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Introduction

What is an Event?

An event can be described as a public assembly for the purpose of celebration,

education, marketing or reunion. Events can be classified on the basis of their size, type and

context.

An event can be:

Social / life–cycle events: Events like Birthday party, Hen/Stag party, Graduation

day, Bachelor's party, Engagement, Wedding, Anniversary, Retirement day, Funeral

etc.

Education and career events: Events like education fair, job fair, workshop, seminar,

debate, contest, competition etc.

Sports events: Events like Olympics, World Cup, marathons, Wimbledon, wrestling

matches etc.

Entertainment events: Events like music concerts, fairs, festivals, fashion shows,

award functions, celebrity nights, beauty pageants, flash mob, jewelry shows, stage

shows etc.

Political events: Events like political procession, demonstration, rally, political

functions etc.

Corporate events: Events like MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions),

product launches, road shows, buyer-seller meet etc.

Religious events: Events like religious festivals / fairs, religious procession, Katha,

Pravachan, Diwali fair, Dusherra fair etc.

Fund raising/ cause related events: Any event can be turned into a fund-raising or

cause related event e.g. auctions.

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Objectives of Event:

Successful event planning is the key to successful alumni groups. Keep in mind the overall

objectives of both the SF State and your alumni group in all program planning. For many,

alumni events represent the only contact they have with other SF State alumni or the

University. Advanced planning and execution are important to the success of each event.

Establish a committee and sub-committees – Event committees are necessary to

properly plan and execute events. Sub-committees can be formed to organize

specific activities at the event. This will spread the workload, and develop future

leaders for your alumni group.

Encourage involvement from alumni group members – The more involvement you

seek from regular members, the stronger your alumni group becomes.

Involve the Alumni Association – Advanced notice given to the Alumni Association

of your upcoming event will increase your visibility and communication to alumni

members.

Event Balancing – Are your events spaced equally throughout the year? Are they

appealing to your constituents? Do you have diversity and a blend of social, cultural,

athletic, and friend-raising events? Do you plan your events in conjunction with the

Alumni Association’s events? Consider doing a brief, informal survey among your

constituents to determine their specific needs and interests.

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Event Management

In the last 10 to 15 years, there has been enormous growth in the event management

business. Event management is a way of outsourcing occasions that are either business,

social or a combination of the two. Events can be as diverse as weddings to political rallies.

For any business meeting or social occasion you can think up, an event management team

can be called in to organize it.

Almost 500 billion US dollars (USD) are spent annually on planned events around the

world. It is no longer adequate to have a small catering team supplying food at business

events. If you want your event to be successful and look impressive to potential clients,

then event management is the way to go.

The range of events that an event management business can supply is impressive. They can

arrange events for a small group of people or huge events with around 5,000 people

attending. Most businesses contact an event management team because their expertise in

the field should be second to none. Planning an event is a time consuming and stressful

affair; it is also a costly one. Event management teams have contacts within their field in

order to obtain the best price quotes and the most reliable service.

Imagine you are holding an event for 5,000 people that will last all day. You may think that

catering is the most stressful thing to deal with, but have you taken accommodation and

entertainment into consideration? How about staff for the event, the room size where you

will be holding the event, seating arrangements and, of course, the budget for the event?

These are all factors that a professional event management team will have firsthand

knowledge of.

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No matter what the type or size, if the event is an important one, you should consider

contacting an event management team. They can deal with conferences, award ceremonies,

product launches, gala diners and corporate activity days, to name a few. When you contact

an event management team, ask what their qualifications are, and then ask for examples of

previous events they have managed.

If you are a business, word of mouth is one of the most reliable forms of reference. If you

have recently attended a successful event or wedding, ask about the event management

team that planned it. Event planners are experts at keeping your staff happy and

impressed, and they will also give the impression that your business is flourishing and

professional. A flourishing business is one of the most impressive incentives to a potential

investor. An event management team may cost you money, but it may also make you

money in the future.

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Event Management Process

Why have event management?

An event can be defined as any detectable or discernable occurrence that has

significance for the management of the IT Infrastructure of the delivery of IT service and

evaluation of the impact a deviation might cause to the services.

