3 Skills Every Event Planner Needs For Success!

In a job stress survey conducted by CareerCast back in 2016, ‘event organizer’ was named the 6^th most stressful job in in the world, coming behind only the likes of firefighters and police officers; people who put their lives at risk every day for the safety and protection of others.

Event planning is one of the most strenuous things you’ll ever do in life, and it certainly isn’t something most of us are cut out for. If you’re going to make it big in this industry, you’ll need to push yourself to the max and make sure you have the right skills and traits for the jobs.

Successful planners and management companies all rely on a similar skillset that helps them power through the planning phase and execute great looking events.

Want to be as successful as the big events companies in Abu Dhabi? Here are 3 important planning skills you’ll need:

1.     Attention To Detail

The idiom ‘the devil is in the details’ applies perfectly to the world of event management. Even small-scale functions or corporate dinners, which seem easy and simple at first, can cause massive headaches for planning teams, especially if the person-in-charge is a newcomer to the industry.

People don’t realise it at first, but there are thousands of minute details that need to be straightened out throughout the process. You’ll need to keep track of all the vendors, suppliers, and caterers, as well as arrange a venue, ensure there is transportation available for guests who don’t live in the same city and contact guest speakers and other entertainment.

The worst part is that each of these tiny details has the power to potentially ruin your entire event. If you don’t arrange the required venue in time, you could be stuck with a hall that’s small or not classy enough.

Similarly, imagine if the caterer bailed on you a few hours before the inauguration ceremony was supposed to start. How are you going to arrange the food and beverages for your prestigious guests in such little time?

Staying organised throughout the planning and execution phases is an essential trait for any event planner who wants to find success in this highly stressful industry.

2.     People’s Skills

The world of event management is as much about keeping an eye on details as it is about managing people and human resources.

You probably know this already, but event organisers interact with hundreds, sometimes even thousands of different people throughout the execution of an event. Interpersonal and communication skills play a huge role in this industry.

Think of it this way. At a minimum, you’ll always need to stay in contact with and manage the following types of people:

• Vendors
• Suppliers
• Caterers
• Venue managers
• Attendees
• Entertainment providers
• Guest speakers
• Your own workforce including any volunteers

Even for small-scale corporate dinners, that’s at least 50-100 different personalities that you’ll need to account for. This includes the negotiation skills you’ll need to ensure that the best possible venues/catering options are arranged while keeping the budget in mind.

More often than not, you’ll also be the one tasked to make crucial decisions whenever different parties are arguing about things like the budget or the decorations. It takes a lot of determination and skill to keep everyone happy while also ensuring that your event’s needs are met.

3.     Multitasking Ability

This goes without saying, but it’s important to stress the point again. You can’t hope to find the success that events companies in Abu Dhabi enjoy if you can’t multitask. It’s just the nature of the industry.

Even on their least stressful days, planners need to negotiate different venue contracts, meet with clients to discuss various details, and explore various entertainment options. It’s constant, non-stop hassle that will leave you fatigued beyond belief if you aren’t ready for it.

Add in multiple events going on at the same time, and you’ll start to see why this industry was named the 6^th most stressful in the survey mentioned above.

Success lies in the ability to stay calm and effectively work on priority task rather than getting overwhelmed by the enormous amounts of work that needs to be carried out. If you can multitask, you’ll eventually find success. Just make sure you keep your priorities in order.