Many people probably don’t realize what it takes to be a successful event planner. Event planners are professionals who coordinate the many aspects involved with an event. They usually determine an event’s location, set up transportation, manage the design of branded custom banners, and organize all the details surrounding the event. If you’re thinking about entering this profession, here are five of the most important characteristics of a successful event planner. 

1.) Creativity 

Creativity is an underated trait that is desperatley needed. You’ll want to have every aspect of your event stand out rather than be ordinary. For example, consider your invitations. Instead of having standard invitations, involving plain text, a white card and a white envelope, consider vibrant and brightly colored envelopes, along with rich images describing the event. Event planners often create custom banners or pole banners for promoting the event and are usually displayed near the area where the event is hosted. 

Be creative, regarding your event’s venue, such as suggesting having the venue at an atypical location. Maybe it could be held at a ampitheatre, or outdoor tent, instead of the standard venue, such as a hotel conference room. As for catering, why not include unique options like food trucks instead of the standard catering service.

2.) Close Attention to Details

From the initial planning stages to the final execution stage, event planners are responsible for coordinating every little detail of an event. In addition to staying on track with the many details involved in planning an event, realize that these details can easily and quickly change. Furthermore, a single change can affect other aspects of the event.

3.) Adaptability

Flexibility or adaptability is critical if you want to be an exceptional event planner. This entails always being prepared. In other words, have an alternative plan when changes occur, which they often do. A common example is having a backup plan for an event that’s intended to be outdoors. Because most events are planned far in advance, it’s easy for the weather to take a turn for the worst, so you’ll need to know what to do when the weather changes.  

“Just because you have planned something doesn’t mean it is going to happen.”

– Jung Lee, celebrity event planner/producer

4.) Level-headedness

Staying calm under pressure, along with good leadership skills, is needed when you plan events. If you tend to panic when things don’t go the way they should, consider another career. Keep in mind how your customers, besides your guests and vendors, expect you to respond when problems arise. They look to you to solve issues and keep a positive attitude, even during a crisis.

5.) Good People Skills

An event planner should have excellent skills as this is a profession that revolves around people and how you treat them. Besides your customers, you’ll also be dealing with their guests and several vendors. If you fail to have a good relationship with the people with whom you conduct business, you’ll be ineffective. Also, be humble, putting the interests of your clients above your own. Remember, that the event isn’t about your ego; it’s about the needs of your customers.

The event planning industry is huge and constantly growing and evolving. No matter where you are in your business, it pays to stay on top of what is happening in the industry.

There is a steady influx of new products, tools, techniques and business info that you need to be informed about, and one way to do this is by reading industry blogs. There are a ton of blogs out there that offer insight, ideas, tips and more to help you with your event planning business. Let's look at the top three now.

1. The Event Manager Blog

No matter what type of event you put on: Weddings, conferences, trade shows, speaking engagements, etc. you can find a wealth of tips, news and ideas from this blog. There are how-to articles, trend reports, idea posts and in-depth information on the latest technology that can help you put on amazing events and run your business. This blog is at the top because it trully belongs here.

The blog currently addresses issues such as how the travel ban may affect events, how harassment at events is a bigger problem than many people realize and what food trends are being served at large events. Although this blog is geared toward larger professional events, you don't have to put on this type of event to get something out of this blog. Anyone interested in trends, technology, guest satisfaction and pulling of the best possible event should read this blog.

You'll also find social media information. Understanding the latest in social media tools for getting the word spread about your events or how to sell tickets or create pages for events is important for you and for your clients. Social media has dramatically changed event planning, so it's a good idea to stay informed on this topic.

2.Event Planning Blueprint

This blog provides great information on branding, hiring staff, running the business, and finding new clients.

This blog is more for the business owner than the employee, but anyone in the event planning industry can get something out of it. If you are new to event planning as an owner, this is the blog you'll want to read. 

3. Preston Bailey

The Preston Bailey blog has a heavy emphasis on wedding event planning and overall style, but again, you can find value here no matter what type of events you plan. Presentation and guest experience matter whether it's a festive party or an insurance seminar. Looking for new ideas? Tips and tricks? Visual inspiration? This is a great place to start.

All three of these blogs are just a jumping off point, there are plenty more. Reading blogs related to the event planning industry is a good idea because you don't want to be the last to hear about the latest app, design trend or social media event craze. Stay informed and learn more about planning by reading the above blogs. Branch out from here to find more blogs that are closely related to your niche. For example, Preston's blog is great for wedding planners, and Event Managers Blog is more geared toward professional events. Of course you can get a lot of value out of either blog, but it's always a good idea to find similar blogs that speak to your specialty.

The right custom banner design is an important element of a successful event. Accent Banner can help you design a banner that catches the attention of guests and suits the theme and style of the event. Contact Accent Banner for more information today.