5 Ways to Manage Your Time Better as an Event Planner

As an #eventprof, you work around the clock trying to make sure the events you’re planning and the parties you’re throwing go off without a hitch.

Because, everyone knows that as an event professional time is money!

So how do you manage your time?

If you’re not sure, don’t worry! We’ve got five ways to help you manage your time better.

Keep reading to find out.

#1 Do the Most Important Task of the Day First

After you’ve had your coffee and got to your workstation, it’s time to hit the ground running with your most important project.

The morning is the best time to get your creative juices flowing and tackle major tasks that need your utmost attention.

Think about it, say you have a project that you’re not sure how long it’s going to take you, but you know it’s crucial to your event. Instead of crunching it in the last part of the day, start working on it early.

And besides, working on projects throughout most of the day helps you feel accomplished when you go to sleep at night.

#2 It’s OK to Say No

Yes, it’s perfectly alright to tell someone no!

Say your client approaches you at the last minute to ask if you can add something else to their event—and they need it to be done ASAP.

It’s alright to tell someone you can’t tackle that project at this moment.

Of course, you’re not giving them a flat out no. You’re just letting your clients know you’re taking time to produce the best results for other projects they wanted.

Being honest and upfront, even if that means saying no, is something that your clients will respect.

#3 Hide Your Technology

It seems as an #eventprof you always have a tablet lying around, or your phone attached to your hip.

Technology is your lifeline, so even thinking about being without it gives you anxiety.

But when you have a big project to work through (that doesn’t require any form of technology) it’s best to hide it from yourself.

Put your phone or tablet in the next room, turn it on silent, and focus on your work.

Trust us, when you don’t look at your phone every five minutes, you’ll be shocked at how much work you can actually get done.

#4 Take Breaks

It doesn’t matter who you are. You need to take a break for five minutes, every 90 minutes. And every 17 minutes, you need to stand up and stretch your legs.

Your mind (and your body) needs time to reboot and recharge.

Taking a break allows you to jump right back into thinking creatively, and it helps speed up your productivity too.

We understand when you get into a time crunch you feel like you can’t take any breaks, that you have to power through.

But do yourself (and your work) a favor, set a timer and stop working when it goes off.

#5 Set Deadlines for Yourself

Most people work best on a timeline—a schedule of when everything should be done.

For event professionals, you typically work on a very extended schedule—usually months out from an event.

This is why you should set deadlines for yourself!

If you need to get the flowers ordered, the table placings designed, and the seating arrangements established, set yourself deadlines and stick to them.

You’ll be amazed when you set a schedule and work under a deadline how much work you’ll get done.

So #eventprofs, are you ready to better manage your time? We believe in you and know that you can! 

Tell us about a project that made you work under a tight deadline and how you managed your time to complete it? Let us know in the comment section below or share it with us on our Facebook page.  

Read More »

15 Wedding Expenses You Forgot to Budget For

You helped plan the budget, select the venue, book the vendors, but now your clients are having to dip into their own pockets for the rest of the expenses. Oops! Looks like those hidden expenses wiggled their way into your planning and not the budget. Adhering to a budget is hard enough, not to mention all of the unexpected expenses that make their entrance without proper introduction. So the Inspherio Crew got together to figure out the most overlooked event expenses brides, grooms, and planners forgot to budget.

1. Beauty Treatments: Brides and their bridesmaids might have chosen the hairstyle and makeup they would like to have for the big day and allotted money in the budget for it, but what about the trial-runs? Our advice would be to put enough money aside in the budget to make sure that the bride and her hairstylist are on the same page when it comes to the bridal look—you don’t want them to disagree on wedding day. Also, the bride’s hands will be photographed a lot throughout the day, so make sure she puts away any additional funds for a mani/pedi.

2. Stationery: The invitations and save-the-dates are not the only paper goods you need to purchase for the big event. You still have the programs, the escort cards, place cards, and the menus. These expenses can add up quickly! So make sure to spare extra lines in the budget for them.

