The job of an event event planning is not an easy one. Still, it may be rewarding, especially when the event you planned and executed leaves the customer ecstatic and the guests impressed. If you’re arranging an event, either for yourself or a client, here’s a cheat sheet to assist you out.
The first step in event planning is settling on the type of gathering you will be hosting. Is it your intention to begin on a modest scale? Big? How many days will the conference last, or will it just a one-day party? Your budget is . Once you have the information, you may decide what to do next.
For instance, if you’re organising a small gathering but are short on time and funds, you could try a do-it-yourself strategy, which might involve things like making your own invitations, using only free or cheap venues, relying heavily on technology, and recruiting friends and family who are willing to help out in exchange for pizza and beer.
Hiring an outside agency might make sense if you’re arranging a large corporate event and budget is no problem, especially if they have relevant experience in your field.
A hybrid strategy that draws on both insider knowledge of the business and innovative problem-solving, as well as outsider perspectives, is seldom incorrect.
In order to teach you how to create a fantastic event from start to end, let’s examine each of these processes in event management in depth.
Create Aims and Objectives
The primary goal of organising events is to advertise the host organisation. The first step toward a successful event is determining what you hope to accomplish. Naturalselectionthefilm provide you the event planning guides to make a successful event at the end. This might be anything from raising brand recognition to luring in new consumers or clients to just entertaining your current clientele.
So long as you keep your goals in mind while you arrange the event, everything else will naturally fall into place (location, entertainment, etc.).
Checklists: For what purpose is this gathering being held? Should I be able to see tangible effects for my client? Anything from:
- Pulling in fresh faces as paying consumers.
- Raising the profile of the brand.
- Maintaining strong relationships with current clientele.
- Is there a way we can gauge how well we did in terms of achieving our objectives?
- What was the total amount of sales?
- In other words, how many people buy tickets, show up, buy stuff, or join up for a service?
Think about the city you’ll be entertaining in and the demographics of your intended guests .
Establishing a Group Structure
No one can pull off an event without the help of others, but even a lone planner may benefit from having a committed group of helpers at their side. The greatest way to put their skills to use is to give some thought to who they are. Do yourself a favour and hire experts in the fields below. If money is tight, you may want to take on more of the work yourself or outsource the parts that aren’t your strong suit.
- Knowledgeable in Public Relations and Marketing
- Planning and scouting locations for events.
- Event Conceptualization and Theme Making.
- Management of Events.
- Coordinator.
- Photographer.
- DJ/Band.
- Barware and Cocktail Glasses for Hire.
- Venue.
- Caterer.
- Audio Visual Productions
Get ahead of the bill for bringing in outside help by asking for a higher retainer from your customer. Think of it as one long project. If your work is excellent, your client will pay you for it.
Clients who have worked with you before or who have complete faith in your abilities can avoid the deposit requirement. It’s the same for expenses beyond the scope of your charge. Proceed with the event if you are positive of its outcome and your customer has no objections.
Creating a Spending Plan
It’s usual for new planners to make the error of not sticking to a budget. There is no set rate for such services because planners all have their own pricing structures (some bill by the hour, others by the project). Consequently, you are responsible for determining the time commitment involved in each activity and determining whether or not it is worthwhile.
If this is your first time acting as host, take advantage of the opportunity to hone your skills. Right now is as good a moment as any to educate yourself.
Although it is customary for planners to request a spending cap before beginning work, this isn’t. If you don’t have a budget manager, you may get a good idea of how much money you’ll need by making offers to specialists who have offered their services and seeing what kind of response you get.
Hiring a professional event planner to handle things like booking entertainment and sending out invites might help you keep your budget in check. A safe estimate is to double the quoted price of $15 per person for catering.
Checklists:
- Asking How Long Will It Take? is the first step.
- In other words, how many people do you plan on having over?
- How long will you be in need of assistance?
- How many hours a week do you hope to spend working on this?
- Find out how many hours of help you will require.
- If I were to hire you to arrange an event, how much would an hour of your time cost?
- Research time and cost for event logistics and venues can be estimated (if applicable).
- Prepare a cost estimate (hours and rate) for event planning and theme creation (if applicable).
