So, you’ve made it to the morning of your event. You can breath a big sigh of relief and know that every detail will fall into place perfectly, right? Not so much. If the stress of the last few months of planning or even a year hasn’t made you keel over, your event is ready to take on that challenge. You’re the planner, you know every cue, nook, and cranny, so you very well know you can’t be in ten places at once. And no matter how many pennies you tossed in that fountain dreaming of being a superhero, you won’t grow five extra limbs in order to implement every well-planned element. That’s where the value of an event manager comes in.
Let’s talk about your saving grace. It’s in the form of an Event Manager, Technical Director, Event Coordinator..etc. The term is interchangeable, but the position is more valuable to your event than those centerpieces you agonized over…flowers, no flowers, flowers, no flowers?! We see time and time again, an Event Manager should really be in one of those MasterCard commercials…they are priceless. We, in the event industry, should technically start calling Event Managers, our cheerleaders. You need coffee to calm the nerves, they are on it, you forgot to put out the brochures, they’ve already done it, you can’t remember when the VIPs arrive, they whip out the agenda and spat off information you may have even forgotten. Let’s be honest, at some point, you need to start delegating the responsibilities being thrown in your face, no matter how much it aches to give up the control.
Your Event Manager is basically your personal masseuse, but why else are they priceless to your entire event?
- Managing the clock: They have the ability to keep you calm, corral the entire team, focus on the agenda at hand, all while their head stays securely attached.
- MacGyver skills: With years of experience, Event Managers have honed resourcefulness to perfection. Whether the custom drape came in one foot too short, the client’s PowerPoint corrupted, or your VIP speaker walked in a wee bit inebriated, the Event Manager can MacGyver any problem swiftly.
- Communication is key: The most cherished coordinators will share your vision with the entire team and communicate clearly and respectfully. What leads to spoiled relationships?Lack of communication, so this is an essential ingredient to your success. What a relief it is to have one point of contact, so your Event Manager can wrangle the troops taking that off your plate!
- Breathing Passion: One of our core values here at Endless Entertainment. You need someone to not only cheerlead for you, but pass along that enthusiasm down the chain. A charismatic leader will breath passion in what they do and it’s contagious!
- Thrives under pressure: A strong Event Manager resolves problems quickly and can stay calm in the hairiest of situations. You could almost say they wish something would go wrong. But, we won’t say that.
Are you salivating knowing the value of an event manager now? Or, is it that delicious looking poppyseed muffin you almost got with your coffee? Either way, it’s an enticing idea to some who have yet to experience a superb Event Manager and crucial to most who will never go without one.
Next step: Ask if your venue or production company offer the option or even include the Event Manager. You want to get down to the nitty-gritty if they actually are there as your go-to or if they will just pop in and out to “check” on you. There’s nothing worse than opening a large box at Christmas full of socks and underwear, so showing up at an event expecting your Event Manager to embody all the points above, and not quite fulfilling is, to say the least, disappointing. Make sure you know they will rock the event with you and success is surely in your future!
