Long before a keynote address begins, a band plays its first note, or a runner takes off for a sponsor-filled finish line, a marketing executive stares at a blank piece of paper or an empty computer screen until a strategy is devised. And that plan is what drives the litany of big and small decisions that follow—from setting the budget and selling sponsorships to choosing invitation colors—and ultimately determines the success of the whole endeavor.
So for this year’s incarnation of our annual “Event Planners of the Year” package, we changed the name a bit, to put the emphasis on the creative thinking that begins months, even years, before an event is staged, as well as on the intricate calculations that continue until the event ends, and often beyond, when the host measures its effectiveness.
Over the next four weeks, we'll post our Q&As with 2007's Event Strategists of the Year, four people who are responsible for event programs that produce real results, as measured by mentions in national press, revenues generated, and—often just as rewarding—compliments from their peers and bosses. The first will go up tomorrow.Three of these strategists achieved their goals in extremely competitive industries, where they play significant roles in improving the performance of their companies. Their insights on winning the support of colleagues, compelling different divisions within a company to work together, and devising new approaches to sponsorships have resonance for event professionals in all industries. The fourth doesn’t really consider himself an event planner or strategist—he’s really an environmental activist—but his work offers insights for business-minded tasks such as planning PR stunts, organizing teams online, and sending a consistent message at simultaneous events across the country.
All of these strategists are working on the cutting edge of a discipline increasingly recognized for its effectiveness, while continuing to find new ways to succeed. As one says, “I’m always looking for people who ask two questions: ‘What if we tried this?’ and ‘OK, that was great, what’s next?’” We found four people finding the answers.
So for this year’s incarnation of our annual “Event Planners of the Year” package, we changed the name a bit, to put the emphasis on the creative thinking that begins months, even years, before an event is staged, as well as on the intricate calculations that continue until the event ends, and often beyond, when the host measures its effectiveness.
Over the next four weeks, we'll post our Q&As with 2007's Event Strategists of the Year, four people who are responsible for event programs that produce real results, as measured by mentions in national press, revenues generated, and—often just as rewarding—compliments from their peers and bosses. The first will go up tomorrow.Three of these strategists achieved their goals in extremely competitive industries, where they play significant roles in improving the performance of their companies. Their insights on winning the support of colleagues, compelling different divisions within a company to work together, and devising new approaches to sponsorships have resonance for event professionals in all industries. The fourth doesn’t really consider himself an event planner or strategist—he’s really an environmental activist—but his work offers insights for business-minded tasks such as planning PR stunts, organizing teams online, and sending a consistent message at simultaneous events across the country.
All of these strategists are working on the cutting edge of a discipline increasingly recognized for its effectiveness, while continuing to find new ways to succeed. As one says, “I’m always looking for people who ask two questions: ‘What if we tried this?’ and ‘OK, that was great, what’s next?’” We found four people finding the answers.
