Special Event Management Chapter 10 1 Learning Outcomes Apply - - PDF document

Special Event Management

• Chapter 10

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Learning Outcomes

• Apply advice from professionals working in special event management
• Identify skills necessary for a successful event planner
• Summarize the history and growth of special events as a profession
• Recognize and explain trends that are shaping the special event

management

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Learning Outcomes cont.

• Recall facts related to event management careers in general and the specific

settings of:

• Special Event and Meeting Management Firms
• Event Management in Corporate or Organizational Settings
• Event Management in Hospitality and Venue Settings
• Summarize future opportunities and challenges facing event management

professionals

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Pursue Your Passion for Events—And Get Paid!

• Everyone attends special events. Types include meetings and conferences,

social events, festivals and concerts, private events and more….

• Here are some examples of recent graduates’ 


jobs from the authors’ university:

• High-tech online auction firm tradeshows
• Habitat restoration events at national recreation area
• Farmers Markets for a special retail district
• Short term staffing for large-scale conferences

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History of Professional Event Management

• People have gathered for eons. Why?
• To Trade
• To Celebrate
• To Entertain
• To Worship
• To Maintain Cultural Ties

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Growth of Professional Event Management

• The industrial revolution spurred expansion
• The growing middle class increased opportunities
• Growth spurred professionalization
• Best practices
• Codes of ethics
• Career tracks
• The event professional, or person paid to plan and implement the event,

evolved right along with society. Now we see increasingly complex specialization.

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Event Management Today

• What makes an event “special” from an event management perspective?
• Infrequent scheduling
• Novelty
• Other non-routine feature(s)
• The term “event” implies that structure and planning are required
• A special event is a non-routine, but structured, activity designed and

implemented to achieve the sponsor’s (or client’s) objectives

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Many Events, Many Benefits

• Community events may be seasonal or celebrate a holiday, or they may be a

tournament or festival

• A non-profit organization’s event may be a fund-raiser, a “valued member”

service, or a way to express appreciation for volunteers, donors, and other supports

• A university special event may be a part of a community outreach strategy or

a way to encourage alumni to return to campus and contribute

• A business special event may be part of a sales campaign, a way to draw

attention to a new product, service, or location, to secure customer loyalty or for other strategic objectives

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Many Skills, May Benefits

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Community Festival NPO Fundraiser University Outreach Business Product Launch Personal Socio-Cultural Economic Environmental Revisit Table 1.1 in Chapter 1, then complete the “Benefits” table

Many Skills, May Benefits

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Community Festival NPO Fundraiser University Outreach Business Product Launch Personal Socio-Cultural Economic Environmental How can events advance or restrain the “So Importants” of social and environmental justice introduced in Chapter 1?

Trends in Event Management

• Keeping current is essential.
• Demographic trends
• Lifestyle trends
• Entertainment trends
• Current Trends
• Creativity
• Accountability and Return on Investment [ROI]
• Sustainability
• Inclusion
• Safety and Security
• Technology (including social networking)

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Trends in Event Management

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Meetings and Conferences Special Events and Festivals Identify ways that social media and personal communication devices have transformed the meeting and event industry….

Careers in Event Management

• Jobs in every sector of society
• Valued Skills include these and more:
• Time management
• Multi-tasking ability (work on multiple events 


with cascading deadlines)

• Stay calm in midst of chaos
• Resourcefulness
• Stamina
• Creativity
• Team-player attitude

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Knowing the Business of Event Management Means …

• Understanding contracts
• Understanding outcomes
• ROI

✦ Visibility/Transparency (i.e. prove and show fiscal responsibility ✦ Measureable outcomes (i.e., skills development. sales leads, visibility) ✦ Customer/client satisfaction

• Delivering memorable events on-time and on-budget
• Understanding industry-specific vocabulary

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What You Should Know About Careers Special Event Management

• Do you have the skills, talent and passion?
• Can you function in fluid, team situations with multiple partners?
• Can you get hands-on experience?
• Are your oral and written communication skills superb?
• Can you get work and outcomes done through others (e.g., vendors,

contractors, volunteers).

