Are you stressed about planning an upcoming event? We know how stressful it can be, especially if it’s one of your first times. There are many different types of events, and each of them come with their own specific needs. While we can’t identify and give you the details for every aspect of the event, we have compiled a list of 6 tips to help you manage the madness of event planning.
Establish your goals and objectives of the event
You first need to figure out why you are organizing this event and what you hope to achieve from it. Once you are able to do this, then you can start to plan your event. You will be able to better ensure that every aspect of your event is optimized for success. You need to have measurable goals. This will help you once the event is over, so you can determine if it was a success or not.
Organize
Regardless of what type of event you are throwing, it takes a team effort to get it done. You should consider assigning roles to each person who will be helping you plan the event. By assigning roles to your team members, you are creating a system of accountability. Also, you can prevent tasks from not getting completed. Also, this will allow you to delegate your responsibilities so you don’t get too overwhelmed during this entire process.
Budget
Establishing your event’s budget is one of the most important parts of planning an event. There are many aspects that go into your budget, and they can all add up if you aren’t paying attention. The biggest part is separating your critical expenses from your more optional expenses. Once you determine your critical expenses, then you can look at spending money towards other aspects.
Some of the critical expenses you need to include in your budget are:
- Venue: This cost will most likely be the biggest expense. Also, you need to look into any insurance you might need to purchase if it’s not already included.
- Food and drink: This will also be pretty pricey. You need to keep in mind that this needs to be based on the number of tickets you sell. Also, consider that there will also be no-shows. While it’s better to have too much than not enough, you don’t want to waste hundreds or thousands of dollars.
- Decorations: You can either be very fancy or go more on the DIY route, which is completely up to you. However, establishing your costs upfront will help you determine where you can spend more money. Also, where you might want to consider the DIY route depending on how you want your event to look.
- Staff expenses: This tends to be forgotten, but it’s important to consider the cost of transportation and lodging for your staff, especially if the event is out of town.
- Software: This is also something that you should budget for. Even if you use one that your company already pays for. From ticketing to mobile apps, there are many different ways to incorporate software. It can make things easier on yourself and your attendees.
- Technology: From projectors to wifi, this is a category that might cost you money. Even if you have what you need, it’s never bad to budget for it at the beginning of your planning.
- Miscellaneous: You never know what additional costs might come up. If you plan for them in the beginning, you can make sure you aren’t scrambling to find money if something comes up.
Set date and book venue
Your date might already be set if you’re putting on a recurring event. However, if it isn’t it’s important to consider a few aspects when choosing a date. You need to give yourself enough time, at least 4-5 months to plan everything. You also need to consider any holiday or school breaks. An easy way to pick a date is to check with any key participants of your event. Once you’ve set the date, you need to book your venue as soon as possible. Your event needs to have a set date and location before you can fully start booking and planning anything else.
Marketing
You need to promote your event to get people to purchase tickets. Your marketing can help make or break your event. You need to brainstorm names for your event, as well as a tagline. You can post this on your social media accounts to promote your event. Also, you can use it for decorations at your event. It can also be used on your collateral materials. This way people who are unfamiliar with your company will start recognizing your brand.
All event marketing materials start with the initial notice about your event. Whether it’s posted on social media or sent as a save the date, this is the start of your event marketing. You need to help get people excited and wanting to attend your event. Finally, no event marketing plan is complete without thank-you’s after the event. It’s just a simple reminder that you are thankful for those who took the time to attend your event. It may not seem like a big deal, but it will help you stand out and your attendees will remember it!
Day of plan
Once you have every prepared for your event, you need to make a day of plan. This way you can keep track of the order of the event and plan the program. You can prepare an agenda to give out to attendees. This will help them know what’s going on, and it will help you be prepared for anything. For your day of plan, you need to mark every single detail from the set up to the clean up. You can also identify who needs to be doing what so there is clear accountability for your team members. While your attendees don’t need this entire list, you can give them just the basics. This can include when it all starts and the times that each aspect of the event is happening.