Time Management for Event Planners E-Book

Judy Allen

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 340

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2009

Beschreibung

Event planning never stops. This industry goes 24/7, 365 days ayear. Planners work evenings, weekends, and holidays, often faraway from their home base, organizing and running events thatsimply must go on, and go smoothly. Missing a critical deadline isnot an option in the event planning field. Time management errorscan cost a company a potential sale, lose them an existingcustomer, and damage their professional reputation. Burnout and chaos are real risks in this hectic world ofdeadlines and multiple projects. Planners often find themselvesworking down to the wire against crushing deadlines and a mountainof obstacles that impede their progress. Too frequently, there isnot enough time to get the job done properly, let alone to spend onpersonal or professional pursuits. And for many involved in theevent planning field, there is the extra dimension of travel tofactor in, juggling multiple projects on a daily basis across amultitude of time zones. For smooth event implementation, and for business success, it isessential that planners know how to manage their own time as wellas they manage an event. Time Management for Event Plannersteaches readers how to successfully manage their workload, and dowhat matters most, when it matters most: * Analyze and prioritize tasks. * Structure your workload and your day for maximumperformance. * Identify red-flag activities that hinder productivity. * Reduce stress-producing time crunches. * Identify when extra help is needed, as well as how to delegate,outsource, and even partner with suppliers in crunch periods. * Work with rather than against deadlines. * Save time using technology. * Manage multiple projects, even in multiple time zones. * Balance your personal and professional life. Whether you are an event planner, a hospitality professional, inpublic relations or other related fields, Time Management forEvent Planners offers time-saving tips, techniques, examples,and expert insight that will help you get time on your side.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Praise

Praise

ALSO BY JUDY ALLEN

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

PREFACE

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1 - TAKING STOCK

REACHING A DEFINING MOMENT

IDENTIFYING WHAT YOU REALLY DO DAY TO DAY

ANALYZING WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO GET THE JOB DONE EFFECTIVELY

DEFINING WHAT’S ESSENTIAL FOR PERFORMANCE AND ADVANCEMENT

UNCOVERING HIDDEN JOB REQUIREMENTS

Chapter 2 - CHARTING YOUR PRIORITIES

DEVELOPING TIME SENSITIVITY

IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL TIME CRUNCHES IN ADVANCE

FREEING UP MORE TIME

MANEUVERING MORE MINUTES INTO YOUR DAY

BRINGING ORDER—THROUGH REORDER

CREATING A SAMPLE TIME MANAGEMENT REORDER GRID

Chapter 3 - DESIGNING A DAILY ACTION PLAN

STRUCTURING YOUR WORK LOAD TO EFFICIENTLY MEET YOUR OBJECTIVES

ORGANIZING YOUR DAY FOR MAXIMUM EFFECT

BECOMING CRITICAL ABOUT HOW YOU SPEND YOUR TIME AND ENERGY

TAKING CONTROL—CLEARING THE CLUTTER

GETTING TO IT AND THROUGH IT—DUE, TO DO, DONE

Chapter 4 - INTEGRATING TIME MANAGEMENT TACTICS INTO YOUR DAY

SETTING PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GOALS

MEETING YOUR OBJECTIVES AND DEADLINES

PREPARING FOR THE UNKNOWNS AND UNEXPECTEDS

MINIMIZING DISTRACTIONS WHEN IN THE OFFICE

COMMUNICATIONS

MINIMIZING DISTRACTIONS WHEN OUT OF THE OFFICE

Chapter 5 - IMPLEMENTING TIME-SAVING SYSTEMS AND PROCEDURES

GAINING VALUE BY OUTLINING EXPECTATIONS

ESTABLISHING COMPANY CODES OF CONDUCT IN KEY AREAS

CREATING AN ACTION PLAN FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS

SAVING TIME THROUGH TECHNOLOGY

DECIDING WHEN TO DELEGATE OR OUTSOURCE EXPERTISE

Chapter 6 - WORKING AROUND THE WORLD ON MULTIPLE PROJECTS IN MULTIPLE TIME ZONES

JUGGLING MULTIPLE FILES, TASKS, RESPONSIBILITIES AND PLAYERS

LEARNING TO TIMESHIFT

Chapter 7 - GETTING TIME ON YOUR SIDE

RIDING THE WAVE OF WORK EXPECTATIONS

BUILDING IN TIMEBUFFERS

IDENTIFYING TIME TRIGGERS

PERFORMING TIME EDITS

CREATING YOUR DAILY ACTION PLAN

Chapter 8 - SAVING TIME WHEN OUT OF THE OFFICE AND ON-SITE

PREPARING IN ADVANCE

TAKING THE TRIP

GETTING BACK TO BUSINESS

Chapter 9 - MAKING TIME FOR PROFESSIONAL PURSUITS

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ON-THE-JOB OPPORTUNITIES

INVESTING INPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

FINDING EDUCATIONAL VALUE IN ATTENDING INCENTIVE AND PREMIUM TRADE SHOWS

Chapter 10 - BALANCING YOUR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE

