EVENT PLANNER QUALITIES AND SKILLS

2. If you have most of
these traits, event
planning may be a good
profession for
you.

3. A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN
EVENT PLANNER

4. QUALITIES OF AN EVENT PLANNER
The role of event coordinator is a demanding one. The responsibilities
Changed from day to day and from minute to minute.
You must be able to remember:
• details, manage personnel
• plan your budget,
• Administer & coordinate multiple activities
• have some marketing knowledge
• Good administration skills.

5. NECESSARY TRAITS OF A GREAT
PLANNER
PATIENCE
Without it, you don’t belong in this arena.
ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS & AN EYE FOR A DETAIL
An event planner should be detail-oriented with the ability to make a
Comprehensive plan of attack, someone with good time management
Skills, the ability to keep an activity log, create & follow timelines,
Concentrate on results, do what is important, set daily goals & make
Priority list.
The event manager needs to coordinate a number of responsibilities
and manage many teams simultaneously.

6. THE ABILITY TO DEVELOP & MAINTAIN INTERPERSONAL
RELATIONSHIPS
The ability to develop good relationships with clients, staff, servers,
Balloon company, director of operations, the CEO etc. Having the
Ability to communicate with all these diverse type of people will make
a strong relationships.
HAVE GREAT WRITTEN & ORAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS
An event Planner should be articulate & professional. Verbal
communication & good writing skills are necessary. The ability to read
non verbal signals and the ability to listen & to pay attention are very
useful & important skills. Confident enough & willing to ask questions.

7. Communicate on a level that is respectful to everyone. Do not talk
down to anyone, regardless of their role. Everyone has their part and it
ultimately leads to your success, make sure you communicate clearly
and respectfully. Accept criticism and be open to new ideas.
The Event Manager needs to be communicative, with the ability to
listen and understand what the client is looking to achieve, as well as
being able to convey that concept when selecting and negotiating with
vendors.

8. BEING CREATIVE
A creative person can offer the unexpected & be unique, can brainstorm
with
Others involved, discuss all ideas, pay attention to the latest fads & keep
Informed of trends of the trade.
LEVEL HEADED & QUICK THINKER
Having the ability to work under pressure goes along way in this business.
No matter how organized you are, something will unexpectedly come up
& it will be your job to solve the problem quickly & quietly. You need to
have . As an event planner, you will be called upon to make many decisions,
sometimes in only a split second.

9. The skill to remain calm & think on your feet. esolve problems and issues
quickly. And you must be able to stand calm at zero hour when something
doesn’t go your way. Your team should look to you for everything, the last
thing they need is a shaky leader that makes rash decisions because they
crack under pressure.

10. DETERMINATION & PERSISTENCE
Never settle for status quo. Be persistent with people who can get you &
What you need. Do not afraid to call on the big guns when needed.
GOOD NEGOTIATION SKILLS
The ability to negotiate fee & vendor’s prices. Knowing the right person to
Negotiate & the right prices are in that industry. Things which are worth
Negotiating for are extra rooms, free parking or an additional meeting room.

11. EXCELLENT TIME MANAGEMENT
The ability to coordinate not only yourself, but the scheduling of the
entire team helping with the event. It’s all about planning, and re-
planning and scheduling.
RESOURCEFULNESS
In my opinion, this is the most important. With years of experience in
events, there is always something that requires a creative fix. Whether
it be a piece of tape, or re-working a display because the display across
the aisle looks too much like yours. You have to be very resourceful and
use what you have. Ability to pool together the individuals you need.

12. PSYCHIC
To anticipate what no one else can imagine; You must be modest –
there’s no job “too small” that you wont do; You must be clairvoyant –
to intuitively understand what hasn’t been communicated or
articulated; You must practice magic – because sometimes you’ll be
expected to create something out of nothing, and you must like to
smile – because come ‘showtime’ – it’s the best feeling ever.

13. Successful event planners must have the following knowledge:
•Venue selection
•Catering
•Production
•Entertainment
•Gifts
•Transportation
•Lodging
•Conference Services

14. REFERENCES
http://eventplanning.about.com/od/eventcareers/f/eventplanneris.htm
http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/event-management/top-5-
qualities
Kilkenny, Shannon ,2006, The Complete Guide to Successful Event
Planning, Atlantic Publishing Group