core compentency - like fund raising - so that they can maintain the quality of their responsiblities. TOP
20) Q. I want to project manage my event but I need to extend my staff/support network. Will Complete do that?
A. For all events Complete Inc approaches them prepared to support our client in whichever way fits with their need. If our clients want to project manage the event planning themselves or if they want us to do the project management we are prepared to change our approach to suit the style of our client. When we partner with our clients we want them to feel just like we are a part of their staff or an extension of their organization. TOP
The Complete Inc. Team
