As a wise person once said: “Event planning is less about planning and more about putting out fires.”
As an event planner, there are several factors you need to prepare for no matter how big or small your event is. It’s important to create an event plan so that you cover every single problem that could arise.
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know when it comes to event planning so you can host it successfully!
Key Elements of Event Planning
Most people have some experience planning an event. It could be as simple as a birthday party at your home, a meeting for coworkers, or a festival in the park.
When you’re planning a bigger event, it’s important to make a checklist of everything that you need to make the event a success. Most likely, the first thing you need to decide for your event is the date. The earlier you pick a date, the better. This will give you more time to figure out all of the other aspects of your event.
Here are other key elements that you’ll need to plan for:
Budget: You’ll need to estimate all costs that will come with the event and plan a budget. This could include venue costs, marketing, and staff.
Venue: Where will the event take place? You’ll need to find a great spot that fits the size, location, and theme of the event you’re hosting.
Marketing: Depending on the event, you’ll need to find a way to get the word out to your attendees. This could be traditional marketing such as through radio or TV, or digital through websites, social campaigns, and email.
Staffing: The bigger the event, the more staff you’ll need. Think of the different jobs that will take place. Will you need people for registration? For parking? For food service? For cleaning? Staffing can get expensive, so see if you can get volunteers.
That’s just the beginning of what you’ll need. Let’s look at an example of steps you can take to start planning your event to give you a better picture.
Steps to Planning an Event
If you want to host a successful event, you need to be organized and follow through on every step. You don’t want to miss anything critical to the event. Let’s take a look at the steps you should take in this event planning guide.
1. Figure Out the Purpose of the Event
The first, most basic step of the process is to figure out what you and your attendees are looking for in the event. Why does the event need to happen? What will be accomplished by the end of it?
There are several possible purposes for your event:
- Celebration (retirement party)
- Decision (quarterly board meeting)
- Education (a conference)
- Ideation (a business design sprint)
- Networking (tradeshow)
- Production (volunteer event)
- Promote (product launch party)
Figure out what you want to accomplish with your event.
2. Lock in Your Budget
If you’ve already held events in the past, it’s easy to take a look at data and experience to figure out your budget. But if not, you’ll need to do a bit of research.
Map out the different pieces of your event and make estimates of how much they will cost. You can make an educated prediction on how much they will cost, and add it up.
3. Name Your Attendees
It’s very important to know exactly who is coming to your event. Knowing your target audience will be a key step in figuring out the rest of the aspects of your event. Getting to know their preferences, desires, and learning styles is important.
For example, if you’re hosting people who have a high interest in health and holistic wellbeing, you might plan on having yoga sessions, healthy meals, and maybe even meditation.
4. Find the Perfect Venue
According to studies, finding the perfect venue for your event can increase attendance by as much as 80%! Your venue has huge implications for every other part of your event.
First, you can narrow venues down by seeing what’s in your budget. Do the research and put together a list that fits.
Next, consider how much space you’ll need. If it’s too small, you’ll have a cramped space with no traffic flow and no room for extra visitors. Too big, and you risk having an underwhelming event.
5. Establish a Team
You’ll need to put together a team that can help you produce the pre, during, and post-production of your event. This could include marketers, program administrators, accountants, creative, and event staffing.
6. Promote Your Event
Now it’s time to get the word out about your event. There’s no one-size-fits-all marketing strategy for getting people to your event.
Some events benefit more from partnerships with local businesses, while others will benefit far more from investing in SEO and social media marketing.
Get to know your target audience and see where they hang out. This will help you find the right avenue to getting the word out to them.
7. Find Suppliers to Fill Your Event’s Needs
Now that you know where your event is and who will be there, it’s time to figure out everything that you’ll need for the event. This is where your budget will do a lot of heavy lifting.
Things that you may need include:
- Audio-visual (AV) – any electronic equipment you may need for the event
- Event rentals – linens, chairs, tables, furnishings, stages, tents, etc.
- Decor – lighting, flowers, balloons, table setups, etc.
- Food and beverage – catering, bartenders, ice cream truck rental, etc.
Make a list of what you need and do proper research to find the best quality vendors at the best price.
8. Create a Compelling Agenda
Get creative with how your event will flow from activity to activity. Come up with a concept that will keep people engaged with your presentations, while allowing them time to mingle and connect!
Create an Event Worth Remembering!
That’s a general outline of what you need to know for event planning. With these event planning tips, it’s time to bring all of the pieces together to create an event that your attendees will remember forever!
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