Parties, conferences, training programs, sales meetings, and corporate retreats are all planned and coordinated by an event producer. The event producer collaborates closely with the person or company hosting the event to create a function that achieves the client’s goal while also promoting the company’s image. The producer may plan every aspect of the event, from the overall concept to the food and entertainment, or the producer may simply provide the appropriate vendors based on plans compiled by the company hosting the party.
A successful producer can provide as little or as much input as the business requires. Many people planning an event, whether it’s a wedding or a business meeting, want complete control over every detail. The event producer’s job in these situations is to keep the plans organized, present the client with vendor lists, and show up on the day of the event to make sure everything runs smoothly. Other clients may only have a hazy idea of what they want, and they may not even know how much money they have to work with. In these cases, the event producer will present the client with a variety of options, show them pictures, and discuss other similar events that they have previously produced, as well as handle all of the details.
The job of an event producer is usually somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. Most clients will have strong feelings about certain aspects of the event and less strong feelings about others. The event producer’s job is to give the client the freedom to make their own decisions while ensuring that the rest of the event is well-planned and executed.
A successful producer must possess excellent communication skills, patience, organizational skills, and the ability to create and stick to a budget. In addition, the producer should expect to work irregular hours, weekends, and holidays. While there are no formal educational requirements for event producers, different event production companies may have specific qualifications in mind for their employees.