What Makes a Successful Event Planner?
Event planning is a delicate art. It may seem straightforward – see if a venue is available on your date, find a caterer you like, pick out some flowers, and send the invitations. But there is so much more to it than that and it takes someone with specific skills to pull off a seamless event.
As event planners, we wear many different hats on a daily basis. We are a therapist (of sorts) to overwhelmed clients trying to plan a corporate outing while handling the day-to-day tasks of their job and family life. We are a seasoned negotiator with the best of the best vendors, helping clients get the most for their money, or a special menu item or pro bono service the public might not have access to. We are tour guides to out of state or out of town clients, introducing them to venues off the beaten path that a Google search won’t present. We are accountants toying and tinkering with budgets to get the most bang for your buck. We are carpenters taking a staple gun to a pallet of wood to secure table assignments and welcome signs. We are master jugglers and professional entertainers the day of – fielding phone calls from every vendor and exhibitor, guiding guests and sweeping away trash all while keeping our clients in the loop, setting up intricate centerpieces, sponsor activations, and stepping in to help the catering staff so every detail of the event goes off without a hitch so that attendees, and oftentimes the client, never knew there was even an issue.
The secret is that we are mega-organized, efficient and extroverted people by nature. We love to form connections with area businesses and know collaboration better than competition. We must be flexible, smile in times of stress, take a step back and come up with quick solutions and most importantly keep the show running. It’s someone who can anticipate an issue before it even becomes a problem. We’re always thinking 10 steps ahead, and ready to pivot at any time. Sure, it’s high stakes and high stress at times, but the reward of seeing our clients and attendees walk through the doors, jaws dropped, gushing at all our hard work, is pretty awesome.
We know our strengths lie in planning and execution, and know exactly who to ask for help when we need it — be it for a custom designed cake, to a bartender who can whip up seasonal cocktails, to designers who can bring your company logo to life in a big space, and even balloon specialists — we’re tapped into the local network of professionals and have forged excellent working relationships and friendships with so many of them.
It’s not rocket science, or surgery, but it’s a skill set honed over many late nights, spreadsheets, sticky situations, last-minute hiccups, and a passion for helping people celebrate life’s little and big moments. So what are you waiting for?! Let’s take your event to the next level together.
