Running a creative business involves a lot of moving pieces that can feel overwhelming when they all start to stack up. Instead of waiting until the papers are overflowing and your brain is stretched thin, addressing your ongoing tasks on a monthly basis can help you keep your business in check without sacrificing valuable time. That’s why we’ve created this monthly business checklist for event pros!
We spoke with event professionals across the industry about their monthly must-do tasks. Use these suggestions as inspiration, but most importantly, find the processes that work best for you and your business.
Every month, you should use this business checklist for event pros to make sure you:
- Add business cards to your contact lists
- Update mileage log
- Check in on your sales numbers
- Revisit systems, processes, and technology
- Evaluate your metrics
- Plan ahead for prospecting
- Connect with your network
- Check in on potential speaking engagements
Let’s dive in!
Add business cards to contact lists
Mary Angelini of Key Moment Films: “Each month, I upload the business cards I have collected to my contact list. Contact lists are one of the most valuable things a business owner has. When you launch a new product or service, having easy access to your contacts will help you gain traction quicker. After each event, while the memory is fresh, I write on the back of the card how I met them, what we spoke about, interests, etc. Referencing something you spoke about a year ago when you need to ask a favor can really give you a boost.”
Update your mileage log
Amber Anderson of Refine for Wedding Planners: “Mileage is something you can write off on your taxes and keeping track of them on a monthly basis is much easier than looking at the year as a whole. I know a lot of people that are good about tracking this in an app as they go; however, I am better at doing it in one sitting at the end of each month. I look at my calendar and calculate the distance to each meeting, updating my spreadsheet as I go. Do what works best for your brain!”
Check in on your sales numbers
Meryl Snow of SnowStorm Solutions: “You probably have a general idea of how your business has performed in the last month, but putting the numbers on paper helps you assess where you stand in relation to your goals. Sit down and take a look at your sales revenue from the past 30 days and compare it to the previous month, as well as the corresponding month from the year before. If you have a sales team, pull them into the conversation and discuss sales goals with each employee.”
Revisit your systems and processes
Jennifer Taylor of Jen Taylor Consulting: “The market is ever-changing and, thus, your business needs to be agile and prepared to evolve with the changes. In particular, technology is always in flux and new digital solutions are released every month. Take some time at the end of each month to revisit the systems and processes you have in place to see if there are more efficient alternatives available, whether that means installing a new app or outsourcing a portion of your business operations.”
Evaluate your metrics
Christie Osborne of Mountainside Media: “Your website and social media analytics are a treasure trove of information about how your marketing efforts are performing. Every month, you should be reviewing your data to get an idea of your most visited pages, your bounce rate, your referral traffic, and your conversion rate. Comparing these numbers to past data will tell you if you’re going in the right direction and what type of content resonates most with your target market.”
Plan ahead for prospecting
Kristin Wilson of Our DJ Rocks: “Once a month, I map out all the things I’m doing that I categorize as prospecting: going live, having networking lunches, being featured, etc. There are a few things that this helps with: In busy seasons, it helps me balance running a business, being the DJ, and continuing to market the business. During the slower seasons, it holds me accountable to my goals!”
Connect with your network
Laura Maddox of Magnolia Celebrates: “Set some time each month to intentionally connect with your community. This does not always have to involve an in-person meeting. Try instead to find other ways to stay top-of-mind. If you know that someone is an avid reader, send them a book that you just finished or find a personalized bookmark on Etsy for them. Additionally, schedule an easy-to-read update on you and your business. I’m a firm believer that what sets you apart from your competition is the ability to connect on a human level.”
Check in on speaking engagements
If you’re an educator (or aspiring to be one!), it helps to have a database of speaking engagements that you can check in with regularly to ensure you’re on track to apply to those that you’re most interested. Start a spreadsheet, complete with deadlines and details, and review each month to map out the next month. This helps to keep everything organized (including travel information once booked!) and makes the check-in process quick and seamless.
This monthly checklist for event pros is a LIFE-SAVER! When you build monthly tasks into your workflow, you’ll find that it’s more efficient than daily or weekly to-do’s in most cases. However, it will also save you from the pressure of annual check-ins when things aren’t quite as fresh in your head. Set aside a half-day to address all of your back-burner tasks and tie up loose ends so you can start the next month refreshed, grounded, and ready to do big things.
Feature Image by Sunshower Photography
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