Whether you’re planning a large conference, a small meeting, or a social gathering at work, having a strategic plan will help you stay organized. Regardless of the size of the event, a good plan addresses details like start and end dates, budget, venue, marketing, attendees, and more to ensure things run smoothly.
In this article, we will try to cover why event planning is important, how to organize an event, and tips to help you structure a detailed program.
Why Is Event Planning Important?
Event planning is when you plan every element of your event from start to finish. You come up with ideas for your event and determine ways to execute your vision. Planning an event is important because:
Reduces Stress
Event planning can help you ensure that you have everything you need to make your event a success. For example, you may feel less stressed if you know you have already booked a venue and secured vendors.
Saves Money
Assessing your finances in advance can enable you to avoid overspending on event costs. With effective event planning, you can compare prices from vendors and venues and choose items that fit your budget, which will prevent you from spending more than you intended by paying for things at the last minute.
Promotes Creativity
As you plan your event, you can consider how you will organize your event to engage your guests. For example, you might serve popular foods or host activities to entertain attendees.
Creates Constructive Habits
When you undertake and implement the event planning, systematic executive processes gradually become established, and this formation will lead to the creation of your constructive habits.
5. Personal approach
Can you imagine that you have been negotiating with a certain person for the entire duration of your event, but in the end, someone completely different is preparing the catering for you?
Such situations occur especially when a company provides catering for many different events in one day. To avoid having to worry about problems and misunderstandings due to poor organization, we recommend that you seek an individual approach from a catering service.
Types Of Professional Events
Companies may invite employees and stakeholders to various professional events, such as:
- Conferences
- Trade shows
- Charity functions
- Product launch events
- Board meetings
- Celebration for company milestones
How To Plan An Event?
To coordinate a professional event, you should follow these steps:
1. Create A Goal
The purpose of the event is about your performance and what you want your guests to experience. To come up with a clear purpose, ask yourself what you want to achieve with the event. You may also want to consider factors such as:
- Guest Demographics
Consider the age and group membership of the people you want to attend your event. Perhaps you are organizing a charity event to raise money for a new playground, so you invite children of all ages to attend.
- Event Occasion
This is the reason you are planning an event, such as to entertain employees for their hard work or to create networking opportunities for professionals in your industry.
- Attire
Knowing the occasion of the event can help you decide how you want your guests to dress. For example, if it’s a formal event, you may need black tie attire.
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2. Design A Budget
Your budget determines the costs of your event and the amount of money you can spend. When assessing your financial resources, consider the following costs:
- Venue
The price of renting a venue may depend on the size of the space or the amenities they offer. Venues may also charge for the duration of the event. Once you know the purpose of your event, it is important to determine how long you want the event to last so you can compare venue costs.
- Food
Food and beverage options require financial resources to prepare and serve food to your guests. The cost of food may depend on the type of food and the size of the servings. For example, seafood for 150 guests may be more expensive than prepared meals for 75-80 guests.
- Entertainment
Some artists, such as musicians or stand-up comedians, may charge higher prices based on their level of fame and the length of time you want them to perform. You can also hire professional musicians or dancers, whose fees may vary.
- Photographer Or Videographer
If you want to document your event, you may need to set aside funds to hire a professional photographer or videographer. They may charge fixed hourly rates or offer an event package that can include editing and delivery of your event images or video.
- Event Staff
Depending on the size of your event, you may need to budget more when hiring staff. For example, you may need to pay hosts to direct guests to their seats and introduce keynote speakers.
- Advertising
If you need to publicize your event, you may need more funding. For example, you may need to pay television companies to air commercials or radio hosts to advertise your event on the air. You may also need to spend money on social media advertising to expand the reach of your online advertising efforts.
3. Select The Date
Your event date determines when you want the event to take place. It’s important to finalize your date early in the planning process so you can reserve the date for your venue and book your entertainment.
You also need a specific date so you have enough time to promote your event to your target audience. Here are some factors to consider when choosing an event date:
- Weather
By knowing the purpose of your event, you can determine the time of year you want your event to take place. For example, if you are organizing an outdoor event, you might choose a date in the spring instead of the winter. It is also a good idea to consider annual weather changes, such as hurricane season, which can affect your event location.
- Other Events
Monitor activity in your area for information about other functions that may interfere with yours. For example, if a large convention is taking place the same weekend as your event, there may be limited parking or increased traffic that could impact guest attendance.
- Organizational Workflow
Planning and executing an event requires the efforts of people in your organization. Choose a date that allows your employees to dedicate the time and skills needed to organize the event while still performing their regular work duties.
4. Choose And Book A Location
The venue is your event. Choose a setting that aligns with the theme or purpose of your event. For example, if the purpose of your event is to promote fitness and wellness for children, you could plan activities at a local park. Consider the following factors before booking a location for your event:
- Size
By visiting the venue in person or evaluating its floor plans, you can determine if it is large enough to host your guests. You may also want to look for additional space, such as smaller rooms where you can host one-on-one meetings or private lounges for your entertainers.
- Location
With your guest list, evaluate where your guests might travel from to choose a venue in a convenient location, which may also encourage guests to attend. For example, if you are hosting an event in the city like Plano TX, guests may want to travel to your event because there is an opportunity to visit the city.
- Parking
Venues may have parking lots for guests to use, or the location may require guests to park on the street or in the neighborhoods. You can specify your event parking policies in invitations and advertising.
- Accessibility
It is important to choose a location that has accessible entrances and bathrooms for your guests.
- Technology
You may need A/V equipment to host your event. Ask the venue organizers if you can host presentations with a large screen or plug-in microphones. You can also inquire about the acoustics of the space to make sure your guests can hear the speakers no matter where they are sitting in the room.
- Inclusiveness
Some venues include food and photography, for example, in their rental fees. If you want to limit the number of vendors at your event, look for a venue with all-inclusive packages.
Read more “Important Criteria For Selecting An Event Venue“.
5. Find Vendors
Vendors are businesses that can help support your event. For example, you might hire a private security company to monitor the activities at your event and protect your guests from harm.
You might also connect with a local florist to provide flowers and other decorations for your function. When finding vendors, consider your budget and the type of third-party help you need.
6. Create An Upgrade Plan
Promoting your event ahead of time can help build excitement for the activities and give your guests enough time to make their plans. In the promotional items you send out, you can include the date and time of the event.
You can also include the logos of your sponsors and any important details that guests need to know, such as what food you will be serving and what kind of attire is required. Examples of promotional tools include:
- Social media
- Television
- Radio
- Email marketing
- Newsletters
- Corporate website
Tips For Planning Events
To further help you plan professional events, consider the following tips:
Delegate Tasks To Specific People
To successfully coordinate an event, it’s important to delegate responsibilities to the people on your event planning team. Consider creating specific committees to handle different parts of the event.
For example, you might have a budget committee that reviews spending habits to make sure you don’t go over budget, and an advertising committee to coordinate TV and radio advertising. As you delegate tasks, host weekly meetings to discuss event planning progress and new ideas.
Plan For Unforeseen Circumstances
Having a backup plan for your initial event itinerary will allow you to respond effectively to challenges beyond your control. Once you have this plan, review your agenda and re-evaluate with your vendors to make sure everything is ready.
For example, if you are planning an outdoor event, you may need to have an indoor area for your guests to enter in case of rain. It’s better to hire a professional event planner to get the best event planning services to make everything successful.
Bottom Line
Getting to know more people in your industry can allow you to invite more professionals to your events and give you more access to vendors. Reach out to your contacts and tell them about your event theme and itinerary. They can use this information to make suggestions for potential venues or entertainment.
