8 Effective Tips to Manage Your Event Team

“Teamwork divides the task and multiplies the success.”

Event planning is a complex task. There is a reason why this profession ranks at the top of the list of most stressful jobs out there. Juggling multiple tasks at a time to create deliver an exceptional experience is no child’s play.

That is why it is eminent for an event planner to branch out, divide the workload through an efficiently put together, well-coordinated event team.

A great event team equals a splendid event and impeccable execution of the event plan. As an event planner, it is part of your job to make sure that this team works together like a well-oiled machine. Good management is key to the team’s success. 

So, here are 8 handy tips to help you manage your event team:

1. Bring together the perfect Event Team:

Bringing together an amazing event team is the first step towards planning and delivering a successful event. A great team can make a lot many tasks much simpler. The first step towards building your dream team is to recognize the need of team members that are required.

Map out the fields where manpower is necessary and do your research accordingly. You may need a member to handle sales, another person for marketing. It is essential to first have a clear idea of the team that you want to build, the tasks that you need people for and then go on to research and recruit.

Get the word out, check out the team involved in successful events around you, ask fellow colleagues and event planners and source the best people in the market to build an amazing event team which you then begin to manage.

2. Set goals and objectives:

Have a game plan on hand. It is imperative that you have a clear idea of what you are looking to accomplish. Only then is it possible for you to guide your team and help them comprehend the objective that you shall all be working towards.

Every event is organized with a purpose. As an event planner, it is crucial for you to know the exact purpose you want your team to be working towards. It could be maximizing attendee ROI, gaining revenue, facilitating professional networking at the event or product sales. Every aspect of the event, every session, every activity you plan should be surrounding this event agenda.

For e.g. if your agenda is to maximize revenue, your entire team must be dedicated towards tasks such as maximizing event sales. Plan out and list down every member’s contribution and create a plan as per this event objective.

3. Task Delegation:

Once you’ve outlined the tasks that you’re supposed to accomplish, it’s time for delegation. Delegation helps the planners in streamlining their entire event planning and management process. This will definitely quicken the phase of execution and is especially beneficial when you have shorter lead times.

List down every single task that is supposed to be done and assign a completion date to each of these tasks. Know the strengths and weaknesses of every team member you’re working with and design the task list accordingly.

For e.g. in terms of event promotions, you might have two team members, one who is well acquainted with Social Media while another member who is great at generating targeted content. The tasks of content creation and social media promotions should thus be assigned as per their strengths.

4. Supervision and follow-ups:

An event planner is in charge of leading his/her entire team in executing a flawless event. Hence, he/she is equally, yet even more responsible for every task that has been assigned to the members. Which is why proper supervision and follow-up is a must.

Once the tasks are assigned and the planning begins, make it a habit to check up on the proceedings at regular intervals. You can also send out reminders to your team regarding their deadlines a few days before.

Make sure that your team is accountable for any sort of delays. Choose whatever approach works best for your team and for you and lead your team accordingly. In case of any delays or mistakes, be sure to get to the bottom of the issue, find out the cause of delay and sort things out to get the execution process back on track.

5. Turn to tech :

A little help never did any harm. What if I tell you that you can easily and effectively manage your entire team and keep a track of all their efforts through a digital system? Wouldn’t life be much simpler?

You can always turn to tech and utilize tools like a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software to manage your sales team. If you’re familiar with the basics of an event CRM software, you might be aware of its Salesforce management function. You can keep track of your team member’s activity with the help of CRM.

If you’re not up for the investment, you can also opt for other pocket-friendly tools like Slack, Asana, Quip, Google calendar, Google Sheets, Calendly, etc. to coordinate with and manage your team.

6. Communicate clearly:

This one’s a no-brainer. You cannot expect a task to be done correctly if the doer is not clear about what exactly the task is. Communicating clearly is crucial for a smooth execution of the event plan.

Miscommunication is one of the major reasons for slip-ups. It may often so happen that your team may be unclear on what is to be done, how it is to be done or the exact deadline for the same.

Make sure that everyone is on the same page. Counter question. Keep one fixed channel of communication. Multiple channels equals confusion. Clear communication helps to get things done quicker and in a much more efficient manner.

7. Provide Incentive:

A motivated team puts their best into everything they do. Any assigned task can be done in multiple ways. Motivated team members make it sure that it is done in the best possible way.

So, how do you motivate your team into giving it their all? One of the ways to keep them on track is by showing appreciation through incentives. These incentives could be either tangible or intangible. Even a few words of appreciation go a long way with people.

Here’s an example: Set a target for a task, it could be anything, from registrations to securing the best venue in town. Timely completion of the task in an effective manner would lead to an incentive.

8. Guide :

As an event planner, your job is to lead your team to execute an exceptional event. For this, you must leave no stone unturned. Have a vision in mind and work towards that vision to make it true.

There are bound to be some hiccups along the way. After all, your event team is only human. There may be some aspects of the event that they may not be equipped with. For e.g. tech. You might opt for a new event management software or an event tech tool that they may not be acquainted with.

It is your job to then guide the respective team member accordingly. Learning is a two-way process. It is your job to learn and keep yourself updated with industry trends so as to help your team when they’re stuck somewhere.

With a little effort and teamwork, you can surely pull off a successful event, no matter the event size or type. 

If you would like to add on to this list or share your experiences with us, be sure to connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Would you like to know how Hubilo can help you create exceptional events? Know more about it here.