Event planning doesn’t have to be maddening

Event planning is maddening, but help is on the way

If you are event planning, did you know that ‘Event Coordinator’ was recently ranked as one of the most stressful jobs for 2015 by website recruiter CareerCast? If you’re in that business, CareerCast isn’t telling you anything you don’t already know.

Here are some gripes you’ve probably felt, but have never put into any particular order. They’re the 16 things that drive meeting planners bonkers, some of which I’m going to mention here. The list came about when the Destination Marketing Association International’s (DMAI) empowerMINT team decided to run a “Meeting Planning Madness” tournament this past March, which gave meeting planners the chance to vote on what details of their jobs drive them absolutely nuts.

The results offer insight into the causes of stress for professionals who do event planning, which is good information to know for destination marketing organizations, hotels and venues. After all, understanding the causes of stress is critical for organizations if they want have a better working relationship with meeting professionals.

And the winner (or is it loser?) is!

• Waiting for others to make decisions

And the runner-up is!

• Stakeholders who think they’re “planners”

Here are a few more maddening things that received votes in the tournament—

• Champagne taste on a beer budget
• Inadequate response to my RFP
• Meeting room changes
• Now who’s my contact?
• Not getting paid enough
• Extensive travel demands
• Being called a party planner (ouch)

Okay, so you know what stresses you out, now for something good!

Never overlook or underestimate the help of the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). They not only know the lay of the land, but they are there front and center to offer you assistance. They can help in many ways. For example, they can help you with both event and off-site selection support. Attendance promotion is another area where your CVB can help by providing you with maps and general destination information, logos, destination videos, and photo albums. All of which can be put to good use by you to build awareness and create excitement about the location of your event.

The help doesn’t end there, either. The CVB can make invaluable introductions for you to some of the political and business movers and shakers in and around where your event is going to be held. They can also inform you about any local groups that may be appropriate for you to team up with, to add another dimension to your event. Continuing in this vein, the CVB can give you local media lists and connections to help you build upon any public relations efforts you are planning.

Add to your staff, but not to your budget.

The CVB is like having another person on your staff. And all the service and attention you gain from this important relationship is free. The help of the CVB may not eliminate all of the stresses of event planning, but it surely will make your work a little less maddening

Best of Days to You,

Audrey Ferrante
Ferrante & Associates, Inc.