When a grand event with hundreds of people in attendance goes from start to finish without an issue, it is not the work of a miracle. There are people who work being the scenes, envisioning the event happening minute by minute, to ensure that everything happens smoothly. With Malaysia’s business and international eventsgenerating over RM3.9 billion and attracting visitors to the country, understanding what event management is and how it works is more important than ever.
What is Event Management?
According to Wikipedia, event management is defined as “the application of project management to the creation and development of large scale events. It involves studying the brand, identifying the target audience, devising the event concept, planning the logistics, and coordinating the technical aspects before actually launching the event.”
However, event management is not just for business events. Weddings, festivals, sport events, conferences, meetings, or any “live experience” can benefit from event management. So instead of thinking as event management as “planning,” think of it as being the director of the event and delivering a “show” that entertains the target audience.
What do Event Managers Do?
Understanding the event management is a necessary and growing Malaysian industry, as well as knowing what type of events are included in this line of work, is vital. Whether you are organizing a multi-national conference or a birthday party, event managers have the following roles:
- Understanding the purpose of the event and the experience that the target audience is supposed to have;
- Establishing a timeline, such as the duration of the event and what will happen. This includes scheduling and coordinating activities;
- Selecting a venue that is within budget;
- Estimating said budget;
- Sourcing and managing the appropriate suppliers;
- Marketing the event and communicating across numerous channels, including mail, social media, and digital marketing;
- Arranging for transportation and parking,
- Developing emergency evacuation plans;
- Designing the security plans;
- Monitoring the event in real time;
- Ensuring the event is in compliance with health and safety standards;
- Obtaining the essential permits and insurance to host the events;
- and much more.
Event managers need to be able to work with a number of people and organizations, including government, non-profit, and enterprises to successfully coordinate important events and meetings. This means creativity and multitasking is necessary, as are skills in time management.
How is Event Management Different from Event Planning?
While closely related (and sometimes even used synonymously), event management and event planning are actually two very different functions. The difference begins with the terms. Management is not planning. When we look at it that way, it becomes understandable that event managers manage the occasion while event planners plan it. Though planning has management aspects, event management also entails project management, and requires excellent managerial and organizational skills.
Final Thoughts
With Malaysia experiencing rapid growth in business and regular events on an international scale, event management is going to be more important than ever. While event management is often confused as planning, it is a more expansive responsibility that requires an exemplary level of professionalism and insight.