Event managers are people whom, by the nature of their job, would be meeting lots of people. Hence, it is crucial for event managers and planners to maintain a certain standard of professionalism and grace when in communication with other people, especially when they are at work.
But, as an event manager, you are required to be quite open and friendly with your clients, sponsors and event attendees, even, so the line of professionalism can be pretty blurred. However, we have put together a list of 10 sure-fire tips to help you stay professional at all times, without having to cut back on your charm, friendliness and sense of humor.
☑ #1 Dress Appropriately
As with all other jobs, you can’t try to convince a sponsor when you show up in a tank top and cargo shorts. Always dress as formally as possible, this helps to show that you’re serious about business.
☑ #2 Keep Your Humor Clean
Jokes are all in good fun, but be careful not to overstep boundaries. Different people may react differently to some borderline jokes, so it’s better be safe than sorry.
☑ #3 Give Clients an Event Structure
Always provide your clients with the general structure of how the event is going to be, before you set out on actually filling in the details. This gives your client an idea of what to expect and also helps them build confidence in your abilities.
☑ #4 Know Your Stuff
As an event manager, it is your duty to know who should be doing what and how everything should go. Aside from that, it is best to also learn minor details that are easily overlooked, like the names of the people who are helping you put together the event as well as vendors. These minor details can actually help your team function better and increase overall efficiency.
☑ #5 Be Detailed
When explaining something to your clients or sponsors, always be as detailed as possible, especially when explaining anything involving cost or monetary value. People appreciate the details and the feeling of knowing that every little thing is being taken care of. Also, always check your facts and figures once over before you present them!
☑ #6 Have A Backup Plan
In an event, anything can go wrong, so you must always be prepared for the worst. Always have a backup plan for everything as well as a list of backup vendors that would be able to assist you with the things you need, should your original vendors or supplies fail to deliver.
☑ #7 Always Be Available
In the world of events, customer service runs 24/7, 365. You should always be at hand to answer any queries that your sponsors or clients may have. However, if you do have a personal emergency or family matter, do let them know via email and also drop them a personal text message stating that you are unavailable at the moment and will get back to them in the soonest.
☑ #8 Be on Time
Be punctual to all your meetings. A timely person always creates a picture that the person is well-organized and is highly likely to get the job done with pristine perfection, which would help you gain your client and sponsor’s trust and add to your air of professionalism.
☑ #9 Be Patient
Your clients may have tons of questions and some of them may be a similar question, so be very patient and calmly explain everything to the client or sponsor once more. And if a client or sponsor becomes slightly irritable over something gone wrong, always reassure them that it will be set right and that you have a solution underway.
☑ #10 Do Not Discriminate
Try not to draw dividing lines between your clients. Whether your client is a small mom-and-pop store in your neighborhood or a renowned, corporate conglomerate, you need to treat both of your clients in a similar way and provide them with their event needs to your best and by their respective budgets.
These are some tips that we have for you in order to help you along your way to become a professional and well-respected event manager. Try to follow them as closely as possible to provide the best experience for your clients and sponsors so that they keep coming back for more. Best of Luck!
