At times, plan A may not follow through. Planners might have to consider plan B. But don’t let little things get to you. Follow these tips to successfully plan an event.
What is Event Planning?
Event planning involves putting on and managing various events. This can be something as big as conventions, to something as small as meetings and anything in between.
Whether it is a networking event or a birthday party, you will have to know every aspect of the event when planning it, including the schedule, venues, and budget, to name a few.
What is the Importance of Event Planning?
It is vital to plan your event because events typically need multiple services, employees, and elements that require payment, communication, and reservation. Event planning ensures an event happens according to the clients’ and organizers’ vision and that every guest has a nice experience.
Types of Professional Events You Can Organize
Companies can invite stakeholders and employees to different professional events. Some of these professional events may include the following:
- Celebration of a company’s milestones
- Board meetings
- A product launch event
- Charity functions
- Trade shows
- Conferences
Materials and Tools for Event Planning
You will need supplies and tools to help you bring ideas to life and stay organized. Some of the must-have tools and supplies are:
- Clipboards
- Different types of tape
- Extra paper, scissors, and pens
- Walkie talkies
- Mini sewing kit
- Emergency kit
- Chargers
- Thumb drives
- Labels
Tips to Plan an Event
Not all events are perfect, so don’t worry about minor mistakes. With little planning and putting the following tips into consideration, you can easily plan a successful event:
Decide on the Format
There are different event formats to consider, from large hall conferences and micro events to hybrid and live events. To create the right event format, determine whether the delivery style and your audience align with the event’s purpose and goals. This is to ensure your audience is engaged.
Choose the Right Decoration
From corporate events to weddings, decorations, such as Round Spandex table covers, will help set the tone for your occasion and make it enjoyable for guests.
Among the key benefits of decorations is that it helps in creating a sense of atmosphere and ambiance. For instance, adding a wedding hashtag from a wedding hashtag generator will make the wedding event more trendy and modern.
At the same time, it helps in creating an intimate and romantic setting at a wedding event, or a sophisticated and professional atmosphere at corporate events.
Gather Inspiration
The best way to find fresh ideas is to simply ask for them. Thanks to the Internet, there are many event communities on Twitter Chats, and Facebook where you can tap into a conversation and gather inspiration from others.
Research and Set Goals
During your research, interview the team or person responsible for hosting the event. Then, compile a list of questions that focus on the event’s date, budget, and the number of attendees expected.
Lastly, set focused and clear goals to serve as a guide for starting the planning process and measuring the event’s success later on.
Define the Purpose of the Event
Every event has a purpose, and if you have identified yours, you are starting everything on the wrong foot. Whether you want to educate, launch products, or generate revenue, it is important to have an event’s purpose that drives the way you plan, promote, and execute the event.
Have a Reasonable Budget
When planning an event, the amount of cash to spend will set some parameters. Ensure your budget includes the costs of everything from prizes to catering. It will also be best to know how many guests are expected to attend the event, not to mention the food and drinks to give them.
Understand Your Audience
Understanding your audience starts with knowing who they are and their interests and demographics. With this information, it will be simple to generate event ideas and even create messaging or content that speaks to them personally.
Venue’s Accessibility
This isn’t something that appears on most people’s lists, but it is worth considering your attendees as well as their accessibility needs. For instance, when picking a venue for an event, be aware if there are attendees with disabilities. Make sure that parking includes disability bays and have enough room around every parking space.
Decide on the Right Date
When writing a brief of your event, you must include individual roles, course key dates, venue proposals, and whether partners are involved.
Plus, before settling on a date, it is best to first research and determine whether other events are organized around the same date or time you have in mind. You wouldn’t want to send invitations, organize an event, book catering, and realize that other meetings are taking place.
Use a Solid Marketing Plan
Some events can benefit a lot from strategies depending mostly on local SEO and small partnerships, while others might require ad-heavy strategies, which do most of the heavy lifting on social sites like Facebook and LinkedIn. So note that although the importance of promotion is universal, creating a solid marketing plan is very far from it.
Put up a Good Team
About 47% of event teams have 3-5 members, whereas only 13% have 12 members that help with planning event tasks, including accounting, managing, and marketing, to name a few. So if you have a knowledgeable and well-trained team, outline their responsibilities and assign them tasks based on their competencies and strengths.
Take Care of the Logistics
If your event hosts a few out-of-town guests, recommend them a good restaurant. Go for those that they can enjoy delicious food and a hotel where they can stay for a certain duration. You should also find out whether your attendees need transportation to and from the hotel.
Execute and Record
On the day of the event, it is best to ensure every member has a detailed schedule. Plus, check a few key things 48 hours earlier, like preparing a room as the command center, sending email remembers to guests, contacting speakers, calling the media, and checking/charging all technical equipment.
While there are numerous tips to consider when planning an event before you jump right to it, reimagine your proposed event and follow your guts. With this, you will organize a memorable and the best event for everyone involved.
Plan an Event article and permission to publish here provided by Biswajit Rakshit. Originally written for Supply Chain Game Changer and published on June 28, 2023.
Cover image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay