This article provides 57 tips to help you succeed in your next corporate event planning assignment.
1) Be willing to learn the job’s responsibilities and ask your boss questions about it.
2) You must be enthusiastic about working on your corporate event planning assignment, all the way through to the end. This means that you must apply yourself for the entire project cycle (e.g., planning, executing, monitoring, etc.)-not just when you are initially asked to jump on board.
3) You should be patient with yourself and others; frequently check back with all relevant departments (e.g., venues, entertainment companies); think creatively; try not get frustrated by obstacles during the corporate event planning assignment; keep records of all discussions/communications in written form or by recording them on a tape recorder; and always double check everything with everyone before moving forward.
4) Show the client how you will work with their budget, be willing to negotiate and meet the customer’s specific requirements regarding expenses.
5) Ask questions about any industry-specific requirements that you do not understand and then research those topics thoroughly!
6) Take notes on all assigned tasks and then hand these written corporate event planning ideas back to your boss for feedback so they can determine if more details are needed.
7) Always try to keep some free time available each week in case meetings need to be rescheduled or some other unforeseen matter comes up during this process.
8) Work hard throughout this whole cycle-not just when deadlines approach!
9) Be willing to adapt and overcome whenever necessary during this process.
10) Think outside the box and do not be afraid to suggest ideas that seem a little crazy-the best solutions often come from creative thinking to shine with your corporate event planning tasks.
11) You must be able to write clearly and succinctly, understand how to use Microsoft Word and/or Excel well enough to format proposals and communicate in an organized fashion via e-mail.
12) Remember: this is service industry where people’s satisfaction counts for everything!
13) As an added benefit, you will likely receive additional training opportunities when working on corporate events; you can learn about new venues/locations in your area which might add revenue streams in the future; and finally you will make valuable connections for other projects while working on your corporate event planning assignments.
14) Work hard and enjoy the process-it will certainly be an experience that you can draw upon in future assignments!
15) If you work for a large company, ask your supervisor if they know of any other employees who might need some help with their own upcoming events; it is possible to get additional hours or even another event to work on by doing this.
16) This is also a good time to build your network with people in all departments (e.g., sales, marketing), so do not hesitate to introduce yourself and let them know what your job responsibilities entail, seriously, many corporate professionals do not realize we planners actually exist!
17) Try developing fresh ideas and be open to new concepts with your corporate event planning assignment; do not automatically assume that the most “traditional” approach is always the best!
18) As previously stated, this can also be a great opportunity for additional training opportunities. For example, you might learn how to work with different decorating companies or which celebrity impersonators are available in your area (yes: we event planners know where all of these people live!)!
19) Try your best to show and communicate to others that working on corporate events is very important and something they can now rely upon you for-the goal here is to develop a reputation as someone who is reliable & resourceful in handling corporate event planning.
20) Carry yourself professionally at all times-e.g., pay attention during meetings; dress appropriately; and do not gossip about other people behind their backs.
21) Do not forget to develop a good understanding of all the components that go into producing an event (e.g., what is required for AV equipment, how to work with caterers, etc.)-this will help you be more effective in groundwork skills required to corporate event planning that should you end up managing one of these events at some point down the road!
22) To optimize your skills and efficacy as a corporate event planning professional, try to take on additional responsibilities; we all started at the bottom (i.e., as interns or junior planners), but use this as an opportunity to learn as much as possible along the way!
23) Even though it can be tedious and frustrating sometimes, always remember: you are helping people put on their company’s events which often can be great PR for the brand!
24) Be proactive in this process by always reaching out to others when necessary-e.g., ask lots of questions if you are unsure about anything; offer to help wherever possible; and do not hesitate to apply your own initiative in certain areas as a corporate event planning professional (i.e, don’t just sit around waiting for something else to do!).
25) Above all: try working with a good attitude at all times – it is very rare that someone will want or appreciate an employee who always complains and/or is negative in any way!
26) Be willing to perform a wide array of tasks as a corporate event planning professionals that are required for event management companies (i.e., filing, copying, mailing, sending e-mails, etc.).
