The work

Commercial exhibitions bring specialist buyers and sellers together in one location to enable organisations to promote their goods and services. Exhibitions include wedding fairs, agricultural shows, toy fairs and motor shows. Whilst some exhibitions are open to the public, many are trade fairs, where only people from the relevant industry can attend. An exhibition organiser is responsible for the production of entire events.

An exhibition organiser's work usually covers three main areas. They might work in any, or all, of the following:

Marketing

The marketing team researches the market to check whether there is enough interest in a particular subject to organise an event. In this area, the work would include finding suitable venues and checking on the best time of year to put on an event before organising publicity. They would also use media such as magazines, posters and direct mail to advertise an event. Organising the design and printing of tickets, catalogues, posters and promotional items such as pens and carrier bags would be included in the marketing role.

Sales

As a member of the sales team, an exhibition organiser arranges sponsorship and sells stand space to exhibitors (over the phone or face-to-face). During an exhibition, they may also contact all the exhibitors and discuss selling space for the following year's exhibition.

Operations

The operations team co-ordinates the many practical aspects of bringing an exhibition together. In this area, organisers are responsible for aspects such as booking the venue and co-ordinating the work of contractors. During the show, they liaise with venue staff, exhibitors, sponsors and visitors, and respond to enquiries, problems or complaints. They also supervise health and safety issues such as trailing cables or fire exits. After the show, they are responsible for getting visitors off the site quickly and safely and ensuring that the exhibition space is cleared thoroughly.

Larger organisations may also have positions in other areas. These include public relations, design and publications.

Hours and Environment

An exhibition organiser's hours and environment depend on whether they work in marketing, sales, or operations.

Just before and during an exhibition, operations staff work long hours. This often includes weekends. They start work very early and finish late. Due to strict deadlines and the short timescales of exhibitions, an organiser might work through the night to ensure that all required work is completed. They spend most of their time walking around the exhibition site.
Exhibition staff are mainly office-based and spend a lot of their time on the phone. They also go out 'on the road' to meet potential sponsors and exhibitors. They spend some of their time visiting venues, contractors and other exhibitions. Venues can vary from huge commercial spaces to small halls.

Skills and Interests

• the ability to work in a team
• the ability to work with people at all levels
• good communication skills and a good telephone manner
• excellent organisational skills
• the ability to manage lots of tasks at the same time
• the ability to work under pressure and to deadlines
• good negotiation skills
• a high level of physical stamina
• a practical 'hands-on' approach
• IT skills
• an understanding of budgets

Entry

It is difficult to enter any area of the events industry without relevant experience. Sometimes people with a secretarial/administrative background move over to events management, particularly with experience of organising meetings or corporate events. Other relevant experience may include a sales or marketing background. Experience in the publishing industry can also be useful.

• No formal entry requirements are required, but experience is highly valued. Companies seek staff with a positive and proactive attitude.
• A good general education is essential and many candidates have HND or degree-level qualifications, particularly in subjects such as event management, marketing, business studies or languages. Minimum entry to a degree course requires five Olevel/S grades (A-C/1-3) with two A levels/three H grades or equivalent. Entry to HNC/D courses usually requires one or two A levels/H grades or equivalent.
• It is a good idea to gain a few years' employment experience in areas such as sales, marketing, or administration. Most exhibition personnel begin in an administrative position and work their way up, learning on the job. They may also be able to progress in the industry in a similar way, through a work experience placement. The Association of Exhibition Organisers (AEO) provides introductory training courses for its members and a series of short courses in various aspects of exhibition work. The Association for Conferences and Events (ACE) also runs professional seminars and courses. Many exhibition organisations also provide in-house training for their staff.

Training

Depending on the size of the company, training opportunities typically consist of short courses in customer care, sales and marketing, finance and IT, run either in-house or externally.

The professional organisations can also organise training in other aspects of events planning, such as management issues, events promotion, project management, and crowd safety. See websites for contact details.
The events industry is linked to the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industries.

Opportunities

Events management is a varied career; each project has different constraints and opportunities. A proven track record can lead to more senior positions, depending on a company's size and structure. It may be possible to move between organisations or into outsourcing firms or venues.

Promotion is possible by taking on extra responsibilities such as managing a small team, or specialising in one particular kind of event. As events managers take on more responsibility, they will manage more complex events with bigger budgets.

Typical employers may be hotels and leisure facilities; marketing departments of large companies; or specialist events companies. Self-employment or freelance consultancy work is also possible for those who have experience and an established network of contacts in the industry.

Annual Income

Further information

Association of Exhibition Organisers http://www.aeo.org.uk

Association for Conferences and Events (ACE) http://www.martex.co.uk/ace