DEFINING YOUR OBJECTIVES

PROTECTING YOUR DIVISION BETWEEN PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL TIME

MAKING USE OF TRANSITION TIME

FINDING BALANCE WITHOUT COMPROMISING

SCHEDULING YOUR PERSONAL LIFE IN YOUR AGENDA

CONCLUSION

INDEX

MORE PRAISE FOR

TIME MANAGEMENT FOR EVENT PLANNERS

“Judy presents specific ‘how to’ procedures and maps out the route to timely success in event planning. Time Management for Event Planners brings the concept of time management down to a practical level which can be applied to any event or to one’s personal life.”

—Rosecita Jeffers, CEO, Island By Design Inc., St Kitts and Nevis

“Judy Allen’s expertise in creating larger-than-life events translates into a highly readable, inspirational volume of real-world time management tips for event planners. A must-read for event industry professionals.”

—Liz Ryan, President, WorldWIT/WorldWIT Radio, U.S.

“I am glad that we can have tools for the meeting industry. Getting things done is the most difficult part of the business. With her new book, Judy Allen positions planners at a managerial level and shows how to work in an effective way to track our productive time.”

—Wanda I. Hernandez, MBA, Presedent, Caliope Events Management &Corporate Communications; President, Meeting ProfessionalsInternational, MPI Puerto Rico Club

PRAISE FOR OTHER BOOKS BY JUDY ALLEN

EVENT PLANNING

The Ultimate Guide to Successful Meetings, Corporate Events, Fundraising Galas, Conferences, Conventions, Incentives and Other Events

(ISBN: 0-471-64412-9)

“Allen is a good teacher. Wise planners will add Event Planning to their personal reference library as a useful working guide.”

—Meeting Professional Magazine

“A blueprint for executing events for 50 or 2,000, with budgets of a few thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands.”

—Success Magazine

“Event Planning will save beginning event planners from plenty of heart-break and headaches.”

—Lisa Hurley, Editor, Special Events Magazine

“Event Planning gives readers a blueprint for planning and executing special events with flair. Consider the book as preventative maintenance.”

—Sales Promotion Magazine

“A guide to well planned events. Event Planning is a must for any PR maven.”

—Marketing Magazine

“This book will be a help to all event planners, from rank beginners to seasoned professionals. It provides excellent guidelines as well as helpful details.”

—Katherine Kossuth, Director of Operations and Special Events, Canadian Film Center

THE BUSINESS OF EVENT PLANNING

Behind-the-Scenes Secrets of Successful Special Events

(ISBN: 0-470-83188-X)

“The Business of Event Planning is a must-read for those in the event planning business. Strategic in thought and design and user-friendly in presentation, it literally tells you the paths to follow and the pitfalls to avoid. Well told, with examples to follow and stories to relate to, it’s the ‘how-to’ that’s a ‘must-do’ for the meetings, incentive, and event planning industry.”

—Peggy Whitman, President, Society of Incentive & Travel Executives; and Western Regional Sales Director, Marriott Incentive Awards

“Written for anyone who has to prepare dynamite meetings and special events, The Business of Event Planning is your bible and a must-have desktop reference. Thanks, Judy Allen! You saved the day!”

—Susan Fenner Ph.D., Manager, Education and Professional Development, International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP)

“Guidance for new planners, reminders for experienced ones, and useful tips for everyone. This book has it all! It’s the key that unlocks the mystery behind event planning, and should be mandatory reading for planners everywhere.”

—Leslie McNabb, Senior Manager Event Planning, Scotia Capital

EVENT PLANNING ETHICS AND ETIQUETTE

A Principled Approach to the Business of Special Event Management

(ISBN: 0-470-83260-6)

“An excellent, timely benchmark for all those who strive to achieve the highest standard in the event planning industry.”

