“So, what is it you do, anyway?”  I have had this question thrown at me quite a lot over the course of my career – and funnily enough, it has been coming up a bit lately too.  When I first started, I didn’t even know this profession existed – so I was more than happy to explain to family and friends .  25 years plus down the track, I find I’m still being asked the question and I am bemused.  There are so many event planner, conference managers, stylists and coordinators out there, that it sometimes feels like everyone is doing it.  I will try to break down as best I can.

So, how would I describe myself?

• Conference organiser (sometimes also known as a PCO – Professional Conference Organiser)
• Event manager
• Project manager
• Event planner
• Conference planner

Can you spot the words that keep coming up?  We plan, organise and manage.

What do I do?

The elevator pitch goes something like this – “I provide an end to end service, pulling together all the elements of your conference or event from budgeting, setting tasks and timelines, speakers, sponsors, publications, marketing, transport, entertainment, catering and venues”.  That’s it in a nutshell, but there is so much more involved.  It’s not always glamorous or fun.  To do this, you must love your computer and be very proficient at using all it has to offer.

It’s not rocket science, but your event planner should deliver is a keen understanding of logistics to be able to manage the organising committee and roll out of the project stays on track to ensure everything happens in time, on time and on budget.

Working with a committee who takes on various roles in delivering the event, we direct and share our knowledge and skills to ensure the best outcome for your conference or event.  Your event planner doesn’t have to be local, but should have enough experience to be able to liaise with a range of suppliers quickly and efficiently.  Negotiating skills are honed with practice and experience.  Good relationships with suppliers will save you a ton of money and is a good exercise in risk management.  If you have an extra 30 people surprise you at a function you have already confirmed numbers for, or those additional delegates who need extra bags, tags and accommodation – the event planners relationship with suppliers will determine how smoothly all of this is managed.  The other thing we get good at is being able to spot a good operator from one who is not.

The end result will depend on your budget and objectives, but ultimately the relationship you have with your event planner will be a key determiner of how enjoyable the process is.  Do your  homework.  Chat with a few and pick the one you feel ‘gets you’ and your event.  With that, the process of designing, planning and delivering your event will be enjoyable, productive and successful.