3. Meals: Your clients have budgeted a lot of money on food and sampled the menu options so much already that they’ve forgotten there are other meals happening that day. We’re here to help you remember that meals prior to the wedding are just as important as the reception dinner. Of course, you don’t need to budget a lot of money for the lunch, we still suggest you budget something. If the wedding is early, a simple bagel and fruit platter is great for breakfast, where sandwiches are good for lunch. Keep it light, and non-junk food related—your clients are nervous enough without the added stomach sickness from food.

4. Vendor Meals: And since we are on the topic of meals, don’t forget to budget meals for the vendors. Yes, you, the photographer, videographer, and everyone else who is with the bridal party all day need food. Don’t forget to add yourself and others to your budget. These meals might only cost you an extra hundred dollars but they’re important to include.

5. Alterations: Your client found the perfect dress, and it fits her budget perfectly. But did she factor in the cost of alterations? Hemming the gown, taking it in, or other structural changes cost money, and sometimes a lot of it. Some studios that the bride purchases a dress from will include a flat fee, while others might charge hundreds for alterations. Be sure to let your bride know of the potential expense.

6. Transportation for Guests: This means transportation to, during, or after the event. At weddings, generally a bride and groom will invite older relatives that may have difficulties walking around a lot. What’s your plan to help them get to and from? I experienced this issue one time when I was coordinating a wedding. The bride and groom both had older relatives who couldn’t walk through the fields to get to the wedding site due to all of the hills. Luckily, they had a friend that lived close to them who lent them a golf cart to help transport guests to the site. Although you might not have enough in the budget to rent a golf cart, this is just a good expense to keep in mind when picking a venue.

7. The Unexpected Guest: It never fails. You get all of your RSVP’s returned to you and you set the headcount based off the no’s, yes’, and plus ones. But someone turns up who originally selected “no” on their RSVP or brought a guest when they said they weren’t going to. Our advice is to always plan for at least five extra guests, especially if you’re having a dinner.

8. Favors: Giving wedding favors to guests is one of the surest ways to show your thankfulness. Many people travel from out-of-town for your wedding day, so let them know you appreciate their efforts to be present. And although these favors cost anywhere from $3 to $8, they can definitely eat into your budget. If you don’t think you have room in the budget for it, try the DIY route. Give these DIY wedding favors a try.

9. Lighting: Lighting is expensive but an important part of setting the atmosphere for your venue. Luckily, we wrote a blog about six money-saving tips on event lighting that you should check out to save you major budget bucks!

10. Decor, and Not Just the Flowers: When you see a beautiful centerpiece, most people see the flowers. What they fail to see is the non-floral supplies: the hurricane globes, flatware, wood pieces, etc. Although the flowers are the most expensive part of the centerpiece, the cost of the additional items you need to bring the look together can add up quickly. Our suggestion is to allot about 30% of your decor budget to these non-floral elements.

11. The Backup: The weather is uncontrollable and can be unpredictable, so don’t fret over backups the day-of. If your client wants an outdoor event, be sure to save just a little for a tent. In our previous blog all about tents, we suggest renting an event tent with a cancellation policy. But no matter the result, you’ll need to put money aside for a clear backup plan. If your clients don’t have to use a backup option, that’s extra money they can add to their honeymoon fund. It’s a win-win if you ask us!

12. Sales Tax and Service Charges: No one thinks about the sales tax when they get a quote from a vendor. So it’s your job to remind them. If you are included in the meeting with the florist, be sure you find out if the quote they’re providing includes sales tax or service charges. For caterers, a “++” means there is a service charge and tax in addition to this price. Make your clients aware of this so they’re not sending off bad reviews when the event ends.

13. Gratuities: To build off of sales taxes and service charges, gratuities are also an important budgetary item to include. Remind your clients that they need to express a “thank you” to those who helped make their dream day possible. We suggest budgeting 5% to 10% for gratuities. Be sure to check the contracts carefully, though, some vendors already include the gratuities in their overall quote.

14. Presents for Family Members: As exciting as this day is for your clients, remind them that it’s also a bittersweet moment for their family. Suggest that your clients create a sweet reminder to their parents to show their appreciation. Our friends at the Bridal Guide have ten thoughtful ways to say “thank you” to the parents. Share these ideas with your clients, but include the cost of making these reminders in the budget.

