Organizing an event is no small feat and there’s a lot of planning that goes into it to make sure the event is successful. From choosing the best location for it to deciding what activities should be in the program and selecting speakers, there’s always so much that needs to be done.
Whether it’s a small meeting or a large conference being organized, event planning is huge. At every stage, there’s a need for proper planning and organization where you have to create a budget, promote the event, and commence other processes that would make the event run smoothly.
Check out some planning tips that can help you organize a proper event.
1. What’s The Purpose Of The Event?
Even though knowing why the event is being held seems like a pretty obvious thing to know, it’s worth having a crucial approach to this matter. List out how detailed your goals are as fast as possible so that the knowledge you want to be conveyed to the participants is outlined. The purpose is essentially what you’d be doing in the program. And that would subsequently determine the format of the event; giving you an idea of its timing, concept, and duration. Essentially, you need to know the purpose of the event so you can know what format it would be set in.
Do not get stuck in traditional formats. Go online and look at your favorite events like TED, unconference, or PechaKucha. See the kind of format they used and see how you can come up with something unique.
2. Draft Your Budget
One of the most essential steps you should get on with early enough is creating a budget. It helps you to clarify every aspect of your plan and things never get you by surprise. Enough funds would be designated for all purchases. The event would turn out to be more successful once the entire budget has been prepared in advance with you continuously updating it while you reach conclusions on the variables.
Take a look at the list of tasks for the event as it would help gain an understanding of how your budget should be shared across your needs. Do also create a budget for unforeseen circumstances. You never can tell what might go wrong on the big day so it’s best to be financially and mentally prepared aforehand.
In a post by Eventbrite, it was explained that the average budget for an event should be divided into marketing and promotion (which should take about 43% of the budget), venues (18%), speakers and talent (covering 32%), and printed materials (29%).
As the event draws closer and you become more certain of your plan, you’ll have to visit the budget. There are things you’d likely add or remove but whatever they may be you should ensure that it reflects on your budget.
3. Decide The Venue and Date For Your Event
What’s an event without the place and time? Not only does it help both the speakers and guests get prepared, but it also helps you create a clear timeline for the event. These are key details that should be done early on in the event process. From the event’s program, are there things you’d require the facility has in terms of its accessibility, kitchen facilities, location, or alcohol license? Is your event an outdoor event and would you need stage hire services? You also need to note if your event is suited for a particular season as this would help in deciding which venue year is best for the event.
Before your event is going to be a virtual one, you need to figure out on time what digital platform can accommodate all the programs you have planned for the day. Vario Productions share that it’s best to use platforms that have interactive features where there can be Q&As and polls.
4. Book a Meetings With The Speakers And Suppliers
The next tip to consider when planning for an event is to know who’s supplying what and when. From the master of ceremony to cooks, decorators, make-up artists, and ushers, the success of your event depends on your ability in finding the right people to work with.
While that’s been handled, you need to start narrowing down on a list of speakers to know who’s available.
Be certain that the people you’re inviting are a good fit for your event. You can do that by checking to see where they’ve been invited to speak before and on what topics they did.
One thing with events is that no two events are the same. Each has its budgets, goals, and audiences but you might still follow the same process. The key to a successful event is in getting the big plans done so you can focus on getting the whole event in sync.
