Planning for event success
In today’s cost-conscious business environment, it is more important than ever for organisations wishing to put together an event, whatever its purpose, to ensure that everything goes smoothly and the event is a success. It is important to implement an effective planning process, to ensure everything runs efficiently, both in the run up to, and on the day itself. Below is agendaNi’s step by step guide to successful event planning.
Establish the purpose of the event and what format it’s going to take
Before starting to organise any event it’s important to establish what the event is going to be and why it’s taking place. The objectives behind a company’s annual drinks reception might simply be to get the company’s key stakeholders together for a sociable glass of wine whereas a gala awards dinner would aim to attract sponsorship and guests for dinner and obtain media coverage. The organisation would therefore have to be approached differently in terms of venues, invitations, catering etc.
Some of the various types of events organisations might wish to organise, for different purposes might include:
• Conferences
• Dinners
• Awards ceremonies
• Report or product launches
• Drinks receptions
• Press conferences
• ‘Openings’ of new or refurbished premises
• Exhibitions
• Q&A sessions with an expert
• Lecture series
• Information sessions
It is vital to think carefully about exactly what type of event is most appropriate to the organisation’s business and objectives. Event objectives, in terms of what the planned event will achieve, should always be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic and Timed.
Agree a budget
Few organisations in the current difficult economic climate can afford to take a ‘no expense spared’ approach to organising events. It is therefore important to set a budget at the outset and ensure this is adhered to throughout. To assist with budgeting, obtain two or three written quotations for any services required (eg photography, AV services, printing) to ensure prices are competitive. Keep records of any rates agreed for services to be provided and exactly what these include.
Consider whether it is possible for the event to generate any income to offset costs eg it might be an option to sell exhibition space at a conference or obtain sponsorship for aspects of an event. If there are high-profile media personalities or other expert or celebrity speakers attending they will often have high fees and perhaps also require travel and accommodation expenses so establish exactly what their fee is and what is included in it so it can be budgeted for at an early stage.
Date and venue
Obviously the ‘where’ and ‘when’ are two key elements of event planning. In deciding upon where and when the event should take place, there are a number of important questions to consider:
Date issues:
• Availability of key people such as the company chairman / chief executive or a high-profile guest speaker or media personality
• Potential clashes with other events within the sector
• Holiday times (Christmas / Easter / bank or public holidays) are best avoided if possible
Venue issues:
• Where are people attending the event coming from?
• Does the venue need to be close to an airport if there are international guests attending?
• Is a city centre or out of town venue more appropriate? If people are invited for a glass of wine after work, city centre is likely to be better whereas for an all day conference it won’t be such an issue
• Is the venue accessible by public transport or is there sufficient car parking available?
• Is space required for exhibition / break- out rooms / media facilities etc?
• How will guests be seated? Consider classroom style / theatre style / cabaret style for conferences or informal or seating arrangements for receptions and dinners
• Is there an interesting or quirky venue that would tie in with the objectives of the event or create interest?
• Will there be any social events running alongside the main event?
• Does the venue have accommodation on site or nearby?
A very basic consideration in any venue is the size of the facilities on offer – for conferences consider catering arrangements as well as the conference itself. Many venues can offer a large conference room but nowhere to actually give delegates a seated lunch if that’s what is required!
An important factor in booking venues is cost and how the cost is arrived at. For conferences some venues will have a ‘delegate rate’ available which includes room hire, AV facilities and catering – it is worth checking that what is included is in line with what is required at the individual event eg if it is a two or three course lunch or how many coffee breaks are included. Depending on numbers and what’s included it may be better value to pay for room hire and catering and AV services separately.
Marketing
Obviously depending on what type of event is being organised, the marketing will be approached in different ways. If it’s for a major commercial conference or exhibition, it is most likely that brochures will be required for mailing out to potential delegates or attendees. However, for an annual dinner or drinks reception, a printed or perhaps emailed invitation may be sufficient.
Before embarking on any marketing activity it’s important to establish who the target attendance is and what the best means of communicating with them might be. If it’s a press conference or launch targeting a high level of media attendance, they can be invited by email but will require a follow-up call closer to the time of the event to confirm if they can attend. Depending on the type of event, it is worth considering if advertising it is appropriate and what might be the best outlet for this, not forgetting the value of local newspapers if it’s an event targeting local attendance within a specific area.
In line with marketing, there will need to be a system for registering attendees or recording RSVPs – for something like an annual dinner it might be appropriate to follow up via telephone for those guests who have not replied by a set date. Give some consideration to any information attendees might need such as directions to the venue or dress code and record any information they provide such as dietary or access requirements.
