Helen Blantz has worked in the events industry since 1997, working on a freelance basis since 2006. Helen’s career has given her experience in both large and small conference and exhibition companies. During this time she has worked on new launch businesses and across many different markets. Helen has the ability to enter new markets and quickly get to the heart of the issues of the day. When speaking with industry experts she knows the questions to ask to gain insight into the key drivers for your event. Helen’s research skills along with her committment, drive and powers of persuasion give her a distinct advantage when it comes to organising quality events.
Helen’s skills can be summarised:
- Research and analytical skills: ability to enter new markets and very quickly identify market trends and key issues; event opportunities and hurdles
- Effective communicator – appreciation of different standpoints and ability to manage differing/conflicting expectations (including in a public sector setting)
- Team player: as a freelancer Helen establishes good working relationships with any established conference, sales, marketing & delivery teams; it’s important to dovetail into current in-house knowledge
- Strategic thinker; ability to see the bigger picture
- Tenacity in managing fine detail
- Business acumen: ability to set and control project budgets
- Copywriting, to date to a high calibre professional audience, as well as to the public
- Computer literate in Word, Excel, Powerpoint, internet, LinkedIn, twitter, backoffice website updates; & blogging on WordPress.org
- Language skills: German degree; French to A/O level & Italian GCSE
Team player
The key to a successful event is to match event aims with overall corporate goals and to ensure support at all levels of the business. Helen has a great ability to work with partners and internal stakeholders to ensure the event has the all-round support it needs to be a commercial success.
Remote working requires certain skills, disciplines and best practice approaches. Helen works hard to ensure that she dovetails well with in-house event teams, both on the content/knowledge side and in relation to logistics teams.