An event planner orchestrates an event, manages all of the moving components, and ensures that everyone has a good time. To ensure that the event runs smoothly from start to end, you must manage all stages of the process, including selecting sites, hiring caterers, entertainment providers, and other vendors.

You need to have the event planned out in your head and on a spreadsheet full of requirements the event needs. you’ll need to be good at putting together an event from beginning to end while staying on top of details as well as keeping to a budget. That way, if problems arise, you’ll already have a strategy in place.

If you enjoy organizing various functions and events for people and organizations, consider studying event management . A bachelor’s degree is all it takes to work in event planning for businesses such as event firms, convention bureaus, hotels, catering companies and travel agencies.

Most event and meeting planners start out as event assistants in related organizations. Assistants are responsible for assisting event managers with event preparation, from pre-event planning to on-site management during an event. Assistants often get a front-row seat to all aspects of event planning , allowing them to expand their skill set until they’re ready to take over responsibility for larger events .

As a event planner, you’ll handle a budget, timetable, and providers to arrange everything from weddings to major openings. You’re also in charge of all event-related duties as an event manager, including venue selection, catering arrangements, entertainment booking and managing vendors.

Identify potential event issues or complications, then develop solutions to ensure the event runs smoothly. Event planners must be organized and focused on keeping everyone involved in the event informed of their roles, as they often work with limited budgets and deadlines.

The first step is to create a detailed event proposal. This will help you get a sense of what kinds of events are held where, when, and why. It takes more work and time than organizing an average party or wedding. There’s much more planning ahead of you than simply saying “I’m having an event.” In fact, the majority of your job will be preparing the area beforehand.

You’ll need to hire people for various tasks like making arrangements, preparing food, security checking , hiring public speakers (if it’s not already done), developing marketing materials for social media and so on.

In this industry, having the proper talents, skills and knowledge base is critical to success. Learn what a event manager does depending on the occasion. It also takes time to develop experience in the job, but salaries for entry-level jobs such as assistant managers or customer service are above average compared to other entry level occupations.

26 Tips To Be The Best Event Planner

Professional experience, knowledge, and qualities event managers must have:

1. Planning Skills

Event planners must know how to establish event goals and prioritize event requirements. They also need to possess solid organizational skills, as event planning requires working with various suppliers. Managing vendors is likely a large part of the role. You work to ensure that the event runs smoothly from beginning to end, with sufficient time allocated for event setup, event teardown , and event breakdown.

2. Communication Skills

Interpersonal skills are essential for event organizers to work efficiently event management activities . Event Managers must be able to communicate clearly, concisely and directly with clients and vendors, event staff, event sponsors and event participants.

3. Critical Thinking Skills

When faced with unanticipated situation, such as a tragedy at an event or when clients request changes to plans on-site, you may be called upon to make critical decisions in real time. As a result, it’s critical that event you will be able to think critically and logically under pressure while working together toward the common objective of producing successful events.

4. Creativity

As an event planner, your job may demand creativity when it comes to planning new events. When brainstorming ideas for which location would be best suited to the event, such as theme concepts or event timetable planning, creative thinking is beneficial. You may also need to utilize your imagination while developing an event budget or sourcing sponsorships for your events.

5. Presence

Event planners are required to be on site throughout the event to make sure it runs smoothly. This might involve setting up events or keeping an eye on things like audio visuals, decor, cleanliness, food procurement, equipment arrival and so on. It is critical to have excellent customer service abilities in order to interact with vendors and attendees of your events.

6. Networking

Networking plays an important role in event planning as referrals from previous event attenders are typically your additional source of getting more events. Moreover, being able to professionally network with sponsors, influential leaders who may hold events in the future, community figures or event participants helps you secure more future event deals.

7. Selling Skills

Whether you’re organizing new events or selling tickets at the door, effective sales skills are essential to event management success. Event managers must be convincing and pleasant in order for others to attend their events. Some may also have responsibilities for promoting events that demand excellent communication abilities.

8. Leadership Skills

Having leadership skills helps you become a valuable team player. As events are often managed by teams, you must be able to effectively coordinate event activities with staff members and event sponsors. Moreover, they may also need to lead the event production team on-site or even run errands for event sponsors.

