Executing a successful event requires a lot of planning in advance. This is a daunting, stressful, and time-consuming task for the organizers who feel overwhelmed to ensure that everything from the setup to the nitty-gritty is done to perfection.
Here are some comprehensive yet straightforward tips for you to hold on to conduct a masterfully organized event and avoid any possible pitfalls.
1) Start planning early
Start making preparations for the event as soon as you can. Depending on the event’s scale, you need considerable time to make arrangements, preferably four to six months for a large-scale event and at least a month for a small-scale event. Follow a timeline and begin selecting a venue, connecting with vendors, promoting your event to ensure that all the preps are made smoothly and you don’t have to deal with any unnecessary last-moment issues.
2) Set the objectives
Before you proceed on with the planning, set clear objectives and define the purpose of the event. You may be conducting an award ceremony, a fund-raising project, a conference, or a social dinner. It is critical to clearly let your team know all the specific details as the event’s overall format would be designed accordingly from the layout of the venue, theme, timings, and catering. Formulating an intelligent approach would help you achieve the goal of the event.
3) Negotiate with the vendors
Approach the vendors that you would like to work with. Make sure you choose vendors with positive reviews. After all, you wouldn’t want to risk your event and hamper your reputation by compromising the quality of services.
Most vendors offer customized packages for the needs of the clients. However, you will have to negotiate the vendors’ prices to avail the most cost-effective package and stay within the assigned budget. The vendor would ultimately accept some amount closer to your offer as they would want to win over clients.
4) Divide and assign responsibilities
The most efficient way to go about it is to assign responsibilities to each team member, making them accountable for their own departments, such as registration, stage setup, communication, logistics, and catering. By doing so, not too much workload would fall on any individual, and each department would be managed by a team, who would look into the tiniest of details.
5) Set up a shared document
Do not undermine the efforts that go into planning the event, as they will be clearly reflected at the event. Pay proper attention to planning and make sure that each team member is informed of all the aspects. Make use of a shared planner document to list all the details there. Mention the event details, the time slots, deadlines, guest lists, and vendor contracts. This makes it easier for the team to collaborate and communicate with each other, assuring that everyone is aware of any changes.
6) Always have a backup plan
You can always hope for things to go the way they’ve been planned but be prepared for any unforeseen issues to arise and devise a backup plan to deal with them astutely. What if a piece of vital equipment doesn’t reach the venue due to the traffic situation, or it starts to rain, or the presentation video buffers when played. Sounds awful, right? Better to take cautionary measures and have alternative solutions ready to deal with the mishaps.
7) Promote actively
Highlight your presence by actively promoting the event on social media platforms. Keep sufficient time for the marketing of the event to reach all your target audience, convey your message to them and convince them to attend your event.
Social media channels can do wonders to bring you into the spotlight. You may want to create an event on Facebook and encourage the audience to join in or create a hashtag for your event on Instagram and Twitter and post pictures and tag relevant people to expand the reach.
8) Carry out a final check
Once all the arrangements have been made, to ensure everything goes by fluently, conduct a comprehensive meeting with the entire team a week or two before the event to discuss all the event’s details and intricacies. Anything that might have been left out or requires changes can be corrected at this stage.
A day or two before the event, carry out a formal rehearsal to ensure everything is intact, from the equipment, printed materials, and technology to the overall setup. Make sure the team members know their designated responsibilities and there is no technical or physical malfunctioning.
As you plan your event, make sure to be mindful of these tips, and your event would surely be a success. Just remember not to panic, remain optimistic, enjoy your event, give out positive vibes to your guests, and create a pleasant ambiance.
Happy planning!
“My first template used in Microsoft Word! Super simple, and easy to print at home. I can also use the trim marks to create other cards too!” – Robyn L