Starting an event staffing company can be a challenging but rewarding venture. The demand for temporary staff at events is typically high and consistent. There are many types of events that require staff, such as festivals, conferences, trade shows, and private parties.
The staffing needs for events are also well-defined. The number of staff needed, the skills and experience required, and the duration of the assignment are usually clear. This can make it easier to plan and organize the staffing process.
Depending on the scope and focus of your business, it may be relatively inexpensive to start an event staffing agency. Having some financial resources can help you invest a bit in equipment, supplies, and marketing materials. But you can keep your initial costs to a bare minimum by starting small and gradually growing your business.
Event staffing agencies have the flexibility to choose their clients and events. This makes it easier to manage your workload and schedule. It also gives you freedom to turn down work that doesn’t align with your business goals. Now you can really focus on your favorite types of events or services.
The main challenges of starting an event staffing agency
Competition
The event staffing industry can be competitive, particularly in urban areas. With a large number of companies vying for business, you’ll need to differentiate yourself from your competitors.
There are several ways an event staffing company can stand out to attract clients.
What makes a staffing agency successful?
- If your competitors offer a more general range of services, you could focus on a specific type of event or service. This could be corporate events, weddings, or outdoor festivals
- You could differentiate your company by offering unique or luxury services. Think artisanal cocktails, gourmet catering, or other high-end offerings that set you apart from your competitors.
- Providing exceptional customer service can really help you stand out in a crowded market. Build strong relationships with your clients, and remain responsive to their needs. If you go above and beyond to ensure that their events are successful, your business will flourish.
- While you don’t want to sacrifice quality or profitability, competitive pricing can sometimes help you win business. You could consider offering promotions or discounts, or simply being transparent and upfront about your pricing.
Logistics
Planning and managing event staff is essentially a variety of logistical tasks. Coordinating with clients and venues, handling transportation and training are just the beginning of a long list. An event staffer needs to ensure that everything runs smoothly on the day of the event.
- Start planning for an event as early as possible. Leave time to handle all the logistical details and ensure that everything runs smoothly. This includes coordinating with clients and venues, arranging transportation and setup, and training the staff.
- Develop a timeline for each event. Write down all relevant tasks with specific deadlines. This will help you stay organized and ensure that nothing falls through the cracks.
- Good communication is key to successful event logistics. Make sure to keep clients informed about your plans and progress. Also remain responsive to any questions or concerns they may have.
- Communicate tasks to your staff well in advance. Provide them with any resources or support they need to succeed.
- Be flexible: Things don’t always go as planned, so adapt to changes as they arise. This could mean making last-minute changes to your timeline or adjusting your plans in response to unforeseen circumstances.
- Use technology to your advantage. There are many tools and technologies available to help event staffing companies manage logistics. There is scheduling software, project management tools, and staff management apps specifically built for agencies. By using these tools effectively, you can streamline your processes and make it easier to handle logistical tasks.
Staff management
As a staffing agency, our core asset is your team members who will work at various events. Make sure that your staff is well-trained, motivated, and capable of delivering high-quality service to your clients. This can help to build a strong reputation for your agency, attract new business, and retain current clients.
A thriving business will have little turnover and increase retention of your best employees. High employee turnover can be costly and disruptive to your business. It requires lots of time and resources to constantly hire and train new staff!
Invest in your staff through training and development, benefits, and a positive work environment. This way you can help to retain your top performers and reduce the need for frequent recruitment. Appropriate training and equipment will also reduce the likelihood of accidents or other incidents.
The main challenges of staff management
Recruiting
One of the main challenges of starting an event staffing company is finding and recruiting skilled and reliable staff. You will need to invest time and resources into finding and training the right people for the job.
There are several strategies that event staffing companies can use to recruit skilled and reliable staff:
- One way to find potential candidates is to advertise job openings on job boards, social media, and other platforms. This can help you attract people who are actively looking for work in the event staffing industry.
- Recruitment companies specialize in finding and placing qualified candidates in jobs. They may be able to help you find the right staff for your event staffing company.
- Another way to find skilled and reliable staff is to ask your current employees for referrals. This can be a good way to find reliable people who are already familiar with the event staffing industry.
Managing schedules
Scheduling staff is often complex and time-consuming. Have a system in place to ensure that events run smoothly. You are responsible for your staff being in the right place at the right time!
- The sooner you start planning for an event, the more time you’ll have to recruit and schedule staff. This is especially important if you’re staffing a large event. You may also have many clients with overlapping event schedules.
- Maintain a list of available staff, including their skills, availability, and contact information. This will make it easier to find the right people for each event from a pool of qualified candidates.
- Scheduling software can be especially helpful for last-minute events, as it allows you to quickly find and schedule available staff. Many scheduling tools also have mobile apps for staff to check their schedules and confirm assignments on the go.
- In addition to maintaining a roster of full-time or part-time staff, consider building a network of freelance staff. They can replace workers who cancel, or show up when you need extra help. These staff members can be especially useful for last-minute events, as they may be able to work on short notice.
- Partnering with other staffing agencies can be a helpful way to find additional staff for last-minute events. This can be especially useful if you both specialize in different types of event or service. This way you can refer irrelevant clients to other agencies and vice versa.
How we can help
Zelos Team Management is a easy-to-use app for staffing agencies. It is perfect for creating a central communication and job board for both full-time and on-demand employees. We have pricing options to support agencies of all different sizes – from “free” to “enterprise”.
Sign up for a free account, or get in touch with our team for a personal consultation.