Organizing a big event with high-profile guests

2022-08-19T10:10:52

Marketing Manager of Kindred, Teemu Aropaltio shares how to tackle the demands and surprises while hosting a big-scale event with high-profile guests.

Organizing a big event with high-profile guests – a challenge or walk in the park?

In the end of July, sports celebrities and high-profile guests gathered at Rae Golf Course to take part in the golf tournament. Among the participants were Mika Häkkinen, Esa Tikkanen, Sami Välimäki, Jare Brant, Jari Litmanen, to name a few. The event’s organizer, Marketing Manager of Kindred, Teemu Aropaltio shares how to tackle the demands and surprises when hosting a big-scale event with high-profile guests who stayed in Tallink City Hotel.

“High-profile people have used to a certain level of treatment which they expect everywhere. Since this was also our guest profile, these expectations applied to our event,” Teemu explains. He has to think ahead a lot to make these people happy. This is his priority. Since his company has worked with the same high-profile people for many years, he already knows their expectations and wishes. High-profile guests also have buzy schedules, so there are always changes that require flexibility. At the end of the day, everyone they work with is a professional.

Last minute challenges

They started putting together the general structure of the golf tournament six months ahead. Since they recently opened an office in Tallinn, it seemed natural to organize the event here. The entertainment company has several partners related to golf, so the idea for the event came effortlessly. But before an idea comes to life, much work must be done.

“My phone rings constantly, and I know there will always be last-minute changes. I am used to this, and it’s okay. There is no need to worry about unpredictability but focus on finding solutions,” he describes the mindset for organizing a large-scale event. Luckily, he has several people on whom to rely. “Our team is quite big, and it’s not that hard since tasks are always delegated. We work with professionals in the field, and we trust these people. That’s why usually everything runs smoothly.”

Back-up plan and partners

Teemu admits that sometimes there is a plan B, but they prefer to go with a flow and react according to how things develop. That needs flexibility. He gives an example: “One of our ambassadors was supposed to join us here in Tallinn, but couldn’t make it. These things happen.” He points out that when organizing big events, one must carefully select the partners with whom to work. “There have been lots of changes regarding ferry tickets and accommodation. We have managed to tackle these challenges thanks to Tallink and Tallink Hotels. In these situations, it is crucial to act urgently and luckily, Tallink has offered this to us.”

He emphasizes that it is vital for them to have a big and experienced company as a partner. “We need the certainty that we can rely on our partners, and they have everything in order. Naturally, the hotels where our guests stay have to be representative. So it was easy to choose Tallink – they have ships, hotels and restaurants. At the same time, we always go into partnership considering future cooperation prospects. Then we already know the team, conditions and opportunitites that we can count on. We bring a lot of visitors to Tallinn and have exciting events coming up, so a strong local partner is crucial to us.“

So, starting to plan a big event half a year ahead, is always a good idea. To make the journey smooth, one needs a strong team and reliable partners who fulfill each other, and with whom to make the magic happen.