15. After the “I-Do’s”: Unfortunately for your clients, the costs don’t stop after they say their “I-do’s.” They have to send thank you cards, print pictures, clean the gown, and make photo albums. These expenses can add up just like every other pre-wedding expense. So remind your clients not to start off their new marriage worrying about money.

Prepare for the unexpected so you don’t unexpectedly become the unprepared. Expenses are tricky and budgets are hard to maintain, but with Inspherio on your side, you can manage it all in one, easy-to-use location. Check out Inspherio’s Expenses and Payment features to see how we can help you.

Read More »

Aspiring Event Professionals: Gain Event Experience without Leaving Campus

For those college students who are aspiring event planning professionals, as I'm sure you have heard time and time again, you need to gain as much experience as possible while in college. But what if you don't have a car on campus or can't find a good internship off campus?

Here's a nice piece of advise: you don't have to leave campus for good experience.

A college campus can be a great place to gain some valuable work opportunities, particularly for a large school. Here are just a few different areas you can gain some type of event experience: 


Development/Fundraising Office
If you learn how to consistently raise money, you will always find job opportunities. In addition to putting on alumni events each year, many non-profits typically have event planning positions that require fundraising experience, so having this skill in your back pocket gives you an advantage when applying for these positions.

Facilities Management
Do you want to run a venue someday? Start working with your campus facilities department (or with a specific building) and learn the everyday skills and knowledge needed to perform the job. This can include maintenance, audio/visual, scheduling, landscaping, and more. Facility managers work with event planners to see events through, so it is a good way to see the planning process and, more importantly, grow your network.

Food & Beverage
On campus dining departments typically also do much of the on-campus catering for events, so this a good place to get some quick experience and, again, meet new contacts and grow your network.

Student Life
The student life department typically puts on larger events: orientation and convocation, commencement, on-campus concerts, movie showings, Family/Parents Weekend, as well as educational and cultural opportunities.

Admissions Office
The admissions office has a number of events it can put in an attempt to attract the most qualified students to the school: campus tours, info sessions, open houses, career fairs, etc.

Residential Life
Dorms are always looking to plan various events. This could be a cookout, holiday party (Christmas, Halloween, St. Patrick's Day, etc), beach trip, hike, night out on the town, and more.

Greek Life
Take the lead on planning events for your fraternity/sorority: formals, social events, philanthropic events, retreats, chapter, etc. You can gain a lot of experience doing this and, if nothing else, learn of the demand an events career.

Wellness Center
At your college's wellness center, you can have opportunities to plan intramurals or campus-wide dorm tournaments. You can also gain scheduling experience when juggling multiple classes and classroom space.

Athletic Department
Athletic departments, especially for larger schools, run like independent entities and are a great place to gain experience. Student interns are always needed and there are many ways to get involved:

• Marketing - Planning events for fans (FanFest, pep rallies, open practices, Midnight Madness, etc)
• Sales/Ticketing - You not only work a lot of events, but you talk to a lot of people on the phone and make a lot of connections with other ticketing offices. Have I stressed the importance of growing your network?
• Development - Planning events and travel for boosters who donate money to the athletic department. This is a good way to get to know a lot of successful and influential peoples.
• Event management - This department works with every other department to plan those events for boosters, season ticket holders, fans, as well as every home athletic contest.
• Facilities management - Regardless of the event type, they are held in some type of venue. This department is often part of the events department.
• Individual teams - This may require planning recruiting or alumni events, coordinating travel, and team functions.

Plus, if you're at a well-known athletic department, it really can stand out on your resume.

Summary
If you've been paying attention, the most critical aspects of working in college are: a) gaining valuable experience and skills, and b) growing your network. Doing these two things while in school - with fewer bills and responsibilities - can really give you an advantage when you start looking for a job after graduation.

Photo credit: www.wjla.com

Read More »

14 Ways Planning a Wedding is like Planning a Football Game, Part 2

Yesterday, we listed the first 7 ways that planning a wedding is like planning a football game. Today we continue with the second half of the list.

