Attention Event Planners

Having spent over 12 hours at an event today, arriving at 5:30AM to setup, staying all day to babysit the tech and take pictures, and finally getting to leave around 6 after tearing down/packing up the equipment, I learned something new today.

I’ve worked events like this in the past, and I’ve worked a few events just as the photographer. I’ve never, until today, had the head planner of the event fix me a plate at lunch while I and another of the planners made some PowerPoint changes during the lunch break, or offer to get me a drink, snack or whatever during the course of being there that day. I’ve never had the experience of having both of these ladies be so appreciative of the fact that I was there, taking care of all this for them, that they were constantly checking in with me, to see if I needed any help from them, or to make sure everything was going alright. Never mind that I was there really only because I was instructed to be there by the people who pay my salary, they were still extremely grateful to me, personally.

The simple truth of the matter is, being treated like this made me want to do anything I could, no matter how difficult it would be, to make sure this event went well for them. I feel a loyalty to them that makes me want to help them, not just today, but anytime they have an issue with technology back at the office.

Hmm, maybe there’s a lesson there for non event-planners too…..

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