For a small business organizing an event like a staff retreat, it’s not always practical to hire an event planner. But if you’re looking for an involved affair with large crowds, entertainment or multiple speakers, hiring the right professional may actually translate into savings. Some local venues also offer full in-house, complementary planning services — just do your homework, as you would with anything else.

Annemarie Juhlian, who had owned two event companies on the Eastside producing high-level Seattle events, says planners are invaluable for conferences and conventions, especially events that have a guest list of more than a hundred and go beyond one day, as well as fundraising functions.

“The best-orchestrated events feel paced and fabulous, but there’s someone flying under the radar,” says Juhlian (www.annemariejuhlian.com), who is based on Bainbridge Island and currently does planning mostly for weddings and small events. “Meeting planning and event planning looks easy, but it’s a tsunami.”

One of the first questions she recommends asking planners is what they can bring to the table and are the advantages of hiring them. Another important question is whether the planner can stay within the budget.

“Have measurable goals and a job description for a planner,” she says. “The goals will depend on your event.”

She says the smartest way to start is by looking inside the company first to see if somebody can do the job in-house. But this should be a person “whose responsibilities are soft enough to absorb the chaos of event planning.”

In today’s business world, so many employees are maxed out that adding event planning to their plate would not be wise. But even when hiring an outside planner, it’s a good idea to designate someone on staff to be a “confidant” on behalf of the company, Juhlian says.

Good communication is important while working with a planner, and Juhlian says that also means trusting the professional to do the job, unless there’s a reason he or she violates that trust.

“Micromanage it in the beginning to make sure it goes in the right direction and then let go,” she says. “But be clear on your expectations and make sure the planner can articulate them in writing.”

Terry Halvorson, general manager at Kitsap Conference Center (www.kitsapconferencecenter.com), says it’s perfectly fine to want something done your way, since ultimately, it’s your event. The conference center has two sales and planning managers on staff who can help clients using the facility to plan the logistics of the event including coordinating multiple speakers, audiovisual equipment, decorations and catering.

“If we think our recommendation is a better way to do it, we will say that but at the end of the day, it’s the clients’ event,” she says. “You want to listen to the experts but if there’s something you want a certain way, it should be that way.”

Halvorson says a planner can both help someone who already has a clear vision of the event, and someone who doesn’t know where to start. “If (the clients) have a sense of the number of people attending, budget and time of day, that helps,” she says. “We ask them, what kind of picture do they have of their event. If they have a clear vision, our role is to listen and to make suggestions. If they don’t know, we’ll help.”

It’s important to know what the planner and the venue will provide and what is left up to the client. Some venues, for example, have everything down to various décor while others don’t provide things like chairs (or they charge extra for different things, so it’s important to know how that will impact the budget).

As a general rule, most planners and venues can get very creative about the budget, but they’ll also tell a client if they’re not a good match.

Tiffany Schenk, food and beverage manager at Clubhouse at McCormick Woods (www.clubhousemw.com), says one of her venue’s planners can assist with everything from creating a menu based on the theme and budget, to helping with room layout and centerpieces. The services are complementary and it’s up to the clients to what extent they use them; they could leave everything in the planners’ hands except for inviting the guests.

“It helps to know a date and a budget is very helpful but not 100 percent necessary,” she says.

Asked what are the advantages of working with a planner, she says, “The biggest advantage is that I do this every day, this is my job. I know what works well, and I only refer people (like DJs) we’ve worked with for a long time and I would back up 100 percent.”

The amount of communication with the planner during the process will depend on the type of event, and some companies will meet with their planners or venue planners five or more times, while others are comfortable discussing all the details on the phone (it’s not unusual for someone to rent a venue unseen either).

What’s important, Schenk says, is to work with a planner who has an open-door policy and can accommodate last-minute requests. And don’t be afraid to do homework before hiring.

“I would check references and how long they’ve been in business, and how much experience they have,” Schenk says.