9. Time Management Skills

Since event planners are always busy, event managers must have their time well-managed. Being able to prioritize event tasks is key to managing deadlines and staying on track for event success. While you may be busy with day-to-day event planning tasks, it’s also critical that you are able to independently plan multiple events at the same time.

10 Organizational Skills

You should be able to handle multiple projects without losing track of details; especially when managing an event from beginning to end, which requires you to allocate time for setup, tear down and dealing with your client along the way. You may be given a variety of responsibilities at once, so being organized helps you decide which events to attend first. Exhibiting strong organization ability also ensures that event details are not overlooked or forgotten during an event.

11. Understanding of Events

This is necessary for event planners to know event elements such as themes, event activities, event venues and event budgets. You’ll need to make sure the event is a success by learning how events are organized, ranging from venue reservations to logistics and set up of audio-visual equipment. You must know how to balance cost concerns with the event’s success while also knowing what you can achieve with limited resources.

12. Contract Management 

Every event will have a contract between an event organiser and another party which outlines specific terms and conditions for both parties. Event managers should closely manage the contracts they sign since it’s their event that is legally bound to the contract. You will also need event contracts when it comes to hiring event staff, renting equipment and venues.

13. Approaching Clients

You need to be a people oriented professional, event planners will need to approach their clients with an attitude that makes them feel comfortable and welcome. This allows event planners to obtain more event information required for event success.

14. Attending Events

It is critical that you go to many events. Participate in the Facebook pages of companies or goods you like and attend their events. Look at how it’s organized with the theme, equipment and crew managing it. Then ask yourself what would take this to the next level and you’ll get a lot your own ideas.

15. Event Marketing

Event planners often work on event marketing tasks such as event publicizing, event sponsorship acquisition and event promotion. You may also be responsible for managing the logistics of planning and executing campaign ads.

16. Business Strategy

Most businesses incorporate some form of business strategy into events so it’s important for you to ensure its customer base continues to grow. As event planner you should understand what strategies are needed in order to meet your goals.

17. Project Management

Project management skills are advantageous in event management since an event can be broken down into distinct stages with individual deadlines. The project manager keeps track of the entire process, including deadlines for each phase , relevant tasks needed to meet their objectives then assigns or delegates them among event team members so nothing falls through the cracks.

18. People Skills

People skills are necessary because event managers must communicate clearly with vendors, suppliers, venue owners and others who may not understand what you want done at every step of the way. Strong interpersonal skills help build trust with team members so they can work well together.

19. Problem Solving

Event planners will encounter many problems in event management, it’s important they have event problem solving skills to deal with unforeseen challenges. You can work towards solving event issues by understanding event policies and procedures . In addition, event managers also need event productivity skills to complete their event tasks on time.

20. Hiring Crew

Event managers are responsible to hire additional crew, event staff and event suppliers. You should have strong people skills so you can find the best candidate for who fits in your event team while also being able to manage event worker’s workload effectively, while also staying within budget constraints.

21. Multitasking

Event planners require multitasking skills in order to manage event operations while also executing event setup, public relations, problem solving, and financial management. To meet the deadlines for events, you’ll need event multitasking abilities to handle event logistics while also performing event set up, public relations, problem solving, and financial administration. There may be several tasks to complete.

22. Time-Management Skills

Time management and prioritizing are important in event management since there will be many deadlines to meet, as well as event tasks that must be completed on time and event goods that must arrive on the day of the event. To manage an event successfully, both the planning and execution of it must be handled.

23. Understanding Basic Audio Visual Equipment

In event management you’ll be working on event equipment such as event projectors, event screens and event sound systems. It’s important to know basic audio visual equipment so you know more about set ups and limitations when the client ask you questions.

24. Event Set Up

There are several event set up tasks that event planners must complete, including event seating arrangement, event signage, event lighting and event stage setup. To get event customers to their event seats, event planners may also need event set up skills.

25. Event Trends

Event trends change frequently so it’s important for event managers to always keep updated with them in order to provide the most current event services. Keeping an eye on event trends helps ensure new event services are provided, event marketing messages are up to date, event products continue to meet consumer demands and event costs remain within budget.