Debunking Outsourcing Myths: Unveiling the Truth About Freelance Talent Providers

Myth 1: They aren’t reliable

One of the most prevalent misconceptions is that freelance talent providers lack reliability. We understand the worries; after all, entrusting your critical events to “outsiders” requires confidence.

While many traditional freelance marketplaces offer inconsistent results, trusted and proven partners do exist, and they can offer the perfect balance of processes, technology, and human touch providing a high level of dependability, ensuring your freelance event staffing needs are sourced with both quality and speed.

The key is choosing a partner who specializes in and has proven experience with finding talent specific to the industry. This ensures the freelance talent will possess the right skillsets, have a working history of your industry and its regulations and can ultimately hit the ground running with no downtime.

Myth 2: They are only for IT & Marketing companies

Another common myth is flexible talent providers are only suited to support technology and marketing projects. Thankfully, this couldn’t be further from the truth, from accounting to healthcare, and any industry you can think of, freelance talent providers are no longer limited to just marketing or technology. This is especially true when talking about meetings and events.

Believe it or not, the events industry has used freelancers for over 35 years, and with thousands of meeting professionals transitioning their careers to freelance after 2020, the need for flexible talent providers within this space has never been greater.

Myth 3: They are a transient solution

Many organizations view talent providers as a one-time or one-off solution, but those who choose to partner long-term will experience ongoing value. For starters, a full-service partner can alleviate the burden of finding, engaging, and paying event freelancers. Beyond this, you’ll benefit from reduced compliance risk when it comes to freelancer engagement. All of these items removed from your plate enable you and your team to not only reduce burnout but also get back to focusing on what you do best; meeting and event execution.

Perhaps most importantly, strategically partnering with a flexible talent provider enables you and your team to build and nurture long-term relationships with the globe’s top industry talent. It is these types of relationships that will enable you to rapidly and confidently scale your event workforce to meet demand.

Myth 4: They are only for 11th hour emergencies

While it’s true that flexible talent providers can come to the rescue in urgent situations, to think of them only as a last-minute resource is to overlook their true value. As we’ve previously mentioned, looking at a provider as a strategic partner creates immediate value that only increases over time. Clients reduce overall event costs, boost ROI, and inevitably, are freed up to focus on core, revenue-generating tasks.

A top-of-class provider will not only design a talent solution to meet your unique freelance staffing needs, but they will tailor a program that grows with you over time, ensuring you have a deep & dependable community of independent meeting professionals you can access quickly and strategically.

Whether your events are imminent, scheduled for next month, or planned for next quarter, having a trusted partner on tap will guarantee peace of mind in the form of unmatched support, quality and reliability.

Myth 5: It’s all or nothing

Some organizations hesitate to embrace outsourcing because they fear the talent provider will try to replace their existing workforce entirely. At Plannernet, we firmly believe the future of event labor must encompass freelancers, but we are confident optimal event teams moving forward should be made up of the right balance of full-time all-stars, technology, and of course, independent talent.

Freelancers should not be an either-or decision. A proven talent provider with experience in the meeting and event industry will extend your team as needed, and help get your blended event workforce off the ground. This approach is the best way to benefit from a freelancer’s specialized skillset in a way that complements your internal resources, not replaces them.

Myth 6: It’s better to manage things in-house

The belief that internal management is always preferable overlooks the significant advantages that partners like Plannernet offer. From giving up control to cost concerns, there are a myriad of reasons companies think it’s better to keep things in-house.

However, finding, engaging, and paying freelance labor has never been more complex, not to mention, trying to do all these things while staying within budget and without inviting compliance risks.

The good news? You don’t have to do it alone! A full-service solution like a Managed Service Provider removes all these administrative burdens from your team’s plate. While a marketplace may have flashy technology, you don’t want a solution that blindly bids out opportunities. A full-service partner will focus on collaborating with you, to co-create a talent solution addressing your specific needs.

This type of strategic partner is the most effective way to reduce the time, effort, and costs associated with accessing & engaging freelance meeting & event professionals. The strategic allocation of resources and operational efficiencies gained often results in lower costs, and increased ROI.

Final Thoughts

When used strategically, the right talent provider can create a bridge between you and the globe’s best event freelancers. With the burden of sourcing and managing freelance professionals lifted, your staff can focus on delivering exceptional event experiences for years to come.

By debunking these myths, you can finally enjoy the full benefits of event freelancers without the administrative headaches.

At Plannernet, our goal is to make it easier for you to access meeting and event talent at both speed and scale. If this sounds like something that would be valuable to you, we encourage you to contact a Plannernet specialist today to learn more!