Decibel Picks: 5 Great Books for Event Organizers

EVENT INDUSTRY

Good event managers do it all: they understand the principles of marketing, they can respond to crisis situations with relative equanimity, they can deal with people and wrangle details. It s a career path that s part tactics, part technical experience, part money management, part psychology, and part grit. That being the case, when we sat down to pick five books that were relevant to the industry, we didn t exclusively choose books targeted at event professionals (though there are a couple here). Instead, we chose a few reads that address these core attributes.

Event Organizer Blog: Best Books for Event Managers

Special Events: A New Generation and the Next Frontier by Joe Goldblatt

We d be remiss not to mention this start-to-finish resource by event production guru Joe Goldblatt. Not a work for those just starting out in the industry, Special Events takes a textbook approach to understanding ins and outs of event production. The latest edition covers modern trends in the industry, like green events and event technology.

Event Organizer Blog: Great Books for Event Managers

Made Possible By by Patricia Martin

The non-profit sector spends an incredible amount of time and energy on fundraising. Targeted at that hard-to-crack market, this book is chalk-full of advice about how to do fundraising right. Patricia Martin talks us through how to not only put together a sponsorship package and land the right sponsors, but also to nurture those relationships so that they become long-term, mutually beneficial arrangements. Read between the lines, and you ll find that the material is very applicable to event fundraising.

Event Organizer Blog: Best Reads for Event Managers

The 4 Disciplines of Execution by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey and Jim Huling

Written by three veterans of corporate leadership, this book focuses on how to get initiatives executed and get your teams organized and goal-focused. The book s a little bit old-school and it s less about setting personal goals and more about helping teams get stuff done, but for event professionals who often need to keep disparate vendors and groups pointed in the same direction, it s a good read.

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Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini

Why do people come to your events, anyway? What is it that convinces your sponsors to say yes ? How can you better persuade vendors and land clients? This classic ad-industry handbook is full of Machiavellian gems that explain why human beings agree to, well, just about anything.

Event Management Blog: Best Reads for Event Planners

Freelancer s Guide to Corporate Event Design: From Technology Fundamentals to Scenic and Environmental Design by Troy Halsey

The scrappy approach to wrapping your head around the basics of lighting, rigging, seating, A/V, and all the other practical aspects of event production.

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