Resources >
Event Planners >
Expert Tips >
The Business of a Successful Event Planner
The Business of a Successful Event Planner
A recent census tabulated that on average, annual spending for special events worldwide is $500 billion. This is an extremely optimistic statistic that clearly demonstrates that the events industry, despite the recent economic downfall, is alive and continues to thrive! One may ask, as a corporate event planner, how do we harness the coveted corporate and private clientele contracts, continue to enhance our functions and productions to remain on the cutting edge, maintain our customer's loyalty and consistency, while continuing to attract new businesses?
Beyond the staples of producing a magnificent event, which would typically include:
- An organized, well maintained, strategic critical path, communication schedule and budget
- An imaginative, fresh, creative event theme
- A diverse roster of performing talent, entertainment and music line-up
- A powerful and targeted PR outreach plan
- A fantastic theme-reflected marketing campaign that includes: branding and visuals, synchronized web, print collateral, signage, media advertising, etc.
- Chic and delectable food and beverage selections
- A proficient technical production crew that facilitates all AV, sound, lighting, staging, backline, etc.
- An established, experienced team to staff your event from registration, to security to hostesses, wait staff, volunteer, management, maintenance, etc.
- Effective activity programming
- A divine décor, prop and floral scheme
- Sponsorship: In-kind and cash dollars to assist in your bottom line budget
A successful event planner must have the ability to listen, disseminate and provide accurate recommendations to your client and create a relationship of trust and ease. As well as the courage in your expertise and craft to have the ability to say “No” to your client when you know they have made decisions that will be detrimental to the prosperity of their event, then offer convincing alternatives and options.
Planners must continue to reinvent themselves, be versatile, adapt and utilize new technologies. This is maintained not by regurgitating global trends, but by being the “trend setter,” creating and introducing unique and new concepts that astound attendees, amaze your clients and produce results that others aspire to imitate. Despite years of experience, this field is a constant evolutionary education, where “survival of the fittest” is determined by your ability and motivation to consistently research, be an industry leader, collaborate with new suppliers, implement new creative technologies and offer new ideas to our discipline that positively contribute to the industry as a whole.
Event Planners are the unsung explorers and backstage magicians, whose work often influences and inspires other related industries, i.e. Fashion, Music, Entertainment, Design, etc. Look at the major awards shows, like The Juno Awards, Grammy’s, Oscar’s, International Fashion Week, etc. All these are dictated by the events they encompass.
The Art of Celebration has transcended time immortal, from ancient pagan ceremonies, to simple birthdays and anniversaries, to grand galas and events that millions of people plan, attend or watch live or in the media year round.
Event Planning is truly an art form led by dedicated professionals that commit to a 24-hour-a-day career. It takes a certain personality, balanced with extreme patience, honed communication skills, efficient organization, a chameleon’s skin, a creative eye and a strong propensity to dealing with stress to successfully orchestrate a prosperous event production. Then, of course, after careful planning on paper, floor plans, design schematics, scheduling, etc., the event planner must successfully execute the event and bring “the story” to life!
Event Planners, at the end of the day, are authors of a very complex fable. A fairytale of grand proportions written and edited until the final draft is “published”, hopefully if thoughtfully managed and presented, to successful review and acclaim!
Kirsti Stephenson
Director of Special Events and PR
The Mint Agency
Kirsti Stephenson
Kirsti Stephenson brings over fourteen years experience in special event management, entertainment promotions and the media relations field to The Mint Agency. A graduate of Television Broadcasting and Film, Kirsti started her career at the Toronto Raptors in Corporate Communications before moving on to coordinate live to tape television with the Life Network. Kirsti was part of the events and production team at the former “CHUM Television” (now CTV and Rogers) for seven years, executing events and promotions for all 16 TV stations including the Star! Film Festival Schmooze, MuchMusic Video Awards, MuchMoreMusic Intimate and Interactive Performances, IdeaCity, CityTv Sales Parties, Live Bravo Performances and the notorious New Year’s Eve Live celebration at Nathan Phillips Square which is attended by more than 40,000 revelers each year. As Senior Event Manager at SWI, Kirsti contributed her vast experience in charitable fundraising and gala event production. She has worked with many outstanding organizations such as Bell Canada, SickKids Hospital, Amnesty International, ACT, Warner Bros. and Corby’s to name a few. Her successes in sponsorship relationships and celebrity acquisition have allowed her to assist in raising money for numerous charities. With a flair for fashion and an eye for unique décor concepts, Kirsti has worked on many industry-awarded, national events and national PR campaigns.