8. It's about everyone else but you

Whether you are planning a wedding or a football game, you are typically behind the scenes. A lot of people don't even know of your presence unless something goes wrong (see point #5 yesterday). It is your job to make sure that the client's needs are served and that the guests have a good time. It doesn't really matter what your opinion is on a topic. While you can provide all the expert advise you have, in the end, it comes down to what they want, not you.

9. Perception of your success often hinges on others

Whether or not people view you as a success is often out of your hands. Many other people have to do their job - and do it well - for people to think highly of you. Did the vendors show up on time? Were they quality professionals? The decorators, caterers, and entertainment can make an event memorable or disappointing. At a football game, you not only have to rely on the vendors, security, ushers, and marketing staff, but even more so on the players and coaches. If you ran an event perfectly, but the fans were disappointed with the game, they will inevitably find something to complain about and let you know about it. But the opposite is true as well. You may have had a bad day, or someone else didn't do their job, but if your team won in a thriller, that's all anybody will remember.

10. Everyone has an opinion

More often than not, people have an opinion on how something should have been done differently. Even though you have years of experience in the industry and understand all the detailed goings-on behind the scenes, Average Joe/Jan - who doesn't know the first thing about event planning - thinks they could have done it better. Not only that, oftentimes they will let their opinion known to someone, possibly even you. The flowers should have been placed somewhere else. Parking should have opened at a different time. The entertainment/music should have been different (more on this later). It's too loud. It's too quiet. No matter what you do, someone will always complain, so you know it is best to rely on your experience and best judgment.

11. What are the food options?

People like to eat. If there is an event with food - particularly if it's free - people will flock to it. Attendees often have a better/worse opinion based on the state of the food. Was the reception buffet  style or individual plates? Are there enough concession stands with enough variety? Oh, and do I have to mention the alcohol. Often it seems that the only reason someone attends a wedding reception or football game is to throw a few (too many) back.

12. Entertainment is crucial

Everyone loves to have a good time and for good reason. Events are supposed to be enjoyable. So making sure that the entertainment is top notch is critical to the attendees having a good time. Is it a band or DJ? Is the music good? Is there good energy or does the DJ like to hear himself talk? Even at a football game, while the contest itself is the prime entertainment, there are many breaks throughout the game. Do you have good halftime entertainment? What's going on before, during, and after the game? Am I staying engaged during timeouts or just checking my phone to see what I'm missing out on?

13. Expect the unexpected

Yes, there is some irony in this picture. But, seriously, when you have so many elements and moving parts to an event, something interesting/crazy/memorable/infuriating is bound to happen eventually. Can you quickly address the matter? Have you prepared for contingencies? Weather often is a key player that can completely change how either a wedding or football game goes. How are your improv skills and ability to react on the fly? Honestly, though, this is why we love working events. You may have a template on what to do, but no event is ever like another and you constantly have to stay on your toes.

14. To survive, you must love it

Considering the hours (point #1), the blame (#5), the stress (#6), and the vast amount of people you have to deal with (#'s 3, 4, & 9), you really have to have a passion for what you do. If you are not excited to be doing your job day-in and day-out, then how are the people you are serving supposed to get excited. People quickly can see uninspired work and will turn to someone else if you continually provide a less than stellar product.

You also have to fight to keep that passion. Inevitably, burnout happens. There will be days where you think to yourself, "Why I am doing this? Do I want to continue on this path?" It's up to you to figure out a way to stay passionate and remind yourself why you love it.

What other similarities can you think of between these two industries?

Read More »

14 Ways Planning a Wedding is like Planning a Football Game, Part 1

Football season is in full swing now. As someone who works with wedding professionals on a daily basis - and who has worked in both professional and college football in the past - it got me to thinking:

What are some similarities between planning a wedding and planning a football game?

As I started my list, it continued to grow, so I decided to split this post into a two-part series. The following items are the first half of that list. 

1. Evening and weekend work

The hours can be brutal at times. Most of the time you are the first one in the building and the last to leave. You not only put in the time during regular business hours, but you often have to work later in the evening to attend events or accomplish some tasks, some of which cannot be done until off hours.

