Successful corporate event management boils down to one thing and one thing only: exceptional project management. You may have the expertise or experience, but if you haven’t got your project management skills down pat, you’ll have a hard time seeing the project through to completion. We’ll explore the three project management tactics that are sound in theory, but are massive time wasters when applied to corporate event management.
1. Organising and attending unnecessary meetings
How many times have you walked out of a meeting, bemoaning the fact that you’ve just lost a massive chunk of your day, spending time talking around an issue that could have been resolved via a few quick emails? Some clients love the idea of regular status meetings, but if there isn’t anything that requires a face-to-face sit down, you’re wasting valuable time that could be spent seeing plans through to fruition. Instead of replying “yes” to every single meeting invite, assess whether the topic of discussion really requires a meeting. If a client insists on regular status meetings, compile an agenda, and if there isn’t enough to fill up the assigned hour or two, suggest that you have a catch-up call. If a client insists on regular contact, set up a Slack channel where both parties can check-in. The bonus of using a messaging app like Skype or Slack is that if anything is contested, you have a digital paper trail documenting what was said, when.
2. Allowing too many stakeholders to sign-off or approve work
If you’ve ever opened a Google document, only to be assaulted with multiple comments by multiple people (who often contradict each other), you’ll know just how time-consuming and frustrating juggling several “gatekeepers” can be. While safeguards like having the client approve certain aspects of the corporate event management process are crucial, the onus is on you to ensure that this process doesn’t become a headache (for all involved). At the beginning of any project, assign one designated point of contact who has the authority to give the go-ahead. By minimising the number of decision-makers, you streamline the process and gain invaluable time that could be better spent putting the plan into action.
3. Applying the same project management plan to every single corporate event
When it comes to corporate events, there’s no such thing as “cut and paste”. Sure, there are similarities, but each and every corporate event requires its own plan of action and unique approach to project management. Using a rigid formula that neglects to take the objectives of an event into account will only trip you up. Instead, create checklists or best practice guidelines for various categories of corporate events. For example, draw up one for product launches, one for gala dinners, one for golf days, etc. That way, you have a project management map that acknowledges the intricacies of each type of event and can then be further tailored to the specific qualities of the client and brand involved.
Your corporate events deserve more than a standard approach to project management. We create and manage each corporate event in a way that champions the uniqueness of your brand and event objectives. Get in touch to find out how we can assist you.
