3 Secret Weapons to Boost Efficiency for Event Professionals and Creative Thinkers
By Jenny Stanfield, Office Manager/Event Coordinator
Over the course of our recent re-brand, AUE has become a well-oiled machine. Our increased efficiency is because we are embracing various tools to make event coordination and booking performers easier and less stressful.
Here are some of my favorite secret weapons we’ve adopted to make our lives a little simpler and a lot more effective.
1. Filemaker & Filemaker Go
www.filemaker.com
We run a custom Filemaker database that holds all client and performer details, event information documentation, action items and milestones for each event. It includes contracts, invoices, and requirements for every type of show with their corresponding rates.
Our database is also linked with our iPhones with the Filemaker Go app. So no matter where we are, we can access anything we could possibly need in a pinch.
I believe that Filemaker is the be-all, end-all for event planning software, but it’s not an out-of-the-box solution. It takes a lot of time to customize, patience to learn, and collaboration with developers to get it where you need to be functionally.
2. Evernote
www.evernote.com
Another great product that is accessible on-the-go is Evernote. It’s the ultimate way to capture information, especially when creativity is flowing.
Roger’s favourite thing to do in Evernote is talk. He creates audio notes often when his brain works faster than he can type, and habitually uses it to work out content for new projects.
We also store business cards here. It’s simple: take a photo of the card and upload it to Evernote. No need to file - just start typing the person’s name or company into the search bar. Evernote picks up text from photos and finds what you need in seconds.
I believe that the number one issue creative professionals face is capturing, organizing, and executing their ideas. Evernote is a perfect solution.
3. Our Walls are Made of Whiteboards (seriously)
www.godryerase.com
Our offices have giant whiteboards walls actually papered to them. Not only is it gratifying to literally write on a wall when the mood strikes, we’ve found that it has made us more accountable for goals and action-items when they stare us in the face all day.
I would recommend this idea to busy professionals with multiple projects on the go, or to anyone who just wants to stay on top of a to-do list. You might be surprised at the increase in productivity you experience.
What is your secret weapon in the workplace? What is the method to your madness? Leave me a replin the comments or Tweet me @actorsunlimited.
Tags: creative, efficiency, event planning, event professionals, evernote, filemaker, godryerase, organization, small business development, software, whiteboards
Thanks for sharing…I’m going to check out “Evernote” to see if it’s a fit for me. I’ve recently been introduced to “WorkFlowy”, which seems to best support big list writing, especially for creative types. Also have been recommended “Trello”, a team workflow platform.
Lovin’ the idea of writing on walls!