How to be a successful event manager

Here at Yahire, over the years we have helped to organise many successful events, and we have noticed that there are several key factors that go into making a great event manager.

You not only have to be exceptionally organised, but remain positive throughout the process, and have amazing people skills.

Employing a strong event manager for one of your up and coming events could be the difference between success and failure. So we’ve put together a list of the most popular attributes needed to be a successful event manager.

Good organisation skills

First comes thought; then organization of that thought, into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality. The beginning, as you will observe, is in your imagination. -Napoleon Hill

An event manager has to be able to juggle and multi-task throughout the event, so they need to be strong organisers. Knowing exactly what is going on at what precise time, who to call, when deliveries are scheduled etc. are all part and parcel of putting on a great event. Events should be run like clockwork, and typically have a domino effect, if one piece is missing or late, the show could fail. You are the one who is co-ordinating, not just yourself, but the whole team behind you.

Personable with great people skills

You can be the best organiser in the world, but if your clients or staff don’t feel that they can approach you, you won’t have much business for long. Being able to communicate effectively with all walks of life is important, as you will be dealing with both CEO’s of top companies and delivery drivers. Maintaining good relationships with your staff, your suppliers and your clients will ensure you get repeat business. Remember, there’s no such thing as a stupid question.

Able to delegate

As in any job, if you try to do everything yourself you are going to burn out. Delegating does not mean passing on work to just anyone. It means carefully picking out those with a certain skillset and cherry-picking what areas of the event you want them to cover. Allowing your staff to shine in their chosen areas of expertise shows that you are proud of having good people around you. It is a sign of great management when the person at the top is surrounded by good staff, so put them in places where they can show off their skills.

Creativity

It is your job to bring ideas and concepts to your client, not wait for them to come up with suggestions. The more suggestions you can offer, the better their event will be. You clients will also be unfamiliar with event terminology so you will have to be knowledgeable and be able to explain sometimes complex terms in easy to understand language. Being creative takes a huge burden off your client, particularly if this is their first event. They might not know where to start. If you can give them as many options as possible, they are more likely to really enjoy the process and return to you for future business.

Flexibility

Finally, Being able to quickly find a solution to any problem that arises is key in a good event manager. Most events do not run to schedule, do have last minute problems that need fixing, there is always something that has to be done. Your job is to be resourceful and step in with a solution. Being flexible also means listening to your client and taking on board their wishes for the event. It is easy to get a picture in our minds of how something should look like. Be mindful that your vision might not fit in with the clients.