- Planning Time and Cost for an Event (if applicable).
- PR and marketing time and cost estimates (if applicable).
- Timing and cost per hour for coordination estimates (if applicable).
- Photography Hourly Rate Estimate (if applicable).
Keep in mind that planning an event takes time and effort, but not all day long, when calculating your budget. Bidding cheap may not be the greatest strategy, especially if ingenuity is ingrained in your company’s culture. You can always go back to the customer and give them a more accurate quote, and if they still decline, it’s definitely not a good fit.
After you’ve completed your time and cost estimates for each activity, compile them into a single document and send it to the customer. If they baulk at the price, look for places to shave expenses. But don’t be afraid to take a position for what you think is right.
We can certainly go $1,000 lower than what you’ve proposed if that’s what it takes to balance the books. When you labour for a price in which you firmly believe, you give your all to the task at hand.
Timeline Establishment
If you start working on the event planning early enough, you should have no trouble finding a date that is convenient for the customer. They may have made a decision, but will they actually follow through on it? But not always! Set a firm deadline and make sure all loose ends are resolved with the relevant parties before moving forward.
Making a Big Picture Plan for an Event
What is the cornerstone of every successful gathering? That’s the plan, right there! You can wing it with certain events (even if you’re a professional planner), but if it’s a huge wedding or business event, you shouldn’t.
Though it may not appear to be important at first, a detailed plan of action for the entire process is a great benefit to you and your partner.
Organizing a Performance or Event
If you use your common sense, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to book a location easily. If the initial place or person you try to hire doesn’t work out, you should have several alternatives ready to go. Before committing to a musician or band, be sure they are available.
Checklists:
- Make your reservations at the location of your choice.
- Hire Performers and Keynote Speakers.
Keep in mind that standard services and locations may not be suitable for your occasion. In the case of a fashion show, for instance, you may need to investigate fashion event rooms for hire.
The key is that you want everything about the event to go smoothly. And if the customer insists on a more expensive location, you should do everything you can to make it work for them. Finally, don’t prioritise price above all else.
Marketing the Conference
If no one knows about the big day, then it was all for naught. Even if it’s just a basic office party, don’t make the same error of not branding it.
You should ask yourself those two questions while trying to decide how to brand your event:
- Who exactly is this for?
- What message does this occasion require?
To make sure that your event’s invitations and other printed materials, as well as any signage you may have, all go together, consider developing a theme ahead of time.
Connecting with Potential Sponsors and Business Partners
This is a crucial stage that should not be skipped. Finding sponsors is less difficult than it sounds if you’re working on a large-scale project like hosting the Olympics. However, if you’re planning something simple, like a surprise birthday party, it might not be as simple (and you definitely shouldn’t do it alone).
Numerous companies are on the lookout for innovative approaches to developing content that will help them connect with their target audience. Take advantage of the circumstance by teaming up with like-minded people to create a win-win for everyone involved.
Checklists:
- Find collaborators and financial backers.
- Make Sponsorship and Partnership Agreements.
Implementing a Public Relations Strategy
The best-laid plans for an event are useless if no one knew about it. You must inform the public about the current situation! Don’t rely just on social media; instead, have strong earned media plans as well.
Inviting powerful people to promote the event or having newspaper notices published are also great ways to get the word out. But don’t go overboard and drown in the din.
Methods for the Day-Of Arrangements
When you’re down to the last weeks, it’s easy to get caught up in the enthusiasm, but that’s also when a lot of things can go wrong. A full final walkthrough should be scheduled a few more days prior to the event to ensure that no last-minute issues or room for error have been overlooked.
By doing so, you can spot problems before they become severe.
Checklists:
- The Closing Tour.
- Make a Flowchart of Possible Events.
- Diagram of the Working Method of Execution.
- Set up a Time for Us to Visit The Location.
- Start by making a venue checklist.
- Make a Checklist for Your Event Planning
Conclusion
You should now have everything you need to organize your event with ease. You can finally stop wasting time and money attending pointless business conferences. Get ready to party hard now. Be on your best behavior and dazzle everyone with your skills.
