Is event management the right profession for you? The 5 P's essential for every event planner

Hoshang Jehangirji
July 21, 2020

Event Management is a trending career option, and for good reason. No other job has the same scope for creativity, socialising & travelling. Growing steadily in India at 15% CAGR as per an EY-EEMA report, the opportunities are plenty, making this a viable profession that promises you will never have another dull day in your life.

However, just like any other creative pursuit, succeeding in this field too requires endless hours of hard work, unrealistic deadlines & immense pressure. Think you have what it takes? Here’s my list of the 5 P’s that are absolutely essential for you to be a successful event planner.

PASSION

While you will perfect most other skills on the job, you cannot learn passion, and you will need plenty of it oozing from every pore of your being to be able to keep up with the erratic & hectic lifestyle ahead of you.

More often than not, organising events is a thankless job. You will be behind the scenes of some of the most prestigious and glamorous events. So you better love your job and enjoy doing what you do because recognition and acknowledgement may not be a part of it.

PLANNING

Being well organised isn’t just a skill; it’s a way of life for an event manager. Get used to checklists, to-dos, reminders & schedules.

Master the ability to set up foolproof systems and step-by-step plans, keeping the big picture in mind without losing track of the little things.

If you don’t have a plan B, you’re in for trouble.

I can’t help but quote Benjamin Franklin: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail”

PEOPLE SKILLS

As an event manager, you will be required to interact with people across different levels. Maintaining a good working relationship with everyone, irrespective of who they are or what they do, is extremely important.

From closing the venue to solving problems during the show, every step of the way, you will need to negotiate, resolve conflicts & convince people to do what is in the best interest of your event. Tackling egos and arriving at solutions that make multiple parties happy is an important skill one needs to develop.

You also need to build a team around yourself. As the events get bigger, the workload increases, and you will soon find yourself overwhelmed and buckling under pressure if you don’t have the right team in place to share the workload. Keep an eye out for every detail of your event, but learn to hand over responsibilities and build a capable and dependable team around yourself.

PROBLEM SOLVING

Creative problem-solving, or as we call it in India, Jugaad, is one of the unique skills that will set you apart from others. It is this skill that makes us a unique breed that clients have come to trust and depend upon for their most prestigious events.

As Murphy’s law states, “Whatever can go wrong will go wrong”. So always be prepared for the unknown and ready to put your wits to the test and save the day with non-conventional, innovative, and frugal hacks.

PRESSURE

While planning an event, and especially when the show goes live, you will be under a lot of pressure. Handling these highly volatile situations while maintaining a calm and composed attitude is critical.

A shaky leader will inevitably have poor judgment, so make sure you are in the right frame of mind, under any circumstances, to lead your team and deliver your event flawlessly

Another important aspect is to be calm and maintain a level head while interacting with people. Being rude or short-tempered is simply inexcusable and will only have a negative impact on your reputation.

So there you have it, the 5 P’s of Event Management. An absolute essential set of skills every event manager needs to acquire, nurture, and perfect to be successful in this industry.

If you think you possess these skills, feel free to contact us. We are always on the lookout for eager & creative minds to join our team at Merakie.