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Presentator op podium bij een groot zakelijk evenement

What an event coordinator actually does

An event coordinator arranges and steers all the practical delivery of an event: transport, suppliers, the timeline, communication on the day and the transitions between programme blocks. Live Impact is an events agency from 's-Hertogenbosch that has been organising corporate events across the Netherlands for more than 20 years. Each year we build 150+ events. Every team has at least one coordinator. Often two.

Where an event manager builds the strategic and creative framework, the coordinator guards the delivery. They make sure that framework runs on the day exactly as it was designed. The coordinator is the linchpin between the client, the venue and every supplier. Everyone knows who the coordinator is. The coordinator knows where everyone is.

How do you spot a good coordinator? Three things. They keep an overview of thirty things at once without losing sight of a single one. Small decisions they make quickly, big decisions in a structured way. And they stay calm when something goes wrong. Without those three qualities the role becomes a stress engine rather than a stabiliser.

The tasks: before, during and after the event

A coordinator works across three time frames, each with its own tasks. Beforehand it is about production preparation, supplier planning and the run sheet. During the event it is about delivery, course corrections and communication. Afterwards it is about wrapping up, settling suppliers and evaluation.

Beforehand, the coordinator takes over the run sheet from the event manager. They call the suppliers, set up the build schedule, create the minute-by-minute plan for the event day and brief the team. Reckon on 40 to 80 hours of preparation for a mid-sized event (150 to 400 guests).

On the day, the coordinator is the only person who keeps the overview. They see whether the band is on time and whether catering is overrunning. They hear whether the speaker asks for a change to the technical set-up. Every decision with no strategic consequence they make themselves. Anything above that escalates to the event manager or client. Afterwards the coordinator arranges the breakdown, the supplier settlement and the evaluation with the team.

When you need a coordinator

Not every event calls for a separate coordinator. A drinks reception for 50 people a senior marketing manager can comfortably handle on the side. But the moment one or more of the following factors comes into play, a coordinator is not a luxury but a necessity.

There are three signals. The first: more than four external suppliers on a single day — think catering, technical production, entertainment, transport and hosts. The second: more than 150 guests, of whom at least one group gets VIP treatment. The third: a programme with more than four substantive switches between stage, workshop and networking moment. Each of those three makes the logistics too complex to do on the side.

A fourth signal is softer but just as important. If the client themselves wants to be present as host, they cannot direct at the same time. The coordinator then stands in for their attention. Without that role, the client cannot be present at their own event.

Types of coordinator: freelance, in-house or through an agency

There are three ways to find a coordinator, each with its own pros and cons: freelance, in-house through your own staff, or through an events agency.

A freelance coordinator works per project. Day rate between €600 and €1,200, excluding preparation hours. Reckon on 3 to 5 days of preparation plus the event day itself. Upside: flexible, often experienced. Downside: no production team to fall back on if something shifts.

In-house coordination works if you run several events a year and the investment in knowledge pays off. An event coordinator on the payroll costs €50,000 to €75,000 gross per year. Upside: the knowledge stays in-house and grows with the company. Downside: one person cannot cover every moment.

Through an events agency you get the coordinator within a team. The agency coordinator works alongside a producer, a content director and a creative. We wrote a separate guide on the choice between freelance and agency. At an agency the backup sits right next to the coordinator. That makes it resilient to drop-out.

What does a coordinator cost per event?

A coordinator for a one-day event costs between €2,500 and €7,500. That range covers preparation hours plus the event day. The price depends on complexity, group size and the seniority of the coordinator.

Indicative prices by event size:

  • Small events (50-100 guests, 1 venue, max 3 suppliers): €2,500 to €3,500
  • Mid-sized events (100-300 guests, 4-6 suppliers): €3,500 to €5,500
  • Large events (300-800 guests, 7+ suppliers, multiple rooms): €5,500 to €9,000
  • Multi-day events or conferences with full production: €8,000 to €18,000

Add to that: travel and accommodation costs for venues outside the region, extra assistance for groups above 400, and overtime for events that run past midnight. We wrote a complete guide on how the total costs of an events agency are made up.

Hiring a coordinator: three questions you ask

Before you hire a coordinator, ask three questions. Those three questions separate the good from the mediocre very quickly.

Question one: can you name three events you have recently delivered, comparable in size and format? Anyone without three concrete cases has too little portfolio experience to handle this event.

