Hiring a Virtual Assistant for Event Planning

By Zach Bigej | Updated: 20 Aug, 2024

Let’s face it—event planning can be overwhelming. As a busy business owner or leader, you’ve got a lot on your plate already, and adding the endless details of planning an event can feel like too much.  

There’s the pressure to get everything right, meet tight deadlines, and keep your daily work running smoothly. That’s where a virtual assistant for event planning can make a world of difference.  

By taking care of the nitty-gritty tasks, a VA frees you up to focus on the bigger picture. Imagine the relief of knowing someone else is handling the logistics, so you can shine in your role and enjoy the event, stress-free. 

Ahead, we’ll share all the ways a virtual assistant can make your in-person and online events easier to plan and manage.  

Table of Contents

  1. What is a virtual assistant?
  2. What event planning tasks can a virtual assistant manage? 
  3. What event planning tasks are harder for virtual assistants to manage?
  4. What are the benefits of using an event planning virtual assistant? 
  5. Working with Prialto’s virtual assistants for event planning 

What is a virtual assistant?

A virtual assistant is a professional part-time assistant who works remotely to help you manage tasks, projects, and communications. They handle a wide range of duties, from administrative work like scheduling and email management to specialized tasks like event planning or social media management. VAs usually integrate with your existing team, using tools like Slack or Zoom to stay connected and collaborate effectively.  

Unlike in-house staff, VAs offer flexible support tailored to your needs, whether you need help for a few hours a week or full-time. Their goal is to make your life easier by taking care of the details, so you can focus on the bigger picture. 

What event planning tasks can a virtual assistant manage? 

Event planning comes with countless details to track and deadlines to meet. A virtual assistant for event planning can help by managing everything from venue research to vendor coordination, guest list management, and RSVP tracking.  

Basically, an event planning virtual assistant can handle and predictable, routine tasks such as: 

  • Logistics 
  • Vendor coordination 
  • Task tracking 
  • Managing agendas and materials 
  • Managing technology 
  • Travel planning 
  • Data entry and management 
  • Communications 
  • And more 

Logistics 

VAs shine at handling the small details, and events are stacked with details that need to be tracked and managed.  

They can coordinate with the venue to ensure everything is set up according to plan, arrange transportation for guests, and track all logistics, from deliveries to last-minute changes. They can manage and monitor tracking numbers so you always know the status of your materials. 

Whether it’s confirming catering details or ensuring AV equipment is ready, a VA keeps everything on track, so you don’t have to worry about the details. 

Coordinating vendors 

Working with multiple vendors can be a headache. An event assistant can take some of that work off your shoulders. 

 Your VA can handle communications, managing contracts, follow-ups, reminders, and deadline tracking. By acting as the main point of contact, your event planning VA ensures that all vendors are aligned with your event’s timeline and requirements. They act as a chokepoint, managing FAQs and standard processes so you only have to worry about the big picture work. You can focus on the overall success of the event without getting bogged down in the details. 

Task tracking 

Whether it's a digital or in-person event, an event planner assistant can manage task lists, set deadlines, send reminders, and oversee overall project management. They ensure that every aspect of the event stays on schedule, helping you avoid last-minute surprises.  

Managing agendas and materials 

A virtual assistant can take charge of all the essential event materials, from collecting and organizing agendas to distributing them to attendees. They can handle the printing and ensure everything is filed and stored properly for future use. 

Whether it’s creating digital versions or arranging physical copies, a VA ensures that all materials are ready and accessible when needed. 

Managing technology 

You can also delegate some of the technical aspects of your event to VAs.  

For example, VAs could help you format PowerPoint presentations and digital materials as well as set up and run Zoom sessions. They can build out Zoom invites, configure settings, and organize breakout rooms, so attendees enjoy a smooth virtual experience.  

With a VA managing the tech side, you can focus on engaging with your audience, confident that everything is running behind the scenes. 

Travel planning 

Whether it’s an event planning virtual assistant or a traditional virtual executive assistant, travel planning is part of the core skillset. Your VA can handle all aspects of your travel and trip planning from booking plane tickets and hotel rooms to planning detailed travel itineraries and managing ground transportation.  

Event planning is enough work in-and-of itself. Passing off management of the travel will help you stay focused. 

Data entry and management 

One side effect of a great event is that it generates a ton of data. Who registered, who attended what part of the event, whose emails, the no-shows, etc. A virtual assistant can manage your event data using your CMS so you can organize follow-ups, campaigns, marketing, and materials effectively and easily.  

They ensure all information is accurate and accessible so you can analyze attendance trends and follow up with participants. With a VA handling the tedious side of data management, you can focus on making informed decisions to improve future events. 

