Event planning is no easy job, and if you’ve organized even as small as a family dinner, you’ll confess that there is more to event planning than meets the eye.
An Event Planner Plays Different Roles
Various skills are required for the role of an event planner. The event planner has to exhibit each skill according to the result he or she hopes to achieve with the prospective client. For instance, communication is a necessary skill for effectively selling a business proposal and getting that contract. Corporate businesses simply do not have the time or the man-power to spend planning events, and in essence hiring a corporate event planner becomes a necessity.
Some Desirable Characteristics Of An Event Planner Include:
1. Communication
Good communication is necessary to convince a prospective client to hire you. Both verbal and writing skills are of utmost importance to enable you to successfully get that client. Good writing skills come in handy for writing a proposal, as well as a good command of English to enable you to convey to your client why you are the right person for the job.
2. Financial Management
This has to do with creating the event to be in line with your client’s budget while taking care to ensure that the client is satisfied with your services. You have to be able to do the math as an event planner and work within the budget.
3. Negotiation Skills
This has to do with the ability to “cut-a-deal” while taking into consideration the client’s needs as regards the details. Working with many suppliers will make it necessary for you to be on top of your game when it comes to reaching a compromise that will make everyone happy.
4. Decision-Making Skills
For an event planner there are no ifs, buts or maybes, it’s either a strong yes or no. You have to be sure that you know, and are ready to make decisions which will give the event that spectacular effect according to the client’s taste.
5. Leadership
As an event planner, relationships with people are key. You will be working with people on your team, individual suppliers and others. You have to know how to make people enjoy working with you, thus you need to know how to relate with people on various levels. As a leader you have to inspire your team to put in their best by setting a good example so as to bring out the best in your team.
6. Organizational Skills
Events are all about getting things done the right way (detail-wise), and at the right time (which of course is before the event), and for this to happen you have to be on your “A-game” when it comes to organizing. This can only be possible if you are really good at prioritizing your workload efficiently to ensure that at the end of the day, the event will be a big success.
Hiring a Corporate Event Planner
Different people ranging from executives to managers employ the services of an event planner to organize gatherings such as parties, meetings, sales conferences etc. The event planner’s responsibility is to put together the event in such a way as to satisfy both the client and the guests.
If you’re trying to find the best event planner for your affair, it’s best to research someone who is experienced and holds a strong reputation within the community of event planners. Word of mouth provides an opportunity for easy sales for a planner wanting to find new clients, but peer reputation is very effective.
One of the many reasons why people employ the services of an event planner is the time factor. Putting together a major event is both time-consuming and stressful; it requires that the individual puts all necessary things and details in place and in time for the success of the event. As a result, people find it a better option to employ the services of an event planner.
In this age of globalization and information technology, an event planner is just a click away, as most event planning companies have a website which can be accessed from your mobile phone. One has to be careful in choosing an event planner because the event planner can either make the event a spectacular one that will be the talk of the town or just a big disaster! Either way, people will talk about the event. Your choice of an event planner is as important as the occasion/event that they will be planning.
Various things need to be considered when planning a corporate event from seating, table arrangement to coordination, entertainment, food catering and sound systems. The qualification of the event planner has to be checked to ensure it suits the type of event in mind, although the peculiarity of their services is dependent on the level of creativity.
Also, some companies ask for payment of part of the fee agreed on to show commitment on the part of the client. The fee agreed on depends on the array of services to be provided by the event-planning company. It is good practice to employ the services of a planning-company that specializes in organizing big events even if you have a small event in mind. Such companies that have perfected their trade of the art of event planning are guaranteed to make your event a big success.
Now that you have decided that you would require the services of an event-planner, you need to decide your budgeting as this will enable you choose a planner that will give you the best value for your money. So you need to sit with your team to discuss logistics; finances and budgeting, payment mode and options, estimates, number of persons and the services that would be rendered by the planner.
Production services are considered the most important in organizing a corporate event. The lighting and stage designs, theme generation, décor, presentation and special effects separate a corporate event from other social events.
Commercial events need the planners to ensure that the theme of the event is in line with the décor to produce the desired effect for the occasion. The event planner and the company hosting the event should work closely to avoid the problem of insufficient funds due to under-budgeting. The finance department has a key role to play in this regard to ensure that the company gets value for every kobo spent and also, that all money spent is adequately accounted for.
Featured photo credit: Clearly Classy Event via clearlyclassyevents.com
