tips for planning the perfect event
TRANSCRIPT
Every event—from the smallest Birthday party to the Big fatwedding—requires some planning and organization. How wellyou manage the details determines whether you have anoutstanding event or just an average one. Whether you’re planninga party around your kitchen table or are part of a team of seasonedexperts organizing the wedding of the century, the fundamentalprocess for planning a successful event is more or less the same.Regardless of the type of event you are planning.
About Event Planning
The type of event you are planning, here are steps tohelp ensure your event is successful and your planningprocess is fun and stress-free:
Set Objectives
Format and Content Design
Event Planning
Venue
Catering
Steps to Plan an Perfect Event
Logistics
Marketing, PR and Communications
Delivering your Event
An obvious starting point perhaps, but as event organisers, we have to ask ourselves why are we organising a particular event?
Valid reasons may include generating income or pr, launching a new campaign, product or service, to promote the brand, or to impart learning.
A critical analysis should ask what is it that a live event is going to offer that other marketing and information channels do not? As with all objectives, make sure they are SMART.
• Set Objectives
Once you’ve completed your feasibility study and determined that a live event is the best use of your budget to achieve your aims.
For instance is it the intention to create intimate, niche events or large scale public events?
What do you want the look and feel of your event to be? Is there a theme?
How are you going to ensure that the venue, speakers and ideas reflect the theme.
Creating a diverse project team with the right skills mix will ensure elements from idea generation and creativity to practical logistical thinking, marketing and financial management are covered.
• Format and Content Design
The events process falls into three categories – Logistics,
Marketing and Content.
Every event will need a detailed project and financial plan, breaking down all these activities into timelines, resources and responsibilities, required to deliver the event.
A contingency and risk management plan for all events needs to be implemented, the higher the profile and larger the scale, the greater the contingency planning.
Larger venues and local authorities are usually able to provide some guidance.
Timing is the key here. Never underestimate how long it takes to get certain elements of the project completed.
• Event Planning
This is probably going to be one of the largest costs of your overall budget and there are many issues to consider when selecting a venue.
A purpose built venue required or could consideration be given to a neutral space, such as a warehouse or outdoor marquee, which could be used as a blank canvass and dressed?
Or perhaps an unusual, outdoor venue would be appropriate? Some of the key issues to think about include cost and service
delivery; what are the hidden costs such as, stewarding, traffic marshals, first aid provision, furniture, electrical supply and most importantly the catering?
There are numerous venue sourcing agencies that can help you find the perfect venue and negotiate the best rates.
• Venue
Catering may well be one of the most significant event costs
and the area likely to receive the most comments and feedback!
The caterers tied to the venue or can you bring in your own? If you are using an established venue then the chances are you will be tied to their caterers.
You are using a space such as a community hall etc. you may well be able to bring in your own caterers, it’s not just the food, but chefs, waiting staff and of course kitchen space and equipment hire.
What is your food and wine budget per head? How will you deal with special diets in a creative way?
Tell the caterers your budget and ask what menus their chefs are able to create for you.
• Catering
Suppliers and Contracts you may well need to negotiate and
manage include signage, furniture, audio visual, flooring,crowd barriers, flowers, stewards, designers, transport,registration and box office and licences including alcohol andmusic.
Relationships are key to good service delivery and it is often agood idea to ascertain exactly who will be responsible for theonsite delivery of the contract.
Asking when suppliers require payment is key to cashflow.
No event organiser wants to be paying out for services beforeattendees have booked to attend and it is worth askingsuppliers if payment can be made by installments to easecashflow.
• Logistics
Don’t underestimate the lead times required to successfully promote the event and how long it may take for your message to filter through to ticket buyers.
The type of event, target audience, internal resources and budget will dictate your marketing approach.
For scale public events, finding media partners often prove fruitful, along with direct marketing and pr.
Partners will view this on a commercial basis so think carefully about the opportunities and the audience reach, profile and monetary benefits for the partner.
• Marketing, PR and Communications
You’ve been planning meticulously and now the big day has
arrived.
Essential is the creation of a master event plan, running orderand team briefing for everyone involved – your team,volunteers, all the suppliers, venue, caterers, security and anyother relevant parties.
The complexity of many events that challenges may occurduring the course of the event and this is when a strong, skilledand most importantly, well briefed team really comes into itsown.
Ensure that all team members know the decision makingstructure and what to do in an emergency.
• Delivering your Event