Communications 

A virtual assistant for event planning can streamline all your digital and in-person event communications, from sending out RSVPs and invitations to handling thank you notes and post-event follow-ups.  

By taking care of these tasks, a VA helps maintain a positive connection with your audience before, during, and after the event. 

Read more: Virtual Assistant Tasks and Duties to Outsource 

What event planning tasks are harder for virtual assistants to manage? 

While virtual assistants are incredibly versatile, there are certain tasks that can be more challenging for them to handle. These usually involve on-site, physical presence, hands on management during the event itself, or specialized knowledge and skills.  

Some of these events can be passed off to a virtual assistant, but it’ll typically require more hands-on management from the in-house team to be succcessful.  

Specialized tasks 

If your event involves specialized work or is within a niche industry, it might be more challenging for a virtual assistant to jump in immediately. Just like any other assistant, a VA may need some initial onboarding, training or time to get up to speed with the unique aspects of your work.  

For example, coordinating events in the legal field might involve managing confidential information, understanding legal jargon, or working with complex legal documents.  

In addition, events that are highly technical or focused on niche areas of technology might demand knowledge of specific tools, platforms, or programming languages. 

With proper guidance they can become an invaluable part of your team but it’ll take more internal hands-on management to get there.  

Sourcing vendors or speakers  

While virtual event assistants excel at organization and coordination, they may find it challenging to source vendors or speakers, especially if they’re unfamiliar with your specific industry or event focus. VAs might not be experts in your field, which can make it harder to identify the right vendors or sponsors.   

However, if you provide a list, template, or clear criteria, they can effectively work through it to find the best options for your event. 

For example, you could provide a list of speakers and give your VA a customizable template so they can reach out to each potential speaker. The more process and data available to the VA, the better their performance!

What are the benefits of using an event planning virtual assistant? 

From lowering your stress levels to helping you scale up in-person and digital events, there are several key benefits of using a virtual assistant event planner. 

Saving money 

One of the biggest benefits of using a virtual assistant is cost savings. Hiring a VA is more cost-effective than bringing on a full-time employee, as you only pay for the hours you need. And it’s much more cost-effective than doing the admin work yourself. Admin work that takes you away from the revenue-driving activities you could be doing. 

Plus, a VA can save you time, which means saving money, by handling tasks efficiently—leaving you free to focus on what you do best without the overhead of doing it all yourself.  

Outsourcing tedious tasks to a VA can ultimately help you achieve a better ROI on your time and event.  

Read more:  11 Proven Benefits of Hiring a Virtual Assistant 

Stress reduction 

Event planning can be incredibly stressful, especially when you’re trying to manage every detail on your own. 

A virtual event planner can help reduce that stress by taking on your seemingly endless list of overwhelming tasks. They keep everything organized and on schedule, so you can focus on the big picture and enjoy the process, knowing the details are in good hands. 

Access to a high-quality skillset 

VAs are masters of organization and task management. They’re experts in your busy work. Those who work for companies like Prialto are specifically hired and trained to handle a wide variety of tasks with efficiency and precision. When you work with a virtual assistent for your event planning, you gain access to a high-quality skillset that ensures your event runs smoothly and all the details are expertly managed. 

The ability to scale event planning and other VA services 

 A major benefit of using a virtual assistant service is the flexibility to scale your support as needed. You can easily increase or decrease the number of VAs working on your event, depending on the size and complexity of the project.  

Once the event is over, you can seamlessly shift their focus to other admin tasks, making it a highly adaptable solution that grows with your needs.  

Read more: How to Hire the Best Virtual Assistant Service for Your Business 

Working with Prialto’s virtual assistants for event planning 

We offer a unique approach to virtual assistant services. We call it the Prialto Unit—about one-third of a full-time employee’s capacity. You simply scale up or down the number of Prialto units, depending on your specific needs.  

With this approach you get the flexibility and support you need without the overheads of a full-time hire.  

Plus when you work with Prialto, you get access to a full team of VAs with a wide range of skills, instead of working with one virtual event planner assistant. Every VA has a backup assistant, leadership team, and engagement manager who will ensure consistency and quality. 

Prialto’s VAs are specifically trained to handle a variety of tasks efficiently, making them the best option for your company’s event-planning needs.  

Whether you need help coordinating trade show logistics, managing corporate event communications, tackling a calendar of webinars, or tracking tasks, Prialto’s team has the expertise to ensure your event runs smoothly.  

Plus, with the flexibility to scale up or down as needed, Prialto provides the most adaptable and comprehensive event management support available. 

Ready to plan successful events without stress? Learn more about hiring a virtual assistant