Event Strategy Consulting: Closing the gap between idea and execution

It is a connected economy worldwide and the internet of things has enabled business people to work with whoever we want. There is no limit to the type or amount of knowledge we can source for projects. Game-changing results require game-changing thinking and I’ve witnessed that the best way to get the most well-rounded thinking to sit at the same table is to bring subject matter experts and consultants, or SME’s if you will, into the fold. 

Consulting projects have allowed me to bring my event industry and project management brain power to the table where some structure already exists. Our clients have identified the need for additional specialist knowledge within the realm of their project and we have been lucky enough to be chosen to bring that knowledge to their tables.

A Subject Matter Expert is a person who is an authority in a particular topic. Individuals designated as SME’s are sought by others that are interested in learning more about or leveraging their unique expertise to solve a specific problem or meet a particular need that they’re not sure how to do….yet.

What does that REALLY mean?
Smart people, with a sharp focus on a specific area, bringing new, out of the box thinking to the table.

I’ve been on both sides of this before, both as the corporate client and now the consultant. Regardless of the project, scope, scale, size or depth of the project, there are a number of ways to ensure you are a winning consultant or, if you are the client, to ensure you get what you need from the help you’ve enlisted.

Time is the new currency.

While clients can usually identify where they lack specific knowledge and therefore engage an SME for guidance, what they’re typically searching for is the ability to free up more time in their day. Learning a new way of thinking can take a lot of time and that is something that is short in the corporate world. Consultants have to know their stuff inherently, inside and out, as if it flows effortlessly from their bloodstream. Educating clients on a macro level and delivering micro solutions is the key to giving clients time back into their projects. 

The strength of conviction goes a long way.

Confidence and knowledge go hand in hand. They are equally important as a winning consultant. The greatest gift that a consultant can give their client, once they’ve taught them a thing or two in their realm, is the confidence that a project is with the right people.. The best consultants I’ve worked with have a steady hand, look me in the eyes when navigating a new idea, and take challenges away with an upbeat self-assuredness. 

Don’t just advise; do.

In the Wikipedia sense of the word, a consultant’s job is to advise. The job may technically stop once the call is over, or the meeting ends, or the do-ers take the newfound tasks away, sure, but does this create a long-lasting relationship? Likely not. Our philosophy is if you can do it, do it. Consultants who can advise, AND deliver tangible results always win over those who can’t. And clients know the difference.

Engaging the knowledge of a subject matter expert in the event industry is a huge opportunity for corporations to close the gap between “we have an objective and we want to use experiential to fulfill” and “how do we do that?”. 

Here’s how: Find the right strategic partner, put them on speed dial, and cast a wide net within their knowledge base to tap into decades of expertise you didn’t even know you needed.