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Career Areas in Special Event Management

• Special Event and Meeting Planning and Management Firms
• Event Management in Corporate or Organizational Settings
• Event Management in Hospitality and Venue Settings

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Special Event and Meeting 
 Planning Firms

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Passions Pay & Perks The successful event planner in this arena enjoys event planning, and lots

• f it. Most firms have divisions for

both events and sales. Pay ranges from hourly to career- level salaries. Perks can be very creative and include travel, gift/ product samples, and invitations to

• destinations. You may be able to own

your own business. Serve their clients through a network of venues (e.g., facilities) and vendors (e.g. specialized service providers such as caterers, florists, entertainers).

Special Event and Meeting 
 Planning Firms

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Preparation Possibilities College degree preferred; Experience

• required. 



 Attention to detail and 
 multi-tasking. 
 
 Resourcefulness and creative problem solving skills are highly valued. Incentive Travel Firms Destination Management
 Companies (DMOs) Independent Event
 Firms Festival Management
 Firms Public Relations and 
 Advertising Firms

Organizational Event Management

• Putting your event management skills toward a good cause….

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Passions Pay & Perks Help save the world…or a little part

• f it. 



 Loves cause-related marketing, corporate work environments and product launches. Wages are hourly to executive level. Travel perks, lots of hospitality- related functions. 
 Those in the non-profit sector often report the highest levels of job satisfaction

Organizational Event Planning

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Preparation Possibilities College degree is preferred; Sector knowledge is required. 
 Learn to translate event outcomes into organizational goals. Corporations Trade and professional
 associations Non-profit and 
 Non-governmental Orgs Educational institutions Governmental


• rganizations

Hospitality and Venue Settings

The hospitality sector has expanded to support special events, meetings, tradeshows and conferences in both large cities and small communities. Sports venues are a growth area as sports and entertainment are increasingly intertwined.

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Passions Pay & Perks The event manager in this arena is drawn to working in a special “built” environment where onsite meetings, celebrations, sports, and/or entertainment take place Pay ranges from hourly to executive. Good opportunities for advancement early in career. Mobility within the company can lead to opportunities to move around the U.S. or other countries

Hospitality and Venue Settings

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Preparation Possibilities College degree preferred, experience required. Hospitality or facility management experience will help you get ahead. Networking and internships get you started and ahead. Supervisory experience is a plus.

Attractions such as theme parks, museums, art galleries Country clubs and Fitness facilities Cruise lines Hotels and Resorts Specialized entertainment venues such as stadiums, arenas, auditoriums and concert halls Tourism Organizations

Professional Organizations

• Dozens of professional organizations and associations.
• For Meetings & Conventions

✦ Convention Industry Council (CIC) ✦ Meeting Professionals International (MPI)

• For Festivals and Special Events

✦ International Festival Association (IFEA) ✦ International Special Events Society (ISES)

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Certifications

• Certifications are growing in importance as the industry matures. There are

many, but a few key certifications include:

• Sponsored by the Convention Industry Council (CIC)
• Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)
• The Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX)-a collection of best practices
• Other certifications
• Certification in Meeting Management (CMM)
• Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)

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Gaining Experience

• Plan small or local events
• For a campus club or organization
• Help with a non-profit fund-raiser
• Assist with a local tradeshow
• Refine your resume
• Highlight management experience
• Emphasize outcomes
• Network
• Choose the right internship

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Future Opportunities, Issues and Challenges

• Poised for Continued Growth
• The Economy Influences the Industry
• Good economic times = Generous budgets and opportunities
• Tight economic times = Downsizing and outsourcing
• Natural events/disasters can influence 


the industry for years

• Good Planners adopt a longer view:
• Understand the cyclical nature of the industry
• Save a portion of income for slow cycles
• Recognize that events will always be a part of society

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In Review

• What is the best way to determine whether or not you would make a good

event manager?

• Job shadow an event manager
• Host a small event
• Take an event planning class
• Complete your undergraduate work in the event management field

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In Review

• How do people in the special events industry typically advance?
• Movement from one organization to another
• Start their own company
• Movement to a corporate environment
• Get a college degree

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In Review

• APEX, a collection of industry practices stands for:
• Accredited Processes Exchange
• Accepted Processes Exchange
• Applied Practices Exceptions
• Accepted Practices Exchange

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In Review

• This organization is a “federation of leading national and international
• rganizations involved in meetings, conventions, and exhibitions”
• American Society of Association Executives (ASAE)
• Convention Industry Council (CIC)
• Connected International Meeting Professionals Association (CIMPA)
• Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA)

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