Head of HR at Rent For Event
Head of HR at Rent For Event
Time management is a crucial part of event planning. It’s a skill every event planner should master to ensure successful events with the least possible hiccups. In this post, we will share our proven time-saving tips as a seasoned audiovisual production company. These are the tips we swear by for more than 15+ years in the industry.
While it’s true that all of us have 24 hours in a day, many factors affect how well we can utilize such valuable time. With event planning, 24 hours are barely enough to accomplish a list of tasks.
Despite the stress event management may bring, there are many ways to master this skill. Below are some of the tips to get you started.
Deadlines make the event planning industry go round. You must set deadlines for each task to ensure that you have everything covered.
For example, audiovisual vendors must be booked at least two weeks before the event. Meanwhile, invitations must be sent out three weeks before the event date.
Be specific with the date and, if possible, you can also include the time.
Even after booking your vendors, make sure that you follow up a few days before the event. This is to ensure that there are no conflicts such as double booking.
By following up early, you will have extra time to fix potential issues. For example, if a vendor turns out to have double-booked, you can still look for another provider. This is better than having a big surprise on the day of the event.
It’s easy to get lost in the middle of event planning. If you don’t track time, you might find yourself tight on schedule.
You can use a time tracking app to log the amount of time spent on each event task. This will allow you to organize everything and measure your productivity levels.
From there, you can adjust your schedule to ensure that you’ll be on time with your targets.
Event planning is challenging, but it’s much easier if you have a game plan in place. You should devise a process that everyone will follow during the event planning phase.
An event strategy will allow you to save a lot of time. It will also reduce the risk of making expensive mistakes in your event management business.
Once you’re hired to plan an event, you must come up with an event agenda right away. This includes the basic yet integral components of the event.
Who will be the speakers? How many are the attendees? What is the theme? The answers to these questions will save you time from second-guessing the details.
While this may not be applicable to all occasions, working on your most productive hour can prevent wasted time.
The goal here is to establish work hours for your event planning. This will allow you to get used to a routine to get more things done.
Event software, online tools, and social media are indispensable for event management. You can use these tools to automate marketing, bookkeeping, reminders, and other tasks for the event.
There are a ton of apps that will make your life as an event planner easier. You can create an “event technology stack” with apps that cover the pre-planning to post-event processes.
Hiring a virtual assistant or in-office staff can lighten the load of event planning. Depending on the scale of your business, hiring quality help might be necessary.
For example, you can hire a sales manager or marketer, so you can focus on other matters of the event. Just make sure that your new hires are reliable and have the skills you need.
Volunteers will play a big role in event management. This group of people can help you save a lot of precious time and budget.
Aside from time savings, a volunteer base will also boost your marketing efforts through word of mouth. In return, you can offer the volunteers a reward or a small stipend.
Many newbie event planners are lured to get as many clients as possible. However, saying ‘yes’ to all of them mean you’re going to suffer later.
Always be realistic and only sign clients that you can handle. If not, it will compromise your time and quality of service.
Overall, be careful in accepting last-minute bookings. No matter how attractive the offer is, always consider your time and resources.
Delegating tasks is a critical skill that every event planner should practice. Event planning is a massive responsibility. It’s outright impossible for a single person to handle everything.
If you want to produce a successful event, you should know how to delegate work. Also, you must give your employees clear instructions to ensure that the task is done right.
Distractions are productivity busters. Whether you’re planning a small or large event, you must keep distractions at a minimum.
It’s important to have a designated workspace to help you focus. For large events, consider having a headquarters where you and your team can meet.
As much as event planning is time-consuming, you shouldn’t forget to take much-needed breaks. Always schedule your lunch breaks and 15-minute breaks every four hours.
These short breaks will let you refresh your mind, especially on a hectic day. Take note that a short walk outdoors or a coffee break can do wonders for your productivity. This will help you save time in the long run.
Things don’t always go as planned when it comes to event management. Vendors may arrive late, venues may have issues, and so on.
Instead of having no time to address these problems, you should always plan for the worst. Having a plan B in place will save you time from panicking and rushing near or during the event date.
No matter how time-constrained you are, always leave a few days as a leeway in case of unexpected changes. Always plan your entire schedule as if you’re expecting the worst.
Aside from ensuring that the event will go smoothly, your team will also thank you for not rushing them.
Event planners thrive through their network of contacts. You should keep the contact information of vendors, talents, venues, and so on, who you can tap for future events.
This will save you a lot of time in researching for your next event. Also, many vendors offer discounts for regular partners, which is beneficial for your budget.
Lastly, you should partner with a reliable event production company. A full-service AV company like Rent For Event will save you a lot of time from hiring multiple vendors. With just one company, you’ll get all your audio and visual needs.
Here at Rent For Event, we also provide complete delivery, installation, operation, and breakdown of the AV equipment. You will not lift finger – allowing you to focus more on other aspects of the event.
You will get to access professional-quality equipment for your events at a very competitive price. You’ll also have our AV experts running the audiovisual aspect of your event. This will ensure a seamless and excellent audience experience.
Many event planners don’t have enough time for their projects. But with these time-saving tips, they can start organizing their schedules for better productivity.
Moreover, hosting an event is both challenging and time-consuming.
Without enough preparation, planners may commit common mistakes that will compromise the event. Still, there are ways to prevent these time-related issues.
Overall, a successful event starts with excellent planning and time management. All it takes is discipline, organization, and practice. Also, partnering with a reliable AV company will save time and avoid technical issues on your event.
