Event planning can be overwhelming for even the most experienced pro. In this profession, it is always all about the details. The event planning industry covers numerous job titles and descriptions that involve managing all aspects of a project. These include budgeting, establishing timelines, developing a theme, selecting the project venue, food, and even coordinating the transportation, among many others. Event planning starts from the very stages of concept and continues all the way until the culmination of the event.
It is obviously a hectic but rewarding world in event planning. Whether you are trying to build your own canape catering business in Melbourne or forming a team for a seminar, this guide will help you build and coordinate a major event without any hiccups.
Determine Clear and Achievable Goals for the Event
A lot of planners dive right into planning without defining the event goals. The right goals should be aligned with the company’s mission statement and overall marketing objectives. Some key questions to consider when setting the project goals are:
- Why are you having this event?
- What are the non-negotiables for the event?
- How will you measure the success of an event
Create a Budget and Stick to It
According to a report, planners usually spend 43% of their budget on event promotion, 32% on speakers and presenters, 29% on printed materials and 18% on-site cost. Ninety per cent of these event creators say that their budget is insufficient. If this budget breakdown is similar to what you have, you might want to rethink cost-effective ways to bring down the marketing funds and spread the budget across the board.
Budgeting may not be anyone’s favourite when planning a project, but setting a budget and making sure to stick to it are crucial to an event’s success. What we also do not want to happen is to blow the budget on entertainment and end up not having enough funds to actually market the event.
Finalise Event Details
As soon as you’ve created clear goals and organised your budget for the project, it is time to plan the nitty-gritty. This includes setting the event theme, date, and location, obtaining sponsors and suppliers, and building a mobile-optimised website. It is advisable to start working on the details three months before the actual event. As you go through the details, it is important to keep your budgets updated with the latest estimates and quotes.
The venue of your event can make or break it. While many would prefer non-traditional venues for certain parties, the important elements must be available: safety, accessibility, flexibility, and even Wi-Fi connections. The date and the location should be nailed down before you can begin advertising the event. Planning these tasks should be completed as early in the planning phase as possible.
Market in as many platforms as possible
Even if you’ve booked the most amazing speaker or researcher on a contemporary issue, your event will still need to be publicised to get as many people in the door. Some platforms to consider would be:
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- Email and social media
- Press and media connections
- Online page calendars and announcements
- Printed materials
Remember that it is not enough to simply have these platforms. You need to create steady brand messaging by consistently pushing promotions and building momentum before and during the event.
Event planning is everything that goes into putting together an event and more. There are never enough hours in a day, and so many things could always go wrong. No wonder Forbes named being an event coordinator as the fifth-most stressful job in 2017. The guidelines given above can help make for a better and less stressful event planning.
