Meeting Planner Careers

When it comes to being a successful meeting or event planner you need to learn how to look at things strategically. You need to break things down in small goals so that you can reach them in a timely manner for an overall success. You will find that the success of your event will matter on many things. The most important thing that you need to learn is that nothing ever goes according to plan, and that is why you should always have some backup plans to make everything possible.

When you are tackling an event you need to think of it on a large scale and a small scale. What is it that you want others to think about the event? Do you want people to have fun and socialize or do you want others to look at your event and purchase or donate something? Your goal at hand will determine everything from the decorations to the overall theme of the party. Once you are able to decide what you want for the event, you are able to move on to the details. Read more…

Are you a good negotiator? Do you have the skills necessary to get what your client wants and what is in her best interests? Most people learn their negotiation skill from life experience rather than a class. Let’s face it; we’ve been negotiating in one way or another since we could talk. Every kid knows that curfew and allowances don’t change without some fancy footwork.

A good negotiator comes to the table prepared and with as much knowledge about the subject as she can gather. This is especially important when pounding out a contract regardless of how well heeled your client may be. Listen carefully to what the other party offers and take a breath or two before you respond. It never hurts to paraphrase the offer back to her before you agree. If you respond too quickly, you may wind up bidding against yourself. Get everything in writing.

Keep an open mind and be flexible. It would be great if things always went smoothly, but they won’t. Sometimes you have to give a little to get a lot in return. Be persuasive and know what you want and stick to your guns. No contract is worth losing your integrity. Above all, be patient and persevere. Stay detached and focused and keep things on a business not personal level.

It is not difficult to start a career in event planning. In short, an event planner is responsible for the logistical details of planning parties, luncheons, and other organized events for both individuals and businesses. A professional image, both personally and as a company, is far more important than a college degree or formal training in event planning. There are a number of steps to help you get started with your new career as an event planner right away. The good news is it does not take a lot of startup cash to open your new business.

1) Decide on a business name and get a domain name. Image is everything in the world of event planning. Pick a catchy name and buy a domain for a web site. Your design can be simple and done using a Web template, or you could pay a few hundred dollars for the services of a web designer to create a really snazzy page. Read more…

Reader’s Digest brought many light hearted moments to their readers with it’s popular Laughter: The Best Medicine section. How can an event planner use humor to her advantage?

One of the best ways is to find a motivational speaker who has a message and keeps a sense of humor. Why not include some lighthearted stories in a presentation? Everyone enjoys a few jokes, especially ones they can share with friends and family once they have returned home and the conference is over. A relaxed audience is a more attentive one. Life is too short to forget to smile.

Humor raises morale, which is a key element for a motivational speaker. Some psychologists say that people are motivated by the push of pain or the pull of hope. A good speaker will draw his audience in with a strong message that change is possible. Looking on the bright side literally changes someone’s physical make up. Humor relaxes muscle tension, lowers blood pressure, and allows all the body’s functions to proceed at a more healthy rate.

Laughter inspires confidence and makes the imagination shore. Many times one funny story leads to another in a domino effect. A good motivational speaker builds on that and leaves his audience ready to put forth a greater effort and take on the world.

It is impossible for an event planner to control events such as natural disasters and pandemic flu outbreaks. What the individual can do is to create back up plans for as many scenarios as possible.

Begin with the words “what if?” and create a back up plan around the answer. What if one or many of the guests at your event had a medical emergency? Do you know which hospitals or minor emergency centers are closest to the hotel or convention center?

No one likes to think of natural disasters, but even a temporary power outage can ruin an event. Do you have the cell phone numbers for the key speakers and event leaders? Is it better to text key personnel rather than speak into a cell phone when privacy is hard to come by.

Keep a cool head. Conference with hotel personnel well in advance and find out what the procedure is in case of a bomb threat, tornado, hurricane, or flooding situation. Chances are you won’t need to use any of this information, but forewarned is forearmed.

In a time of crises, the event planner needs to be a leader and have the resources and knowledge to help clients over the rough patches.

Lately it seems that lots of people want to have multiple skills for others to draw upon, especially if they are in business for themselves. However, making yourself an expert in a subject can be a real boost for a meeting planner, especially in the area of educational meetings. Here’s why….

Experts Know the Little Details

If you are an all-around event planner and someone asks you to plan a continuing education meeting for nephrologists, you may have to turn down some big money because you had to look up the word nephrologist to begin with. However, if you specialized in continuing education events for the medical field, you may have been able to do the job.

Additional Education

Many specialists in meetings like the above come from other backgrounds. For instance, the medical event specialist may have a background in nursing or hospital administration. She might know what is required for these sessions in order to provide accredited continuing education credits for doctors. She may also know which technologies are necessary for each meeting–the last thing anyone wants is guesswork on a meeting with that level of importance.

Of course, medicine is not the only field where a specialty is necessary. Look at meetings and conferences scheduled for various job categories–searching the Internet should get you a lot of them–to see if there is one that is right for you.

A typical day in the life of an Event Planner. Courtesy of CareerOneStop.

According to a recent survey by Corporate Event magazine, average salaries for event professionals have increased slightly since the prior year 2008.  The results reported were as follows:

• 10% Salary has decreased
• 44% Salary is the same as last year
• 46% Salary has increased

The average base salary reported is $62,925, an annual increase of less than one percent.

source:  ”The 2009 Salary Survey” - Corporate Event Magazine

One of the best things about the event planning industry is the fact that corporate groups seem to always want to meet face to face. Even in the age of electronic media, video conference calls and the like, meetings have the advantage of human interaction that will never feel outdated.

As members of a society, individuals feel the need to get together and discuss different issues- be it business, politics or entertainment. This implies that an event planner can be assured of a constant flow of work.

However although the culture of meetings will always stay, meeting planners need to spruce up their act and keep in touch with the latest developments in the meeting industry. Be it technological or soft skills, the event planning industry is surely growing fast, and event planners need to keep pace making sure that they pull off a good show. Read more…

Regardless of the career path you choose as a meeting planner, one thing is certain: the Internet can be your best friend when it comes to marketing. More specifically, social media can often be the tipping point from a publicized meeting to a well-publicized event. Here is how you can make social media work for you.

Using Your Own Page

If you do not have a professional social media page already, you need to create one–yesterday! Your friends lists will become your contact list for bulletins about upcoming events. Let’s say you are scheduling a convention for administrative professionals, and almost all your friends have such employees. Once you send out a bulletin about the event, you may get some signing up from your list. You will help boost your attendance from one or two notices sent globally–and all for free. Read more…