Planning a Trip as an Account Executive
I recently went to Las Vegas to meet up with my college roommates and sorority sisters. Even though I turned off my work e-mail, my Account Executive brain is always turned on and I began to analyze my trip with a project management mindset.
As an Account Executive at The BLU Group Advertising and Marketing, I manage a variety of projects from website redesigns and social media campaigns to prospecting new business and managing interns. Four main elements I always keep in mind when managing my projects are scope, resources, time, and money. While spending a weekend in Las Vegas isn’t my typical project to manage, I still found myself referring back to these four key elements during my trip.
- Scope – A project’s scope involves getting the information to start the project and understanding what exactly the project deliverables are. It is crucial when managing a project that your client knows you have a complete understanding of what they expect from the project. While technically there isn’t really a project scope for a girl’s trip to Vegas, it is good to keep in mind the main things you want to accomplish during your trip and stick to them. This way no one will end up disappointed.
- Resources – In most projects, resources refer to the people, equipment and material needed to get the job done. When managing any project I make sure my internal team is able to create and implement what we need for the project. In Vegas, my resources were the college roommates I was meeting up with, the hotel we were staying at, and the places we wanted to go to. Having these resources accounted for before the trip would ensure we had the basics covered.
- Time – Time management is critical to the success and completion of every project. When creating a project schedule, I always check with the client to ensure they agree with and approve the schedule. However, when in Vegas, you sometimes just have to go with the flow. During my trip, time management meant getting 13 20-something girls ready and out of the hotel by 11 pm. Even the best project manager may have a problem with this one!
- Money – Managing the agency’s money and our client’s budget is an aspect of my job I find very important. If your project is going over budget, your client and your boss will not be happy. In Vegas, money management is practically unheard of. Usually, my actual costs far exceed my estimated costs, but when you’re in Vegas it will be worth it.
Have you ever looked at a vacation or non-work related event from a project management perspective? If so, do you think the vacation or event went smoother than anticipated because of your ‘project management’? Leave your comments below.
Brittany Lough