Question two: what do you do if the keynote speaker is an hour late? A good coordinator immediately gives three options, ranked by impact. Anyone who hesitates or lists a process instead of a solution cannot decide quickly under pressure.

Question three: which suppliers have you brought with you from earlier events, and why? Experienced coordinators have a fixed pool of technical production, catering and entertainment. That pool is their quality guarantee. Anyone fully dependent on your contacts has no track record of their own to fall back on.

Why Live Impact directs the coordination itself

We create events for companies between 100 and 10,000 employees. From Heijmans and Carglass to SAP. Our coordinators are never separate from the production. They always work in a team with an event manager, a producer and a creative.

At Live Impact we start with a conversation about the goal of the event. After that we set up the production team, in which the coordinator is involved from week one. That makes the day itself a delivery, not an improvisation. The coordinator knows the suppliers. The suppliers know the coordinator. Those small differences make the big differences on the day.

Call 085 401 40 14 or email hello@live-impact.nl to get acquainted. Seriously fun.

Also read

• Event marketing: why a live event makes your message resonate more strongly

• Kick-off program: how to build a day that sticks

• Teambuilding activities: 20 ideas that really work

Frequently asked questions

What does an event coordinator cost for a single day?

An event coordinator for a one-day event costs between €2,500 and €7,500. That range covers preparation hours plus the event day. Small events of 50 to 100 guests with a maximum of three suppliers sit between €2,500 and €3,500. Medium-sized events of 100 to 300 guests with four to six suppliers between €3,500 and €5,500. Large events of 300 to 800 guests with more rooms and seven or more suppliers between €5,500 and €9,000.

Freelance day rates range between €600 and €1,200 per day, plus preparation hours. Expect three to five days of preparation for a medium-sized event. Travel and accommodation costs come separately, as do overtime after midnight and extra assistance above 400 guests.

Want to know more about hiring an event coordinator? Read our full article →

What is the difference between a coordinator and an event manager?

An event manager builds the strategic and creative framework. They set the goal, concept and budget. They are the point of contact for the client during preparation. A coordinator works within that framework and makes sure the delivery on the day itself is right.

The event manager looks ahead and sets the direction. The coordinator looks at the now and sets the order. At small events both roles can sit with one person. At events from 150 guests with four or more suppliers, they are two separate roles. One person can't think strategically and direct practically at the same time.

At Live Impact, the event manager and the coordinator work in the same team from the first brief. That way the coordinator knows the concept from the inside, not just on paper.

Want to know more about hiring an event coordinator? Read our full article →

When do you need an event coordinator?

Not every event needs a separate coordinator. An experienced marketing manager can easily handle drinks for 50 people on the side. But as soon as one of three factors comes into play, a coordinator is no longer a luxury but a necessity.

Three signals. More than four external suppliers on a single day: catering, technology, entertainment, transport, hosts, furniture. More than 150 guests of which one group receives VIP treatment. Or a programme with more than four substantive changes between stage, workshop and networking moment.

A fourth signal is softer but equally important. If the client wants to be present as host himself, he has no capacity to direct at the same time. The coordinator then replaces his attention on the logistical side.

Want to know more about hiring an event coordinator? Read our full article →

Is a freelance coordinator or an agency better?

That depends on complexity and risk. A freelance coordinator works per project, is flexible and often experienced. Day rate between €600 and €1,200. Downside: in case of drop-out or unexpected problems they're on their own. No production team to fall back on.

An agency delivers the coordinator as part of a team. A producer, a content director and a creative sit alongside. At Live Impact that means: every coordinator has back-up at peak moments and in case of drop-out. That makes it resilient to small and large problems.

Choose freelance for standard events with a trusted coordinator and a predictable run sheet. Choose an agency for events with many moving parts, multiple audiences or high reputation risk. You make up the cost difference on the day itself through less stress and fewer mistakes.

Want to know more about hiring an event coordinator? Read our full article →

Can Live Impact handle the coordination of our event?

Yes. Live Impact is an event agency from 's-Hertogenbosch that has been organising corporate events throughout the Netherlands for more than 20 years. Each year we build 150+ events. Every team has at least one coordinator, often two.

We work for companies between 100 and 10,000 staff, from Heijmans to Carglass to SAP. Our coordinators don't operate separately from production. They always work in a team with an event manager, a producer and a creative. As a result, the coordinator knows the concept from the inside and the suppliers from previous projects.

Call +31 85 401 40 14 or email hello@live-impact.nl for an introduction. Seriously fun.

Want to know more about hiring an event coordinator? Read our full article →

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