Summer Project Season Is Upon Us
By Christy Lamagna, CMP, CMM, CTSM
With one of the most punishing winters in recent memory behind us, we gratefully turn to spring. As planners, we’re programmed to think ahead. So, while we might be thinking about swapping sweaters for short sleeves in our personal lives, professionally we need to think about what we want to accomplish this summer project season. (One of those things should be ordering your holiday cards, by the way.)
Summer is when schedules slow down for many of us. Using this time wisely will guarantee an easier path when things get hectic again. These ideas are applicable at any time, so no matter when your schedule slows down you will be ready to dive in.
My team keeps a wish list year-round. We write down ideas that would make our jobs easier or streamline the work. We keep track of ideas for which we don’t have time at that moment. When spring hits, we combine our lists, determine which projects are worth doing and decide who should tackle them.
Our projects range in scope and size, but all are designed to make us stronger and more efficient. This list might help you during summer project season, as well.
- Magazines. I often find helpful websites, so I rip out those pages, circle the URL and file them. By summer, I have a thick file of potentially useful sites that need to be explored, posted to a database, summarized and filed by subject. Many are about the event industry but some are about health, money or fashion. I think it’s important to focus on the entire person, not just on their workplace value.
- Photo filing. We take dozens of photos on site visits. When we return, we upload the photos and move on. This time of year, we weed out shots we don’t need, label them and link them to site notes, so the photos and venue information is in one spot. We revisit the site when clients ask for venue ideas.
- Vendors. We meet with each to make sure we’re getting the best pricing available and ordering efficiently. We interview potential new vendors and analyze our spend for ways to save money. For instance, if you regularly order giveaways and find yourself paying rush charges, maybe you can order staple items to have in stock so you can pull from your inventory instead? If you can buy in bulk, you’ll save time, money and energy.
- Lists. Write down the goals you want to accomplish between now and a year from now. When you have time to reflect and the ability to get things done, use it for motivation.
Want our list of the Top 25 industry sites, as of our last update? Or do you have a favorite site you’d like to share? Email me at Christy.Lamagna@strategic.events
Tags: Summer Project Season Is Upon Us, Summer Project Season, Planners, Meetings, Events, Event Planning, Event Planners, Strategic Planners, Strategic Events, Plan Your Meetings
