Event Management Rebound Top Tips For 2021

 Event management rebound is the priority for the industry in 2021.

‘Adapt, pivot, change, redesign’ … these were the event management buzz words we heard during 2020. But it was what the Event Management industry had to do. In 2021 it’s about event management rebound. There will again be new priorities for the industry. This guest post from Admire Events examines what will be important to the industry in this COVID-recovery year.

As previously journaled at the end of last year, at Admire Events, an ICMS Industry Training partner, we were very proud to have administered a hybrid event for an existing client, with the event taking on a very different, but successful, style of delivery.

We’ve highlighted the value of having Carlissa Eves, Bachelor of Event Management student, join for her compulsory internship with us at our event in late October. We shared her views on being involved in a fantastic event, gaining valuable experience in a year where there were not many opportunities for event students.

We thought it fitting to conclude this blog series by sharing our thoughts on “what now for 2021 events and events students”.

Event Management Rebound Top Tips

ADAPTING:

We have all had to adapt to many different ways of doing things: wearing masks, keeping our distance and the way in which we learn and work together. As Admire Events quickly investigated new ways to continue connection with clients via technologies; new ways to deliver events and continue engagement, we also had to provide this education to our clients and have them adapt to new ways of working with us.

Our team were already working remotely, but as we investigated new collaborative platforms and ways to do things, we adapted to new changes in the way we worked together. And they have been favourable changes all around – within the team and with our clients, particularly those who are not in the same locations as us.

As ICMS are focusing more on “agile leadership” and weaving this into their curriculum, it is evident that adaptability and change are not things our future event professionals will be afraid of. Carlissa, our ICMS Event Management intern, has certainly proved this to us, as she simply gets on with different tasks, tackles technology and platforms that are new to her and works cohesively with the team to keep things moving. And her learnings from her studies as well as those “on-the-job” are able to be adapted back and forth and even across different types of events.

That’s adaptability!

PLANNING:

With the future of events being summed up in three words – Virtual, Hybrid and Intimate, the future of learning about events looks very different. Students of today (event managers of tomorrow) will be early adapters of new event technologies. Running a very different style of events will be their “new normal” and they will end up leading the way.

As current event managers and organisers, adopting these new methods into our planning now is important. We may be running a regular event (that was possibly missed in 2020) but we need to not only think about how it will be delivered differently, but educate our clients or stakeholders on this new way forward. It’s the only way they will keep up with the times.

While we are working on event plans for clients already, we also have plans for educating those who seek out industry assistance – it might come down to time management, or better communication, but the planning is all there. Planning to plan!

Our plans also include the continuation of the partnership we have with ICMS, knowing that the value of having an intern as part of our team is mutual. Providing opportunity for our intern to be involved in all aspects of event planning is beneficial, and cross exposure of education, new innovations, technologies and how all can be adapted across a variety of events, will also benefit both parties.

 CONSISTENCY:

Consistency across all we do provides confidence to our clients, staff and stakeholders. Keeping our intern in the loop of all we do across the business, with consistent and regular meetings, workflow and planning sessions, allows regular knowledge to be adapted into work patterns. It also provides further opportunity for learning and being part of the team and entire picture, not just called in for ad-hoc duties without any background knowledge.

The same goes for learning, communications and work methods.

Consistency wins every time – the only thing you shouldn’t do consistently, is to be inconsistent.

We hope that we instil these values among all members of our team, whether they be casual, contractors or on an internship.

So, what now for 2021?

Obviously, there are a myriad of technologies and new innovations – that’s the way forward. And this will come fairly organically to current students as they adapt and learn as our new agile leaders.

But some things will remain as important as ever, such as building on relationships in the event management industry.

In some instances, for those of us who have been on the event scene forever, we still have connections from when we first started out. While new educational processes are in place, this great time of learning for those entering the industry and being allowed on-the-job learning provides amazing opportunities to:

• build networks with suppliers and industry leaders
• eliminate potential areas of the industry that might not be your “cup of tea”
• be exposed to subjects and industries you may not have even known existed or could appeal
• gain reputation within the sector
• meet high profile members of the community

All of the above, and more, can only be done when involved in real working scenarios. It has been, and continues to be, a pleasure to work with ICMS on being part of a young intern’s journey into this wonderful world of event management.

Thanks for the opportunity – and a big thanks to Carlissa Eves for being a very valuable part of our team.

So, what now for event management students? Of course, all of the above. But if, as a business, you are in a position to provide an opportunity for a student, take it! You will be learning too!

Thank you to our ICMS Industry Training Partner Admire Events for this contribution, written by Anita Kenny, Marketing Specialist at Admire Events.