When it comes to organizing successful events, three main roles play vital parts: Event Planners, Event Strategists, and Event Marketers. While these jobs might sound similar, each has its own special purpose and skills. Let’s explore what makes each role unique and important.
Event Planner: The Hands-On Organizer
Think of an Event Planner as the person who makes sure everything works perfectly on the day of the event. They handle all the practical details that make an event happen smoothly.
An Event Planner’s daily work includes:
- Making lists of everything needed for the event
- Talking to different service providers
- Making sure everything arrives on time
- Checking that all equipment works properly
- Making backup plans for possible problems
Event Strategist: The Big Picture Thinker
An Event Strategist looks at the bigger picture. They focus on why we’re having the event and what we want to achieve from it. They make sure the event helps the organization reach its goals.
What Event Strategists do:
- Think about how events can help the organization grow
- Find ways to make events better each time
- Look at what worked and what didn’t in past events
- Plan how to measure if an event was successful
- Suggest new ideas to make events more interesting
Event Marketer: The Promotion Expert
Event Marketers make sure the right people know about the event and want to attend. They create excitement and interest around the event.
Daily tasks of an Event Marketer include:
- Writing interesting posts about the event
- Creating email campaigns
- Making sure the event looks appealing on social media
- Working with sponsors to promote the event
- Finding ways to get more people to register
How These Roles Work Together?
These three roles need to work as a team to create successful events. Here’s how they help each other:
Working as a Team
- The Event Planner takes the Event Strategist’s ideas and makes them happen
- The Event Marketer tells people about what the Event Planner is organizing
- The Event Strategist helps both understand the main goals of the event
Using Technology
Each role uses different types of event technology:
Event Planners use:
- Schedule planning tools
- Booking systems
- Budget tracking software
Event Strategists use:
- Data analysis tools
- Goal tracking systems
- Planning software
Event Marketers use:
- Social media tools
- Email marketing systems
- Website analytics
Changes in the Event Industry
The event industry is always changing, especially with new technology. Now these roles also need to know about:
- Online events
- Mixing in-person and online events
- New ways to connect with attendees
- Digital tools and platforms
Why Does Understanding These Roles Matters?
Whether you’re looking to hire someone or want to work in events, it’s important to understand these different roles. Each one needs different skills and focuses on different parts of making an event successful.
Remember:
- Event Planners focus on making things happen
- Event Strategists focus on why we’re having the event
- Event Marketers focus on getting people interested
The Intersection of Roles
While each role has its distinct focus, successful events require collaboration between all three positions. Here’s how they typically interact:
Event Planner + Event Strategist
The Event Planner executes the strategic vision developed by the Event Strategist. While the strategist determines the “why” and “what” of an event, the planner figures out the “how” and “when.”
Event Strategist + Event Marketer
The Event Strategist provides the overarching goals and target audience insights, which the Event Marketer uses to develop targeted marketing campaigns and messaging strategies.
Event Marketer + Event Planner
The Event Marketer promotes the experience that the Event Planner creates, ensuring that all marketing materials accurately reflect the event’s logistics and features.
Technology Integration
In today’s digital age, all three roles increasingly rely on event technology. However, each uses it differently:
- Event Planners focus on project management and operational tools
- Event Strategists utilize data analytics and ROI measurement platforms
- Event Marketers leverage marketing automation and social media management tools
Looking to the Future
As events keep changing and growing, these roles will become even more important. They might change a bit as new technology comes along, but the basic skills will always be needed:
- Organization and attention to detail for Event Planners
- Strategic thinking for Event Strategists
- Creative promotion skills for Event Marketers
When these three roles work well together, they create events that not only run smoothly but also achieve their goals and attract the right people. Whether it’s a small meeting or a huge conference, success comes from having the right people in the right roles, working together as a team.
