An event sales coordinator is typically hired to organize ticket sales for a special event or to manage the sales process for businesses that hold events regularly. In both instances, the event sales coordinator is an integral part of the financial success of the event and usually has to meet specific sales goals. Administration and customer service are also large parts of the job.
Special events have a financial structure relying on ticket sales. Not only do tickets need to be sold, they must usually be sold in advance of the event. Events typically rely on advance ticket sales to provide cash flow, so the event organizers can pay in advance for resources to make the event a success. The person coordinating ticket sales is considered one of the most important staffers on the organizing crew.
With one-time special events, the event sales coordinator is usually responsible for devising a ticket sales plan. This plan details how the sales solicitation process will work, how to engage involved parties and prospect for new markets, and the anticipated timing of cash inflows. The coordinator must also supervise the administrative process around collecting money, recording sales and providing proof of purchase.
Administration of the sales process can involve setting up various methods of payment, ensuring that payment can be made over the Internet and processing the payment in an electronic guest management system. Events usually have participation levels that cost different amounts. For an event, one of the most important things to ensure after promoting ticket sales is that people who have paid can be properly identified at the appropriate level of participation on the day of the event. All of this typically falls under the job description of the event sales coordinator.
Sales coordinators must also deliver impeccable customer service and manage the back end of the event. He must make sure that attendees walk away prepared to register for the event again the following year, if it continues on annually. The event sales coordinator reconciles paperwork, reports on the final sales figures and prepares for next year's sales efforts, if applicable.
Another type of event scenario that employs a sales coordinator is the catering department of a restaurant or hall. These sorts of establishments serve groups that reserve service for special occasions. In this scenario, the event sales coordinator is always busy with a new group, rather than with a one-time special event. He is responsible for booking groups and managing the sale of food and beverages when they arrive. The coordinator makes sure that the food that is eaten is properly billed to the customer and reconciles the event with the cash intake at the end of the day.