Megan Athanas, Client Director at Identity, addresses a challenge that comes up constantly: how to elevate your event production to achieve the standard you want within your budget. The answer isn’t complicated, it’s about treating your suppliers as true partners and collaborating from day one.
You’re at CES and the booth next to you is flawless; the attention to detail, the seamless transitions, the quality of finishes that elevate every touchpoint. You have the same space, same supplier, and invested the same dollars. So why does theirs look so much better?
The difference isn’t capability or budget. It’s process. They didn’t just hand off a brief and hope for the best. They worked with their production suppliers as true partners; ongoing dialogue, shared problem-solving, collaborative planning from start to finish.
I’ve seen this play out dozens of times. My most flawless event executions weren’t the ones with the biggest budgets. They were the ones where we operated as one team with our production suppliers, planning together, problem-solving together, and holding the same standard together. That partnership showed in every detail.
Start with visual references, not vague descriptions
“High quality” means different things to different people. For some, it’s clean minimalism. For others, it’s rich fabrication or integrated lighting design. Your production suppliers can’t read your mind.
Bring images. Show examples from events you’ve attended or projects you’ve admired. Point to specific elements: the way floors transition between zones, how signage integrates with architecture, the quality of fabric choices. The more precise you are upfront, the less you’ll have to course-correct during install.
This isn’t micromanaging. It’s clarity. Your suppliers need to understand your standard before they can meet it. Assume nothing is implied. Then keep the conversation going—check in regularly as they develop solutions, answer questions quickly, and stay accessible throughout the process.
Build quality checkpoints into your timeline
High-quality execution requires more pre-production review than compressed timelines typically allow. If you want exceptional finish, you need to create space for it in your schedule.
Request mock-ups for key elements. Insist on material samples before fabrication begins. Schedule site visits during the build, not just at load-in. These checkpoints cost time, but they prevent costly corrections when standards don’t align.
Your production suppliers will push back if your timeline doesn’t support this level of scrutiny. Listen to them. Rushing a quality-focused build guarantees disappointment. Either adjust your schedule or adjust your expectations, you can’t have elevated standards on a compressed timeline.
Here’s the upside: when you build in enough lead time, you create room for creative problem-solving. Your suppliers can explore alternative materials that deliver the same look for less. You can test different fabrication methods. You can find the smart swaps that maintain quality while managing budget. But that only happens when you’re working together early enough to have options.
Specify finishes and materials explicitly
Default specifications in event production assume a certain quality tier. That tier delivers functional, professional results. It does not automatically deliver the refined finishes you’re picturing.
Be explicit about upgrades. If you want seams hidden, say so. If you need custom color matching, specify Pantone references. If lighting needs to feel integrated rather than added, detail exactly how fixtures should be concealed or incorporated into the design.
This level of specification can increase costs, but it doesn’t have to. Exceptional quality doesn’t always require exceptional spend. When you involve your suppliers early and treat them as collaborators, they can suggest where to invest and where to save. Maybe you use a premium finish on guest-facing elements and standard specs behind the scenes. Maybe there’s a locally available material that achieves your vision at half the cost of your first choice. Your production suppliers know these trade-offs, but only if you’re having honest conversations about priorities and budget together.
Trust your supplier’s expertise – and collaborate on solutions
Here’s what clients often miss: achieving your vision sometimes requires creative problem-solving. Venue infrastructure varies. Local regulations differ. Material availability changes.
Your production suppliers know how to get the result you want within real-world constraints. When they suggest alternative approaches, it’s not about cutting corners. It’s about achieving your vision practically. Stay open. Ask questions. Understand their reasoning. The best solutions come from genuine back-and-forth, not one-way orders.
This is where partnership really pays off. Your suppliers aren’t just executing your plan, they’re active contributors to making it better. They see opportunities you might miss. They know which vendors offer the best value. They understand how to sequence work efficiently to save time and money. But they can only bring that expertise to bear if you’re actually working together, not just handing off requirements.
The real difference is in the brief – and in the relationship
Exceptional quality isn’t about geography or mystique. It’s about standards, communication, and genuine collaboration. Set clear expectations. Create time for quality control. Budget appropriately, then work together to maximize every dollar. Choose suppliers who understand your vision and have the skills to execute it, then treat them like the valued team members they are.
The production suppliers who consistently deliver elevated work aren’t working with different materials or bigger budgets. They’re working with better briefs and stronger partnerships. Stay engaged. Communicate constantly. Trust their expertise while bringing your own. Give them the clarity and collaboration they need, and the quality you want becomes entirely achievable, often at a better price point than you’d expect.
