Have an event coming up? Need someone to organize it? If the answer is “yes” to any of these, bringing the right people on board at the beginning will prove crucial for success. One of the most important of these roles is the event planner. Pre-event planning is vital to ensure that everything proceeds as smoothly as possible, and event planners are perfect for that task. The following article covers the services that a professional event planner provides, why you might need one, and what to look for when hiring one.
Want an Event Planned? Not Sure Where to Start?
The time has come for your brand or organization to set up an event to promote itself, but its leadership is unsure of its vision for the event. When in doubt, look into hiring a professional event planner.
What Does an Event Manager Do?
If you want someone to design and organize all aspects of an event before it begins, an event planner is the best person to contact. Hiring a professional event planner is worth it for various reasons. For one, there is much to consider when organizing an event, and covering every base may take time and energy from your own core responsibilities. Therefore, a professional event planner can take the extra stress away by bringing their experience to bear in helping to realize the vision, streamline the overall process, and get the most out of the budget. A great event planner can help manage the budget for an event by negotiating with venues, talking to vendors, and determining affordable dining and entertainment options.
Event Manager Job Description
A professional event planner is responsible for organizing all aspects of an event before it begins. They are usually not involved with overseeing the event itself or required to attend, which is more the purview of event managers. However, event planners may communicate with the event manager in the weeks and days leading up to the event. An event planner has more direct contact with a client than other roles, especially during the planning stage. Listening to the client’s vision and requirements, they work to cover all aspects of designing an event to fulfill the provided goals. These include finding the best date, venue, staff, vendors, entertainment, food options, and menu for the event. Most of the work an event planner engages in can be performed in an office with little need to be at the venue unless they are checking the quality of a prospective venue.
Types of Event Planner
Different types of events require different kinds of planners. The following are a few examples of the different specializations event planners may have.
Corporate Event Planner
A corporate event planner, also known as a meeting planner, would cover the planning of corporate events – conferences, product launches, company parties, and more. General tasks include working out the budget of an event, the event scheduling and programming, and working with relevant parties and vendors. Corporate event planners require flexibility and strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
Virtual Event Planner
A virtual event planner organizes remote-based events. Such planners can provide their services for any type of event, be it corporate, social, or other types of events. A virtual event planner discusses budget and requirements online, and then plans, schedules, and executes the event with the client and vendors. A virtual event planner may need to be at the venue during the event, but some planners work 100% online throughout.
Event Marketer
An event marketer, sometimes known as a communications manager, is responsible for creating and executing marketing campaigns for brands or organizations at events. Large numbers of visitors provide the perfect opportunity to spread the word about a brand or product. An event marketer is responsible for developing a marketing plan, creating content, managing the budget, and engaging with the audience before, during, and after the event. Strong knowledge and skills in marketing, industry trends, and social media are required. While an event is typically an opportunity for marketing, specific and creative types of events are emerging that have a marketing objective in mind, be it generating sales, creating leads, or any number of other objectives.
Examples of event marketing include pop-up shop events, interactive workshops, themed parties, experiential events, and hackathons.
Social Event Planner
Apart from work and business, a social event planner can help with social events like birthday parties, weddings, reunions, and graduation ceremonies. This type of event planner has to be more creative to match a client’s wishes and possess a desire to make a special day for the client a reality.
How to Find an Event Planner
Finding the right event planner for your event is crucial. While event planners of various calibers can be easily found online, JTB’s teams of highly-experienced event planners can make your life easier and ensure that your event successfully matches your vision. Contact JTB to be introduced to our teams and discover more about how we can assist you.
Questions to Ask an Event Planner
When hiring an event planner for your event, have a list of questions ready to ask them so you can gain a better picture of their experience and their approach to organizing events. Examples of questions to ask can include the following.
Use these and other questions you may have to help find the ideal planner for you and your organization.
Summary
However, you envision your event, laying solid foundations is crucial. The knowledge and experience of a professional event planner will be of undeniable help in the nitty gritty of organizing an event. JTB has a proven track record of successfully organizing a wide variety of events, and the involvement of our experienced event planners in your next endeavor will reduce the inevitable stress of organizing an event and ensure that it will be memorable for all the right reasons.
Contact JTB for more information and how our experienced team can help bring your event to life.
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