27) Remember that your computer is your best friend when it comes to getting things done on time-and whenever possible always print out copies of documents before finalizing them!
28) Keep all team members informed about what you are working on at any given moment via e-mail or face-to-face communication.
29) Try not to be afraid of asking questions if something is unclear; this will ensure everyone’s time is well spent & productive in the end.
30) If the company has an established customer service policy in place already, make sure to use it (e.g., if you are supposed to be at an event for 8 hours but your shift is only 6, make sure to let the appropriate people know this ahead of time; or perhaps they require you to stay until all post-event clean up is complete).
31) As a corporate event planning professional, while taking notes always try to write down not only what was said but also who was involved in a particular conversation so that you can simply go back and reference specific names/addresses should anything need clarification later on.
32) In terms of records keeping: always develop a filing system where everyone knows exactly where any relevant documents have been filed away-this way nothing gets lost!
33) Always read & reread work e-mails prior to sending them out to ensure that everyone has a clear, common understanding of the information being shared.
34) If you are unsure about anything, always reach out to your manager for clarification first before moving forward with any project-this way you will avoid having to deal with any potential consequences later on.
35) In the event that something goes wrong during one of these planning events, take full responsibility and do not point fingers or make excuses – this situation is actually a great opportunity for some personal improvement!
36) If you need help from someone else while working on an event, always ask them politely and be sure to offer assistance in return whenever possible (not only will this create a good relationship between you & others but it can also lead to learning opportunities, etc.).
37) Be sure you are up-to-date with all necessary software programs and computer equipment prior to starting a new event.
38) Dismiss other distractions while working on an assignment whenever possible by taking these “breaks” at specific times – this way you will be less likely to procrastinate or get off track in any way/fail to meet company deadlines!
39) Unless otherwise instructed: always e-mail your manager(s) when finished completing a task so that they can review & sign off on it accordingly.
40) Always double check the domain before sending out an e-mail (i.e., @companyname.com)-this is very important if they have more than one office location.
41) Try to avoid abbreviating words whenever possible as this could potentially confuse people-for example, instead of “onto” you could type “on to.”
42) Make an effort always to read the end note section of any documents that are sent your way-this can often provide some helpful information about what should be done next!
43) Try to consider all angles before making a final decision-while this may sometimes seem difficult, it is typically well worth the time spent doing so.
44) Keep work documents separate from personal ones wherever possible (e.g., don’t check your work e-mails at home).
45) While working on anything, do not hesitate to ask relevant questions whenever they come up; this includes seeking further explanation about specific tasks if need be.
46) Prior to starting on any project, always take the time to ask your manager(s) for an initial list of what needs to be completed so that you can more easily stay on track throughout this process.
47) If someone is constantly distracting you while working (e.g., by talking to you nonstop), politely let them know that you are busy at the moment and will contact them as soon as possible.
48) Be sure to assign team members different roles based on their own unique skill sets & abilities; also make sure each person knows exactly what their responsibilities/duties entail!
49) When communicating with clients or customers, always end your e-mails by writing “thank you” (or something to that nature) so that they know you are grateful for their business.
50) Try not to get overly worked up when things do not go according to plan because it usually won’t help anyone in this situation!
51) Prior to starting work on a new project/assignment: take the time to familiarize yourself with any applicable guidelines or rules in order to avoid running into any potential complications down the line!
52) While working on anything at all, always check & double check all information before moving forward – even if no errors seem apparent at first glance.
53) Always sure that all documents are saved properly before you close any files on your computer (and don’t forget to back up important data if necessary).
54) Prior to typing anything, always check for spelling mistakes-this can save time in the long run (and it’s also good practice, of course).
55) When dealing with customers or clients: avoid making personal comments/jokes that may seem unprofessional/offensive in any way.
56) While working on any task at all, be sure to take breaks every so often so that you do not get burned out or overwhelmed by information overload.
57) Always try to keep e-mails short and straight-to-the-point whenever possible – this is more likely to get people’s attention!