Juliet Shenderey of Shenderey Events, gives us a glimpse into a day in the life as an event planner and shares some of the vital skill sets you need.
Hi Juliet! What does your day look like?
It’s definitely varied. Being an event planner isn’t just organising events. It’s different activities every day, from meeting vendors, going over client contracts, event contacts, scouting venues, communicating with clients, designing. You manage the whole process from the planning stage right through to putting on the event, and even post-event. It’s absolutely not a copy and paste job. Everybody’s event is bespoke.
What’s the most important skill you need for your job?
Everything is about planning, logistics, and organisation. That is really key. Everything has to have a contingency plan, and a contingency plan for the contingency plan. When you’ve been doing this a long time, you get a sort of sixth sense in a way. If something goes wrong, through no fault of your own, like a speaker gets stuck in traffic or something similar, it’s about knowing how to deal with those unexpected mishaps.
So how do you stay on top of everything?
I have a team of people who work with me. Everything is documented in spreadsheets or planners, and technology helps with that. Everyone at any point should know exactly what is going on. I love the logistical part of that, the behind-the-scenes work and details that have been organised to bring an event to life. The delegates wouldn’t believe what has gone on before they sit down at the table.
In such as client-led job, how do you make sure you’re meeting their needs?
When you meet a new client, you need to know what their priorities are. It’s their day, it doesn’t matter if it’s a party or an event for 500 or 5,000 people. It’s crucial that that the client’s needs are met.
You’ve got to remember that it’s not a nine to five job. Sometimes there is a time difference because you’re talking with clients who are abroad. You may have to schedule calls at two in the morning! And especially on the day of the event, you’re there before everyone arrives, and you’re there after everyone leaves. And of course, it involves nights and weekends.
It sounds tough but rearding! What’s the best part?
You get to work in a world where your imagination can run free, and it’s great to know you’re turning this tiny idea into something amazing. A delegate may have been to 15 conferences, so the question is how to make this one stand out.
I love watching something start from the very beginning. Getting to know the client and their brand, and then working with them to create their perfect event. And following it through. Not many people get to work on every single aspect of it. Most people involved come in and out, but I get to see the whole of it, all the growth and evolution of the event.