—Marta Pawych, CMM, CMP, CSEP; Director Meetings, Events & Sponsor-ships, Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario

“This is a must-read not only for event professionals, but also for small-business people conceiving product introductions and conference appearances.”

—Harvard Business School, Working Knowledge

“[An] outstanding book on ethics and business etiquette in the events industry…This is an extremely timely and much-needed book.”

—Patti J. Shock, Professor and Chair, Tourism and ConventionAdministration Department, Harrah College of Hotel Administration,University of Nevada, Las Vegas

“Judy Allen strikes again. The veteran event planner…writes with the voice of experience and offers readers guidelines for establishing ethical policies in the office and on-site at events…a good refresher, and excellent reading for novices who need to know how to keep personal and professional boundaries from being crossed.”

—Corporate Meetings & Incentives Magazine

“This book contains invaluable information for anyone who handles events for their organization. A host of real-world stories from the field—the good, the bad, and the ugly—serve as examples of codes of conduct (or lack thereof) as well as cautionary tales of what can happen when ethics and etiquette fall to the wayside. Allen thoroughly examines many scenarios and provides practical advice that any planner would be foolish not to heed.”

—Charity Village

MARKETING YOUR EVENT PLANNING BUSINESS

A Creative Approach to Gaining the Competitive Edge

(ISBN: 0-470-83387-4)

“For event planners who are tired of being a well-kept secret, Marketing Your Event Planning Business offers invaluable advice on targeting talents and targeting clients. It’s a wonderful boost for event planners looking to expand their client base.”

—Lisa Hurley, Editor, Special Events Magazine

“Judy Allen has crafted another meaningful book in her series on event practices. Every business owner must immediately add this treasure chest of useful ideas to their bookshelf.”

—Richard Aaron, CMP, CSEP, President of BiZBash Media, NYC

“In an ever-competitive marketplace, a meeting practitioner must know the niche in which she or he wants to establish credibility. Once established, marketing oneself and one’s services becomes an exciting challenge. Judy Allen’s tips, provided with the insight of experience, and with humor, allow the reader to look differently at the opportunities available.”

—Joan L. Eisenstodt, Chief Strategist, Eisenstodt Associates, LLC,Conference Consulting, Facilitation & Training; and 2004 Hall ofLeaders Inductee

“Judy Allen has given us the ultimate resource guide to event planning. It’s everything you need to know to launch successful company.”

—Ramey Warren Black, Partner, Media-Savvy

ALSO BY JUDY ALLEN

Event Planning

The Ultimate Guide to Successful Meetings, Corporate Events, Fundraising Galas, Conferences, Conventions, Incentives and Other Events

The Business of Event Planning Behind-the-Scenes Secrets of Successful Special Events

Event Planning Ethics and Etiquette A Principled Approach to the Business of Special Event Management

Marketing Your Event Planning Business A Creative Approach to Gaining the Competitive Edge

Your Stress Free Wedding Planner Experts’ Best Secrets to Creating The Wedding Of Your Dreams

Engaged to Be Married in Three Months or Less

Copyright© 2005 by Judy Allen

All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyright herein may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic or mechanical—without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any request for photocopying, recording, taping or information storage and retrieval systems of any part of this book shall be directed in writing to The Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency (Access Copyright). For an Access Copyright license, visit www.accesscopyright.ca or call toll free, 1-800-893-5777.

Care has been taken to trace ownership of copyright material contained in this book. The publishers will gladly receive any information that will enable them to rectify any reference or credit line in subsequent editions.

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Allen, Judy, 1952-Time management for event planners / Judy Allen.

Includes index.

eISBN : 978-0-470-73900-6

1. Special events industry. 2. Time management. I. Title.

GT3405.A.2’068 C2005-900902-0

Production CreditsCover: Pat Loi Interior text layout: Natalia Burobina Printer: Tri-Graphic Printing Ltd.

John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.6045 Freemont Blvd. Mississauga, Ontario L5R 4J3

Each event—whether it is designed to entertain, educate or enlighten—becomes someone’s lasting memory. It is not unheard of in this business to have clients and/or guests still celebrating an event that happened over 10 years ago and able to recollect the tiniest of details because it really captivated their complete attention and respect. Producing such results takes talent, teamwork and a commitment to mastering time management so that no minute part ever goes unchecked, no great idea is bypassed, and no personal or professional learning or growth opportunities are missed due to a lack of time caused through inefficiency or ineffectual use of time.

