Top 8 Skills Required For Event Planning

 According to statistics, the event industry was worth $36.1 billion in 2010 and is expected to reach $1552.9 billion by the year 2028. 

With an increased need for event management and planning whether it is for weddings, conferences, festivals, exhibitions and trade shows, there is also a rising need for well qualified and trained professionals who will be up for the job.

If you think that event management is the right career for you then here are the top 8 skills that you would require for event planning – 

People Management 

While planning an event, you will be expected to deal with the people in your team, vendors, clients and various other middlemen involved in the event. This means that you will be speaking with these people, conveying your demands or requests and solving their problems. People management is a skill that you must possess or develop in order to be able to do your job successfully.

Maintaining your composure

As an event planner you will be planning and coordinating an event from before the event begins until after its over. But, you cannot account for everything that can happen during this process. Sometimes due to various reasons, things can simply go the other way – the shipment gets delayed or a venue booking gets canceled at the last minute. These things cannot be predicted but it is important to be cool and calm if such a situation arises. 

Multitasking 

Planning an event requires a lot of focus. You will be in charge of handling multiple things at once. Not only will you have to work on finding a venue, deciding on the decor, maybe finding an artist but you will also be dealing with your team and suppliers, delegating and giving directives, giving appropriate attention to your client etc. Being able to multitask is imperative when it comes to being a good event planner

Adaptability

Sometimes an event does not go exactly as planned. This can be due to the many possible circumstances such as bad weather or shortage of space or the last minute loss of an artist but as a skilled event planner it is your job to adapt to any curveball that may be thrown at you because the show must go on. 

Also Read: Why must an event planner learn PowerPoint?

Time Management

As an event planner you will need to have excellent time management skills because not only will you be planning the event but you will also need to schedule deliveries or arrange set up timings for the decoration etc. You will need to meet deadlines and create an amazing event in the given amount of time to keep your clients happy.

Leadership Skills

When you are planning an event you will be working with a team because one person alone cannot pull off an entire event. You will need to be able to delegate the work and get timely updates from your team members or subordinates. Trust is a very important aspect of being a leader and while delegating work. Some people are born leaders but it is a quality that can be developed over time as well!

Attention to detail 

Being attentive to detail is an important aspect when it comes to performing any task but it is crucial while planning events. There is so much going on from various types of decorations to goody bags to the catered food to guest list to maintaining the budget when you’re planning an event. Any event is an outcome of going over the smallest details in order to deliver a perfectly organized event.

Passion

Last but not the least in the most important factor which is the key to being a great event planner – which is passion. As it is said “Love what you do and do what you love”. Having the passion and enthusiasm for planning an event from the beginning to the end is the secret to the success of an event. The most passionate planners pour their heart and soul into an event that they are a part of.

There you have it! Top 8 skills required to be an event planner. If you think you possess most of these skills then a career in event planning is the right choice for you.

And if you think that these skills are not a part of your skill set then there is nothing to worry about because any and all skills can be developed over time with a lot of practice and hard work. It is all about the continuous process of learning and growing.

We at team.i – The Entertainment and Media Institute ensure that our students possess all these top skills and are capable of working on every type of event by providing them an opportunity to work on over 6 live events from weddings to corporate events to sports events and many more. Not just this, they also undergo 2 months of internship at the end of their course to become fully industry ready.