Media
Alongside the event itself, there are often useful opportunities to be gained from media coverage surrounding the event. If the event is to attract media attention it’s important that the media are engaged early and constructively. Find out the names of the appropriate correspondents from the various media outlets and send them notice of the event, including an invitation to attend, with as much information as possible. Follow up with a press release and appropriate photo (perhaps of the event launch or of someone who is participating in it) and check if they plan to attend.
It is important to have media facilities available on-the-day e.g. a quiet room for interviews, access to internet/power points for laptops, copies of any press releases etc. Following up with a good captioned photo and some additional information on the event can be a good way of obtaining post-event media coverage. Ensure a nominated person is allocated responsibility for media liaison so the media have a single point of contact for the event.
Audio-visual requirements
Establish what is required in terms of audio-visual services for the event – sound system, microphones, lighting, projection, screens, TVs, DVD players etc. AV can often be considered just another additional service but is actually highly central to the success or failure of any event. There is no point in paying huge amounts of money to secure a celebrity speaker if no one can see or hear them! If the AV doesn’t run smoothly it will impact upon the entire event.
Don’t assume that the AV that is included with venue hire will meet your requirements – establish exactly what is included and double-check it’s actually working if you plan to use it. Also ensure you are briefed as to how it works as it’s likely the one person in the venue that knows all about it will disappear at the key moment!
As with any service, obtain a number of written quotations for AV services and try and obtain recommendations from others that have used the company. Make sure the AV operator is fully aware of what is expected from him/her on the day and have a rehearsal if possible.
Catering
In many cases the venue will be responsible for catering but in some non- hotel venues outside caterers will be required. If this is the case, obtain two or three quotations and try to use a catering company that is familiar with the venue – usually the contact within the venue can recommend or suggest some good outside catering companies.
In all cases, establish exactly what is required in terms of numbers and menus (it is often worth estimating numbers on the lower side of what is expected to attend as there is usually some who find they can’t make it at the last minute). Consider the option of a buffet (hot or cold) instead of a sit-down meal, if it’s appropriate to the event, as this can often be less expensive and allow for better networking opportunities. Remember to allow for vegetarians and other special dietary requirements and try to choose menus that will appeal to a broad range of people.
The event itself
Alongside all the other considerations outlined above, there is one fundamental area that is central to the success of the planned event and that is the event itself! If it’s a conference the success of the event will be centred around the programme so this is vitally important to get right so that people actually want to attend. There should be a mix of local and visiting speakers and the topics should address the key theme of the conference. Build in plenty of opportunities for networking and discussion so delegates feel they’ve had an opportunity to express their own views and meet and discuss with other attendees.
If the event is a dinner or a drinks reception or launch give some thought to who is going to speak, when and for how long, if any entertainment is required and how long the whole event is expected to last.
On-the-day
If all the planning and preparation has been put in place beforehand, the event should run smoothly on-the-day but it’s important to always be prepared and in a position to respond to any last minute crises! Some important guidelines for on- the-day, regardless of the type of event being organised, include:
• Arrive early to ensure everything is set up properly
• Have a list of phone numbers for key people handy – speakers, AV provider, outside caterers etc
• Haveapre-eventbriefing,inthevenue, for all those with a key role in the event so everyone knows what’s happening when and who has responsibility for individual actions
• Ensure timings are adhered to as far as possible – at a conference one speaker running over his/her time can have a knock-on effect for the rest of the day
• Finalise your timetable with the venue and keep them informed of any changes
• Make sure the AV operator is fully briefed as to all AV requirements and has an up to date copy of the programme or running order to hand
• Have a box of essentials on hand containing anything you are likely to need such as sticky tape, drawing pins, a stapler etc.
Post-event
No matter what the event is, there is always some form of post-event activity required. Typically this can include:
• Sending thank you letters to anyone that has helped with the event
• Agreeingandpayinganyoutstandingbills
• Returning any hired equipment
• Following up on any other promised actions from the event eg sending more information on something or setting up a meeting with a new contact
• Post-event evaluation – what worked well and what could be improved upon next time.
Success!
No events guide can ever cover all of the considerations for every single event. As each event has its own needs and requirements, there will always be additional aspects to organise, the detail of which hasn’t been included here. However, by sticking to the main guidelines outlined above, hopefully it will provide the recipe for a successful and stress-free event, whatever the occasion.
