Meeting Planner Careers

If you are just starting your even planner career, you may not have been faced with having to change a supplier you have been doing business with for some time. While all of us like the simplicity of hiring the same person each time we need a certain job done, it doesn’t always work out for the best. Here is a case in point.

A large printing company in a major Midwest city had supplied all the printing for a small medical education event company. A few years ago the owner passed away and the company fell into the hands of the owner’s offspring. And fall it did, clear to the floor.

One day the planners called the printing company and ended its seven-year-long relationship. However, rather than get information about past jobs in writing from the company, the planners relied on their own files, which were minimal and contained no details. When they chose another print shop, it was like learning how to order printing all over again.

In addition, the planning agency almost ran into the same problem with the next printer they chose. The problems with the original printer were largely from disorganization, and this is a problem common to print shops. They had to shop for a well-established printer that had done large print runs as the mainstay of their business before they were satisfied. As a result, they were almost late with a print run for an important conference.

However, the planners did discuss the issues that separated them from their original printers and the new printer they ended up staying with understood that behavior would lose them the account as well. This proved to the planners that preparing to change suppliers before actually doing it goes a long way toward a smooth switch.

Every event planner has a set of tools, and many are online these days. However, overlooking the human factor can be to your peril. Here are some other tools you would need as an international event planner–and they are human.

Calling on Conference Organizers

Other countries have meeting planners, too, and you should not hesitate to call on them to help. Why? Because they know the local area customs and cultural behavior of the region. They are also known in that culture and may be able to save you money. Conference planners in the destination country can give you insight into the people, culture, language, and help you with negotiations.

Freight Companies

Your client will likely need to ship items to the destination country. This can be a sticky wicket with customs. Hire a company that does freight forwarding, or seek the services of a customs broker. Get to know them early on, and form informal partnerships if you are serious about the international meeting business. Read more…

Organizing events may come naturally to you and in fact you might have helped someone organize an event too! The best example is your own birthday parties or your best pal’s marriage. These are memorable events and there surely must have been some planning involved. The guests’ list, selection of food and drinks, gifts, cakes, and the list goes on. These things require planning, smaller or bigger, skilled or semi-skilled. Similarly, most business events require planning and arrangements in advance. And planning business meetings has indeed become a skilled profession nowadays.

The event planners as we call them, plan conferences and meetings, look after coordination and conventions, and are responsible for smooth functioning of all the activities involved. The meeting planner’s job is to look after every small and big detail of an event. For example, if the meeting takes places out of town, the planner coordinates the flights and accommodation for the participants arriving from outside. Professional event planners are usually hired by the companies that lack time or skills to organize and assist a conference. Read more…