How to Survive as an Event Production Manager
Balance is not something you find. It’s something you create.
– JANA KINGSFORD
Contemporary Author, Coach, Speaker
Corporate event production is a high-wire act where one misstep can turn a polished conference into a logistical nightmare. Presenters suddenly get delayed, catering throws a curve ball, or a teleprompter decides to take a power nap mid-presentation.
With the right survival kit – packed with essential staff, tools, strategies, and skills – they navigate the chaos and deliver events with precision.
Here’s a no-nonsense guide to how the Project Manager thrives in the balancing act of corporate events.
A Solid PM Builds a Tight, High-Functioning Squad
An event Production Manager’s (PM’s) team is their backbone – a lean, adaptable squad that covers every essential role with precision and flexibility.
You can have the best venue, the most immersive LED walls, a killer keynote, and sponsors throwing money like it’s confetti – but if the event production team isn’t solid, it will all unravel by lunchtime.
Think of the team as the safety net beneath the tight rope. Everyone has their specific role, but they’re also ready to jump in wherever needed. This flexibility is what transforms a good event production team into an exceptional one! These are the people who spot a crooked banner, a silent mic, or a panicked speaker – and quietly fix the problem before the Production Manager even knows there’s an issue.
Key Team Members
Below are some key positions that keep events running smoothly:
AV Lead/Technical Director: Oversees sound, lighting, screens, camera and AV crews, and stage setup. Known for quick troubleshooting, sharp communication, and always having a backup plan for their backup plan. They should work so seamlessly with the PM that it’s like they finish each other’s sandwiches — er, sentences (yes, that’s a little nod to Frozen for those that have seen it with their kids…All. 47. Times!).
Event Producer/Coordinator: This is the ‘air traffic controller’ that managing logistics, timelines, production schedules, and the run-of-show. They handle most fires before they reach the PM.
Guest Experience Lead: Owns front-of-house operations like registration, check-in, crowd flow, signage, and guest relations. Organized and personable, they’re the welcoming face of the event.
Stage Manager: Ensures presenters are mic’d, prepped, and on cue. Manages backstage logistics and last-minute changes, often calming CEO nerves with a warm smile and reassuring word.
Hospitality & Vendor Liaison: Coordinates venue relations, catering, sponsors, and vendors – balancing logistics, diplomacy, and crisis management.
Show Caller: An experienced, talented, composed professional who calls the event as well as the rehearsals, keeping the flow seamless and ensuring every cue is hit perfectly.
Show Runner: The versatile on-site troubleshooter who takes on any special projects or client requests that come up, helping keep things running smoothly behind the scenes.
For larger events, additional roles like Social Media Lead and Data & Analytics Tracker provide real-time content and engagement insights.
5 Tips From Top Production Managers
Cross-Train Everyone!
Whether the team is big or small, cross-training is critical. Every member should know the basics of other roles – so the registration lead can call tech if a screen fails, and the team can help with crowd flow if lines get long. Versatility and calm under pressure make the team invaluable.
Communication Is Non-Negotiable
The team, equipped with headsets, walkie-talkies, and messaging apps like Slack or WhatsApp Business is important for ongoing, instant updates. The PM typically keeps a master contact list handy in both print and digital form for quick access to anyone involved in the event.
Strategize and Align
The PM stays connected to every moving piece, tracking updates in real time through shared tools like Google Sheets or Trello. They ensure everyone – from vendors to internal teams – stays in sync as plans evolve. With a sharp eye on logistics and contingencies, the PM is able to adapt on the fly, solving event production problems before they ripple out. It’s less about checking boxes and more about orchestrating flow.
Have a Team Huddle!
The PM should always, always do a team huddle before doors open: They align on the day’s timeline, confirm contingencies, and review VIP/sponsor priorities. Because no one remembers the AV went out if the team handled it like a well-oiled machine. But they will remember disorganized chaos. The PM backed by a strong team is the insurance policy against that!
Celebrate the Wins, Big or Small
After the last mic drop and guest goodbye, take a moment to acknowledge what went right. Whether it’s a group high-five, a quick debrief over tacos, or shout-outs in a follow-up email – recognizing team wins builds morale, loyalty, and the kind of culture where people want to bring their A-game. Every flawless cue and last-minute save deserves a little spotlight.
The Production Kit
The Production Kit is a tactical arsenal – tools that are packed to ensure flawless execution:
Communication Tools: Walkie-talkies (otherwise brought by the Technical Director) and a dedicated Slack channel for ongoing updates. Include a portable hotspot (check out Verizon Jetpack) for Wi-Fi emergencies.
Emergency Fix-It Kit: Duct tape, zip ties, a Leatherman multi-tool, safety pins, fusible hem tape and a mini sewing kit. These can patch a torn backdrop, secure a loose cable or solve a panicking speaker’s wardrobe malfunction.
Tech Essentials: Laptop of course – with an extra charging cable if they have one. A portable printer, extra ink cartridges, paper (also include some glossy and cardstock paper – because you just never know). Universal power adapters, a 25-foot extension cord, portable cellphone charger, USB drive with all presentations in PDF and PowerPoint formats – of course, this will also be stored in a cloud app.
Other Office Supplies: A P-Touch label maker helps keep cables, seat assignments and binders organized and easily identifiable. You name it, it’s in the kit – mini gooseneck LED desk lamp, extra pens, pencils, sharpies, highlighters, scotch tape, index cards, Post-its, adhesive labels, portable paper slicer, hole punch, scissors, stapler, small thank-you notes.
Survival Supplies: Protein bars, a reusable water bottle, breath mints, hand sanitizer, hand lotion, disinfecting wipes, band-aids, aspirin/non-aspirin.
Printed Backup Documents: Hard copies of the event agenda, scripts, run-of-show, vendor/client/VIP contacts, and floor plans, preferably stored in a waterproof folder.
Branding Kit: Extra branded items for last-minute VIPs or attendees.
Transporting the Production Kit: These items are typically in a wheeled Pelican case. A checklist in Google Docs will ensure nothing’s forgotten. The team should have tested all tech 24 hours before the event to avoid surprises.
The Balancing Act
A combination of essential skills and traits are the Production Manager’s Inner Edge! What keeps a PM steady is more than just experience – it’s a powerful combination of professional precision and personal grit:
Professional Skills
Exceptional project management, sharp vendor negotiation, real-time tech troubleshooting, data-driven decision-making, clear communication, and cool-headed crisis management. These are the tools they keep in their toolbelt to stay balanced when things start to sway.
Personal Traits
The PM’s innate qualities are the unshakable characteristics you just can’t teach – staying calm under pressure, adapting on the fly, leading with empathy, enduring long hours with focus and stamina, acting on instinct, and obsessing over details that others miss. These traits are the invisible wire beneath their feet as they balance above the chaos of an event.
Together, these skills and qualities give a PM their inner edge – because they don’t stumble into calm – they build it, plan for it, and reinforce it with every checklist, every contingency, and every pre-show huddle.
In Conclusion
As you can tell, corporate event production is a high-energy balancing act where precision meets improv. At the heart of it all is the Production Manager, expertly walking the line between chaos and control with a toolkit full of strategy, a passionate team, solid backup plans, nerves of steel – and somewhere close by, an espresso drink or maybe some Belgian chocolate, in one form or another.
With their strong and supportive team, a well-stocked production kit, and a game plan that’s both strategic and flexible, great PMs make the unexpected look easy. Tech glitches? Handled. Last-minute speaker swaps? No problem. Client throwing in unexpected requests? Bring it on.
And the best event Production Managers? They stick the landing every time!
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