Event planning can be an great opportunity as a career for a highly organized individual. Being an event planner gives you the opportunity to meet different people and work with a variety of personalities. It also can give you that sense of accomplishment when you plan a successful event. Being an event planner gives you an opportunity to help organize extravagant parties that you could not afford with your own money, and be an integral part of the success of those events.
Significance
Event planners offer a service to their customers. That service is making the organization of an event simple for the individual or company hosting the event. The event planner will work with the host of the event to make sure all aspects of planning the event are taken care of for the host. Event planners also attend events to coordinate the services of any of the vendors that were hired for the event. This allows the host of the event to socialize and entertain her guests without having to worry about spending the entire event making sure the event follows a schedule and everyone is where they are supposed to be at the proper time.
Function
The event planner serves as the head coach before and during the event. They are responsible for planning the logistics of the event. This includes making sure a location is found for the event that is suitable to the client. They also must not only find the best vendors possible for the event, but save as much money for the client as possible. Event planners should have strong networking skills to develop business relationships with a large number of vendors. This allows the event planner to match up the proper vendor to the event. The event planner should serve as the central point of contact for all the vendors and the host of the event during the planning stages. Event planners should delegate responsibilities to their staff or the vendors, but check on them during the event, as the success or failure of the event in the end is the responsibility of the event planner.
Types
Event planners are needed by many different businesses as a career opportunity. Hotels that offer catering will hire an event planner on their staff to meet with clients and arrange the details of their event, whether it's a party, business meeting, or wedding, or other event. Event planners are also used by sports teams for organizing promotional events for the team both during the games of the season and for outside appearances.
Other facilities that use event planners include entertainment facilities that host children's birthday parties. These can range from restaurants to food and game locations such as Chuck E. Cheese or Dave and Buster's. Children's activity centers, such as playzones with inflatable toys that host parties, also require event planners on staff to work with the parents.
Considerations
Event planners should be strong communicators. The key for an event planner is being able to find out exactly what jer client wants, and convey that to any vendors or staff that the event planner hires for the event. Staying calm is essential for an event planner, this will help calm the nerves of the host of the party. Event planners should be able to adapt quickly to requests from a client, before and during an event.
Always keep in mind the goal of the event planner is to remove the stress from the host of the event. As an event planner you must realize every host is different. Asking questions of the host when meeting to plan the event is important. Find out from the host how contact during the event should be handled. It is quite possible that the person you meet with as the event planner will not be your point of contact during the event. Again, this goes back to making the host feel comfortable and freeing him up to socialize at the event.
Warning
An event planner must keep in mind that every client is different. As an event planner, you will deal with many people that you might consider to be "high maintenance" or "needy." This is because they expect the best of you. Keep calm, and never raise your voice to a client, or a vendor during an event. This can require a lot of patience. When dealing with difficult people, do not take their complaints personally. A frustrated event planner can leave a bad impression on the guests at the party. If you need to correct an employee or vendor during an event, attempt to do it somewhere that is not in front of the client or guests.
