A Necessary Evil

VIP. It is a very necessary evil and if your event requires one make sure you handle it the right way. How do you get around the sticky situation of who is considered "very important" and who isn't? Thankfully, VIP is usually only needed at corporate and entertainment affiliated events so people should be quite familiar with their position on the totem pole, however your mismanagement of the VIP section can really present a problem at your event. Company executives, sponsors, celebrities or other people who for some good reason should not have to mix with the masses are the only people who should be VIP status. There are two ways of handling this. One, you could create a VIP list or two you could hand out wristbands to VIP guest during check in. If you don't use wristbands, stickers or stamps could also work. Secondly, every person on your event production team should know the procedure for VIP guests- it is not VIP if your guests have to argue with security. VIP guests should be escorted swiftly to the denoted area and have access to their own food and drinks. It would be helpful if you could provide a waitstaff for the guest because it discourages them from having to leave the VIP area often. VIP areas are created out of respect and basic safety concerns and should not be used as a tool of power, otherwise the whole thing could blow up in your face. The president of a company, whether its the company throwing the event or a sponsor, should not have to wait in line for food when they are partly responsible for making sure the food is there. A celebrity or other special guest should not have to worry about being mobbed for autographs while trying to enjoy themselves. VIP areas should be maintained to make sure that all of your guests needs are being considered and addressed. If you really want the VIP section to be totally private then VIP guest should know their status ahead of time and have their own entrance or parking. This of course would be necessary at a huge event where there is a big mix of celebrities and non celebrities. It allows for people with the same interests to be grouped together so that each group can enjoy themselves. Executives at an event, might want to discuss business or monitor how the event is progressing from a different view. The VIP section allows this to happen. If you want your event to remain classy then don't use the VIP as bait... in other words people who aren't in VIP don't need to need know about it and if they do they should be having such a great time at your event that they aren't trying to get in there. VIP has such a negative elitist connotation when that really wasn't its first purpose. Obviously, whenever you separate two groups and cater personally to one group more than the other it will cause problems. So make sure that you keep the VIP stigma to a minimum by deflating the hype and keeping your mouth shut about its inner workings.

crystal p smith
event solutions
crystal@eventsolutions.com
Southern California Event Planning