Wedding Planners
Need to meet the bride and groom for a cake testing or band demo? They have jobs during the day that they can't simply leave, so you have to meet them in the evening or on the weekend. This is not even considering the actual wedding weekend, when you work all day Friday and Saturday.

Football Planners
Let's face it: no football game is going to be during regular work hours. Nearly every college game is on a Saturday, while NFL games are on Sunday. You may occasionally have a Thursday or Friday night game and work late hours just to make sure everything set.

2. Multitasking

Simply put, events are not simple. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of components involved. As the main planner, you are the one that has to make sure everything is done right.

Wedding Planners
Gather client info, meet with vendors, arrange for hotels, go over the guest list, do a site walk-through, meet with the clients again, confirm the correct decor and food, follow up, follow up, follow up.

Football Planners
Send info to teams and officials, coordinate with security, coordinate with marketing and sales, meet with the teams and officials, work with sponsor parties, check the weather report, deal with obnoxious fans, etc.

3. Dealing with ego

You have a lot of big egos to juggle. Everyone thinks their needs/responsibilities are more important/pressing than yours. Sometimes they are right, but many times they are not. Whether you are dealing with brides, vendors, fans, players, or coaches, you have to be patient enough to address their needs without losing your cool.

4. Making sure everyone is on the same page

The nature of events is that there are many moving parts and even more people. Does everybody understand not only their specific responsibilities, but what everyone else is doing, how they fit together, and why?

Wedding Planners
Does the venue know when the DJ is arriving to set up? Does the caterer know about specific food allergies? What's the first dance song? What time do the bride and groom arrive for the ceremony? When and where are photos being taken?

Football Planners
Does the stadium know about each team's walk-through? Are ticketing policies in line with compliance's policies? Which credentials are allowed on the field? Who is the entertainment and when should they be on/off the field?

5. Everyone blames you if anything goes wrong

Sometimes you wonder if this shirt is your work uniform. When something goes wrong - and it eventually will - people automatically look to you to assign blame. After all, a good scapegoat is nearly as welcome as a solution to the problem at hand.

6. Nerves/stress

Because of point #5, the stress level is high. In fact, last year Forbes.com listed event planning as the 6th most stressful career out of all careers. And it isn't just the worry about getting blamed if something goes wrong. You also don't want to mess up an extremely memorable moment for a bride and groom or a specific player or coach. The number of eyes that are on you at all times and the volume and variety of tasks you must complete (see point #2) just adds to your burden that much more. 

7. Months of planning for a few weekend hours

This can be simultaneously satisfying and exasperating. You spend months of your life planning, pulling out all the stops, and stressing yourself out to make a perfect event. Then, in a matter of hours, the event is over. On one hand, you think, "All that planning was worth it for a great event." On the other hand, since you typically won't have something tangible to show for your work, you may think, "All that planning for a few hours?" The main takeaway for you is the satisfaction that you (hopefully) put on a fantastic, memorable event that served a lot of people.

Tomorrow we will focus on the second half of our list, many of which have to do with the attendees/crowd.

Read More »

Wedding Planners – Stop the Wedding Worries that Keep You Awake at Night

This is a guest post by Sharon Hill at www.BecomeaTopWeddingPlannerBlog.com

As a wedding planner, you’re great at taking away a bride’s wedding stress. But it might mean that you’re now the one with nightmares about possible wedding day catastrophes. You stay awake worried that you’ll forget an important detail, that you won’t get everything done in time, and that you won’t do everything it takes to give your bride her vision of her wedding.

Here are 5 tips that will help reduce your worries so you can start doing your best:

1. Quit trying to keep all the details in your head

First, take the time to note everything you need to do for your next weddings. By getting things out of your head and onto paper or into your computer, you won’t have to keep worrying that you’ll forget something. All the information will be available and easily accessible and you can concentrate on doing your work.

2. Enter all of your appointments and deadlines into a calendar

Once you know what you need to do, schedule the time to get it done and don’t forget to note all of your appointments and meetings in your calendar. Also, schedule reminders to call vendors to verify they are on track with the commitments they promised for your weddings. Keeping an up-to-date, fully detailed calendar will reduce your stress and the possibility that something will fall through the cracks.