This book is dedicated to event planning professionals around the world who give their time, energy, expertise and creativity to producing events that are meaningful, memorable and magical, and who use their time wisely to become masters of their day and of their craft.

PREFACE

Event planning, hospitality and related fields, such as public relations, are industries that operate 24/7, 365 days of the year. They are enterprises where those involved often find themselves working down to the wire against seemingly crushing deadlines and a mountain of obstacles that impede their progress, leaving no time for personal and professional pursuits. And for many involved, there is the extra dimension of travel to factor in, as well as learning how to juggle working on a daily basis within a multitude of time zones.

For smooth event implementation, planners must know how to manage their time as well as they manage an event. This is a skill that many individuals lack despite being proficient at planning events. With an event, they are in control of the event elements and timing, but in the office, in meetings and on-site, their time and how it is being spent is seemingly often out of their control—with precious time eaten up while catering to the demands of others. Without the tools to better organize their workload, prioritize their day and take control of the demands on their time, event planners may walk into a timing minefield every morning, never knowing in advance what has the potential to trip them up, put the event they are planning in jeopardy and place them and their company at financial risk, or even throw their office into crisis management overload. And not being able to manage time and workloads wisely can have serious repercussions not only on an individual’s professional success and status in the industry but on their company’s reputation, and can greatly affect their home and family life and health. Operating daily at high stress levels will take a toll on planners personally and professionally, and adversely impact the event planning company they work for, their clients and their suppliers.

Time Management for Event Planners will teach planners—and those in related service industry fields, such as hospitality, communications and public relations—how to successfully manage their workload and do what matters most when it matters most, by offering time-saving tips, techniques and expert insight into time management as it relates specifically to these specialized areas.

The book provides information on what you need to know in order to analyze your tasks, prioritize and organize your day, and identify key actions and subsequent steps to manage your time efficiently and effectively. Time Management for Event Planners offers proven ways to reduce stress-producing time crunches and work with, rather than against, timing deadlines.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank the dedicated publishing team at John Wiley & Sons for all their hard work and effort in the production of the fifth book in the Event Planning series, Time Management for Event Planners .

Special thanks to William Zerter (Chief Operating Officer); Robert Harris (General Manager); Karen Milner (Executive Editor); Elizabeth McCurdy (Project Manager); Juanita Korpan (Editorial Assistant); Jennifer Smith (Director of Sales and Marketing); Meghan Brousseau (Publicity Manager); Erin Kelly (Publicist); Lucas Wilk (Associate Channel Marketing Manager); Parisa Michailidis (Corporate Account Manager); Joan Trinidad (Accountant); and Natalia Burobina (Graphic Designer) for the part each of them played in taking this book from creative concept to actuality.

I have now worked closely with Daphne Hart, my literary agent, Helen Heller Agency Inc., on the publication of seven books in five years—the five professional Event Planning books and two wedding planning books: Your Stress-Free Wedding Planner, published by Sourcebooks, Inc. and a second wedding planner to be released in 2006—for the consumer market and the event/wedding planning industry. Daphne has provided me with amazing learning experiences in the world of publishing and she has been a wonderful teacher. I look forward to working with both Daphne and Helen Heller on future book projects.

Working with Michelle Bullard on the structure and copy edit of this book has been a true pleasure. Her knowledge and advice on how readers will interpret what is being is said is extremely valuable and helps me to bring forth a book that is the very best it can be. Michelle is an expert at what she does and working with her on the edit process electronically makes the task a time-saving endeavor—effortless and efficient.

Once again, I would like to thank all of the magazine and newspaper reviewers and radio hosts who have helped to spread awareness of the Event Planning series of books around the world. It is indeed an honor that The Business of Event Planning is now being published in Chinese and Russian.

I would also like to thank my family—my parents, Walter and Ruth; my sister, Marilyn; my nieces, Natasha and Jasmine; Hans; Blair; and my extended family—and my friends for their continued love and support.

1

TAKING STOCK

Poor time management can be crippling to both a company and, professionally and personally, to an individual. It can sabotage a company’s growth and prevent it from being able to move forward fast, damage business reputations, paralyze personal professional growth and play havoc with relationships both in and outside the office. It can create an atmosphere of stress and high anxiety in an arena where it is most important to convey to suppliers, business peers, and clients and their guests an attitude of calm and total control.