Can "event planner" be a side job ?

Hi there!

I had a student that asked me: can I work as an event planner as a side job???

At that moment I understood that she had no clue about event planning or event management or event operations on the ground....

NO, if you're really serious about being a successful Meeting and Events planner working with corporate companies, this will be a FULL TIME JOB and one of the most stressful, creative, passionate, 24/7, overwhelming...you need to love it to do it perfectly.

We overestimate the event and underestimate the process. Every fulfilled dream occurred because of dedication.? – John C. Maxwell

It has always been difficult to define what an event planner does. Everytime a family member or a friend asks me what I do and I answer the short version: I'm an event planner ...they answer : Ohhh so you organize weddings and parties, that's cool!

Here I'm already changing the subject because I had to enter in a long explanation to have the same result!!!!

I love the series MAD MEN about an AD agency and this quote for me defines very closely what an event planner does.

I’m in charge of thinking of things before people know they need them.? – Don Draper (fictional character on Mad Men)

An event planner designs, creates, and advises the stakeholder on how to achieve the company goals for spending a considerable or even huge amount of money on an event.

Never forget that a corporate event is a powerful sales and marketing tool. They can also bring awareness, knowledge, science advances and so on.

Events are planned months, and in some markets even 1 or 2 years, in advance.

I'll try to break it down quickly and shortly into phases:

1 - You receive and RFP- that you need to revise 100 times and maybe ask for more details

2 - You need to create a proposal based on the goals of the stakeholder and in this phase you need to talk with them several times so your proposal is exactly what they are looking for.

People make events into stories. Stories give events meaning.? – Scarlett Thomas

3 - Before sending the proposal you need to choose and contact your vendors and do a pre-reservation of spaces and close rates, even if the event will take place in 1 year. One thing important to know: some events will require up to 30 or more vendors. So one of your TOP skills is to be a detailed freak and have all super organized in checklist and folders, preferably in Google Drive / Trello / Asana / Onedrive to work with your team.

The first rule for choosing vendors is to avoid those who suggest your budget isn’t sufficient. The planning process should be about taking your ideas and making them work.? –?Mindy Weiss

4 - Time to send the proposal and budget !!! They must be perfect and include all the details and why you believe that with the actions you propose the goals or ROI will be achieved. If you want my advice: include all the tiny details like the drinks package , the type and how many microphones, the number of seats in each transport, times of each commute and sooooo on...and you will avoid phone calls or emails from your client asking for these small details. One advice: if you don't know all the spaces you MUST do a site inspection with your team to be sure that all you have included is possible.

5 - Your proposal is accepted so now is for planning , creating? and designing. Be aware that your proposal will suffer changes due to requests from the stakeholder so flexibility, understanding , patience are skills you must have or you will die in the intent.

A bad plan is better than no plan, and the most important quality of any plan is the flexibility to change.? – Judson L. Moore

An event is a team work so now it's time to create your team and DELEGATE an extremely important skill in a leader.

The planning phase is long and the hardest ! You have to give life to all your ideas and actions. In this phase you will contact the vendors, confirm services, make first payments, receive deposits, send menu options, create the branding image of the event ,create the event road book and for sure that the stakeholder will do 1 or 2 site inspections. Be ready for all their questions.

In your planning you need to analyze all that might go wrong and be prepared for last minute changes. What can go wrong after all the planning? A microphone doesn't work...but you asked your vendor to have extra ones...one person didn't sign up for a vegan menu...but you have negotiated with the catering or restaurant to have extra... and so on.

The days of serving a vegetarian a bowl of overcooked pasta while everyone else eats filet and shrimp are over.? – Cassie Brown

6 - The event starts tomorrow, your team is briefed and ready, you reconfirmed with the vendors all the services by email and phone so my advice is :

- to have prepared a survival kit for you and your team with water, energy drinks, protein bars and fruit so you avoid junk food. you will not have time to eat or drink during the event.

- It's time to go home and sleep. You did it all with your team and now what will happen during the event you will solve it in the moment.

- if there is an issue ( never use the word problem, there are no problems only solutions) DON'T PANIC in front of the client , walk away , sort it out, drink water and come back.

If you have kids I'm sure you have seen the movie Madagascar. I always say to my new team members that are freaking out " Just smile and wave boys!”

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Stay well and enjoy your week

Yours truly

Teresa

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