3. Take copious notes

Whenever you get a call or have a meeting, immediately record all of the relevant information. If a vendor has made a commitment to you and your bride, send them an email, state your understanding, and confirm their commitment.

4. File all of your information in one place

Whether it’s information about a bride and groom and their wedding vision, vendor information, wedding timelines, meeting notes, emails, contracts, or invoices, everything that has to do with a bride and her wedding should be organized and kept together in one place. This way whenever you get a call or need to do some research, all of the information is at your fingertips.

5. Share with your assistants

Always make sure your staff knows where they can get information when they are assisting you with a wedding. In case the unforeseen happens and you are not available when a bride or vendor needs a question answered, your assistants can step in and cover for you. 


About the Author:

 Sharon Hill is The Wedding Planner Mentor. Sharon has been a wedding and event planner for over 20 years. In 2008 she began mentoring and coaching new wedding planners. She also maintains a blog with tips for marketing and running successful wedding planning businesses and regularly posts answers to questions from new planners. She is the author of the e-book, “Become a Top Wedding Planner – Start a Successful Wedding Planning Business.”
Sharon Hill Social Media: Twitter, Facebook

UPDATE: Check out how Inspherio can help resolve each of these issues in our follow up post.

Read More »

Getting Organized With Inspherio!

It’s time to get your business organized with Inspherio - the most advanced business management program for Event Industry Professionals.  Inspherio provides solutions for businesses of any size, no matter if you are a one person operation or a full crew with many employees.  No other tool allows you to manage your entire business from one place - even employees and payroll! 

The exclusive Enterprise Version of Inspherio is leaps and bounds beyond any other program on the market today!

No other program offers a Truly All-In-One Solution, allowing you to:

• Schedule Your Employees & Assign Them to Events
  No more wasting time on an antiquated scheduling process
• Give Your Employees Account Access with Individual Login Information
  All your company information in one central place
• Automate Your Payroll Process & Track Expenses Intuitively 
  Eliminate that shoe box full of receipts & tax info
• Gather All Event Info From your Clients Automatically Add it to Contracts in Real Time
  Inspherio eliminates redundancies wherever possible
• Create Contracts in the Cloud & E-Sign Them From Anywhere
  Always Be Closing, no matter where in the world you are
• Generate Comprehensive Reports at Tax Time & Throughout the Year
  “Planning Your Success” is our motto, but can also Measure Your Success

With Inspherio, you are not alone.  Our customer support team is always available to offer heroic help whenever you need it through phone, email, & chat support.  Just give us a call at 704.234.6000 or email us at support@Inspherio.com with any questions you may have.

These are just a few examples of what Inspherio can do for your business. Join Inspherio Now to checkout the above features and more!!! Get started for Free!  NO Credit Card required to check it out!

Read More »

Happy Labor Day

Photo Credit:  Kevin Dooley

The Inspherio Team would like to wish everyone a very enjoyable Labor Day Weekend!  We know that you have been working very hard, and deserve some extra time with your  family and loved ones!

Because of the holiday, our Customer Support Team will not be available for phone or chat support on Monday.  We will only be offering email support on an emergency basis.  

Read More »

Use A Great Program to Manage Your Event Business

If you are in the Wedding Business or if you would consider yourself to be an Event Professional, you are probably too busy preparing for your events to worry about all the meticulous details to run your business properly. 

If this is true, you are not alone.  Thousands of event professionals around the country are not taking advantage of the full potential of their business.  This common trade-off occurs when an event professional decides to go after more work and make more money, or devote less time to new jobs, and more time organizing their business. 

Thanks to Inspherio, no one should have to choose between staying organized & staying busy with new jobs.  Inspherio allows a business owner to manage their leads from start to finish as well as manage their finances, receive online payments, send Electronic Contracts, and much more! 

With a web-based event management software program for any type of Event Professional, you can stay busy doing what you love, because Inspherio helps you take care of all the meticulous details behind the scenes.  just think of how beneficial it would be to only enter your contact's information once, and from then on, it will auto-populate on all the required forms like contracts, invoices, an agenda for the event, and more.

Read More »