As an event marketing professional, you know that with all of the excitement, creativity, and smiling faces also comes weeks of planning, strategizing, and tying up loose ends.
To make the event promotion process less cumbersome and more actionable, we've created this list of actionable business tips that will help you be a better businessperson and a better event organizer for any of your upcoming events.
1. Meditate More, Stress Less
It is no secret that the pressure event promoters face when planning an event can lead to a lot of extra baggage both mentally and physically. From the moment an event is booked, the clock is ticking, and deadlines, last-minute adjustments, and the strong drive to go above and beyond often hover over organizers.
These are the types of stresses that can actually hinder you rather than propel you in the right direction, so it's important that you not only take these challenges in stride but that you also remember to care about your own well-being. Not only can stress restrict creativity, but it can also lead to difficulty focusing, issues completing tasks on time, and to long-term health problems.
There is no room for counterproductivity in event planning, so we recommend meditating as a way to manage work-related stress and improve your event planning skills. If meditating isn't for you, we suggest that you find an outlet that focuses your attention elsewhere and facilitates mindful thinking.
2. Build A Personal Brand
As you promote events, it is important that you differentiate yourself and build a reputation that sets you apart from others whether that is on an event website, social media, or any other marketing channels.
A great reputation extends beyond word of mouth and great reviews. A strong personal brand is one that is easily accessible to potential clients or employers and exists in many high-visibility places online.
We recommend that you start thinking of yourself as a brand and marketing yourself to a particular target audience - to improve as an event promoter, you should start creating social media posts that will best portray your brand to readers. This means that the way you act and communicate in both reality and via a social media platform like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn should help to further develop your professional brand. Maybe even start your own event hashtag! Social media is a great way to increase ticket sales and event registrations.
3. Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone And Innovate
Steve Jobs said that "Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower." Learning from mistakes, stepping out of your comfort zone, and trying new things is key to innovation.
If you're like most event organizers, you've probably experienced a time when you've left an event thinking, "I wish I did this or that differently." It's your job to learn and improve from these reflections and bring new ideas to reality going forward.
New ideas and innovation can also come from attending events outside of the events you plan. There is nothing wrong with borrowing ideas from events you've attended. In fact, building on something that already exists and finding ways to make it better is innovation in itself. It's as easy as doing your research by reading up on popular event-related blogs.
Creative inspiration can even come from attending non-professional events during your time off. Whether you're at a concert, an art show, or a fundraiser, there are plenty of creative stimulants available to you that you can take utilize to find inspiration for the events you organize.
4. Work Smarter Not Harder
Great event marketing professionals understand and embrace the benefits of the resources available to them when it comes to planning, organizing, and collaborating to produce a successful conference, event, or convention.
Event organizers who are successful business people, know how to utilize the tools around them to work smarter, not harder.
There are many event planning tools that can organize and delegate tasks, assist with preparation, and lighten an event planner's load.
5. Love Your Job!
In the midst of a chaotic week, it is easy to get caught up in your agenda and forget about the passion that motivated you to become an event promoter in the first place. Whether you're a social butterfly or the best coordinator out there, you are an event marketing professional for a reason!
Sometimes it takes as little as reminding yourself each morning that you are doing what you love for your entire week to improve.
An act as simple as this has the potential to create a very powerful domino effect: the energy you emit from loving your job will not only positively affect your own temperament and drive, but also your team's, colleagues', and clients'.
Conclusion
To be the best event promoter you can be, remember to put yourself first. Great things will come from staying mindful. You are your own unique event planning brand, and it's important that you sell yourself! Use your creative edge to learn from your mistakes, seek inspiration, and be innovative. Lastly, remind yourself from time to time that you are doing something you love, try to see past your emails and focus the fact that you have the privilege to build amazing event experiences for others. Start planning early for your next event!
Article: Kristy O'Connell for Bizzabo
Image: Ksenia Makagonova
