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What traits make the difference between good event planners and great ones? Read on to find out.
You’re A Natural Storyteller
One of the most important qualities – at least in the context of the modern event industry – is a flair for storytelling. Social media has changed how consumers and clients interact with businesses. More than ever, they demand that their relationship with a brand be a personal one.
And one of the best ways to achieve that is through telling a story.
“Creators have an advantage in the world of the Internet,” writes Launch Podium’s Mike Parsons. “The best way to stand out among the billions of web pages is to tell your story and be true to your brand, audience, and self. “
“By playing up your natural storytelling skills, you can create powerful and moving content and infuse meaning into your brand as a whole,” he adds, noting that a study at Standford found stories are remembered up to 22 times more than facts alone.
But what does that have to do with event planning?
A great deal, actually. By personalizing your events (and the brand behind them) with a series of well-crafted stories, you can ensure that the experience is far more memorable and enjoyable for attendees. That makes your events more compelling, and makes you a far more attractive choice for prospective clients.
Your People-Management Skills Are Top Notch
Believe it or not, there’s actually a fairly extensive body of work related to the psychology of event management – such as this piece from Queensland University on role theory and event involvement.
In hindsight, that isn’t entirely surprising – when you’re running an event, logistics is only part of the big picture; a great deal of what you’re going to be doing involves people management. You need to be able to communicate effectively with clients, guests, and your events team; you need to be able to listen to and understand the wants and needs of those around you. You need to be able to convey your ideas and negotiate effectively with vendors.
Perhaps most importantly, you need to be capable of dealing with difficult clients and attendees in a fashion that doesn’t make you look foolish.
It sort of goes without saying that in order to do all of this, you need a shining personality coupled with a great deal of emotional intelligence. You also need confidence – I can’t emphasize that last one enough. If you aren’t self-assured, you simply cannot act as a leader, something which is required of you as an event planner.
You Have Organizational Skills That Would Put Most People To Shame
Even equipped with modern event management tools and platforms, running a successful event requires a head for logistics that most people generally do not have. What I’m saying here is that you need to be insanely organized, capable of multitasking, and skilled at time management. If you’re not the sort of person who can successfully juggle several tasks at once – and keep your head on straight in the process – then event management might not be your jam.
“Above all else, it is imperative that you are an insanely organized person,” reads a post on Careers In Event Planning. “In your professional and your personal life, organization is key. At any given moment on any given day, an event planner is juggling a number of completely different projects.”
“You need to understand, create, and stick to time limits and deadlines,” it continues.
You’re Passionate About What You Do – Sometimes To A Fault
Here’s the thing about enthusiasm: it tends to be infectious. If you’re passionate and cheerful about your job – if it’s clear that you love what you do – then the people you work with are going to pick up on that. They’ll end up being better at their own jobs as a result.
Not only that, it makes it significantly easier to come up with fresh, creative, and exciting ideas for your events – again, something that’s necessary for success.
“A successful event manager needs to be enthusiastic and passionate about what they do,” explains independent services professional Chris Catoggio to The Event Manager Blog. “Enthusiasm and passion brings about creativity and generates excitement.”
You Know How To Thrive Under Pressure
It’s no secret that event management is an incredibly high-octane career – it was, after all, listed as one of 2014’s top five most stressful jobs. It thus sort of goes without saying that you need to go in equipped with the capacity to manage that stress. If you don’t, you’re probably going to end up getting burnt out.
The Institute of Event Management recommends you do the following:
- Set working hours and a concrete daily schedule.
- Tackle your least favorite tasks first.
- Don’t stress out over things you can’t control; be flexible enough to adapt.
- Eat healthy and treat your body properly – sleep and exercise regularly.
- Always take the time to unwind.
“Stress is the part and parcel of event management,” reads a piece on Event Education.”Every event professional is under constant stress through the execution of an event. While a moderate amount of stress is necessary in order to give optimum results, prolonged stress [can have incredibly debilitating effects on an individual].”
You Stick To Your Principles – No Matter What
Never underestimate how far integrity can go – especially if you’re in the business of independent event planning. People are more willing to work with individuals and organizations that they know have a reputation for honesty and discipline, and they’re less likely to work with someone who they know has let clients down in the past. It’s a core quality of success – and not just for event management professionals.
Closing Thoughts
Like any other profession, there are certain traits that allow one to thrive as an event planner. Not surprisingly, many of these traits are shared by leaders throughout society. A flair for storytelling, formidable people skills, passion, creativity, organizational skills, and integrity are all qualities that every event management professional should strive to have – they make the difference between good event planners and great ones.
Want to print custom t-shirts for an upcoming event? Check out our t-shirt maker.