Events are typically notifications created by an IT service, configuration item or

monitoring tool. Effective service operation is dependent on knowing the status of the

infrastructure and detecting any deviation from normal or expected operation. This is

provided by good monitoring and control systems, which are based on two types of tools:

Active monitoring tools that poll key configuration items to determine their status

and availability. Any expectations will generate an alert that needs to be

communicated to the appropriate tool or team for action.

Passive monitoring tools that detect and correlate operational alerts or

communications generated by configuration items

The objectives of event management

Event management is to provide the entry point for the execution of many service

operation processes and activities.

In addition, it provides a way of comparing actual performance and behavior against

design standards and Service Level Agreements.

Other objectives include:

Provides the ability to detect, interpret and initiate appropriate action for events

Basis for operational monitoring and control and entry point for many service

operation activities

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Provides operational information, as well as warnings and exceptions, to aid

automation

Supports continual service improvement activities of service assurance and

reporting and service improvement.

The scope of event management

Event management can be applied to any aspect of service management that needs to be

controlled and which can be automated. These include:

Configuration Items (CIs):

- Some CIs will be included because they need to stay in a constant state

- Some CIs will be included because their status needs to change frequently and

event management can be used to automate this and update the CMS

Environmental conditions (e.g. fire and smoke detection)

Software license monitoring for usage to ensure optimum/legal license utilization

and allocation

Security (e.g. intrusion detection)

Normal activity (e.g. tracking the use of an application or the performance of a

server)

The difference between monitoring and event management –

These two areas are very closely related, but slightly different in nature. Event

management is focused on generating and detecting meaningful notifications about the

status of the IT infrastructure and services.

Whilst monitoring is required to detect and track these notifications, monitoring is broader

than event management.

For example, monitoring tools will check the status of a device to ensure that it is operating

within acceptable limits, even if that device is not generating events.

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Examples of events

Events that signify regular operation:

notification that a scheduled workload has completed

a user has logged in to use an application

an email has reached its intended recipient

Events that signify an exception:

a user attempts to log on to an application with the incorrect password

an unusual situation has occurred in a business process that may indicate an

exception requiring further business investigation (e.g. a web page alert indicates

that a payment authorization site is unavailable – impacting financial approval of

business transactions)

a device’s CPU is above the acceptable utilization rate

a PC scan reveals the installation of unauthorized software

Events that signify unusual, but not exceptional, operation:

Server’s memory utilization reaches within 5% of its highest acceptable

performance level

The completion time of a transaction is 10% longer than normal

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The value to the organization of event management

Event management’s value to the organization is generally indirect; however, it is possible

to determine the basis for its value as follows:

Event management provides mechanisms for early detection of incidents. In many

cases, it is possible for the incident to be detected and assigned to the appropriate

group for action, before any actual service outage occurs.

Event management makes it possible for some types of automated activity to be

monitored by exception – thus removing the need for expensive and resource

intensive real-time monitoring, while reducing downtime.

When integrated into other service management processes (such as, for example,

availability or capacity management), event management can signal status changes

or exceptions that allow the appropriate person or team to perform early response,

thus improving the performance of the process. This, in turn, will allow the business

to benefit from more effective and more efficient service management overall.

Event management provides a basis for automated operations, thus increasing

efficiencies and allowing expensive human resources to be used for more innovative

work, such as designing new or improved functionality or defining new ways in

which the business can exploit technology for increased competitive advantage.

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The Activities Of Event Management

The service design phase of the service lifecycle should define which events need to be

generated and then specify how this can be done for each type of CI. During the service

transition phase, the event generation options would be set and tested.

Event occurs – Events occur continuously, but not all of them are detected or registered. It

is, therefore, important that everybody involved in designing, developing, managing and

supporting IT services and the IT infrastructure that they run on understands what types of

event need to be detected.

Event notification – Most CI’s are designed to communicate certain information about

themselves in one of two ways:

A device is interrogated by a management tool, which collects certain targeted

data. This is often referred to as polling.

The CI generates a notification when certain conditions are met. The ability to

produce these notifications has to be designed and built into the CI, for example,

a programming hook inserted into an application.

Event detection – Once an event notification has been generated, it will be detected by an

agent running on the same system, or transmitted directly to a management tool,

specifically designed to read and interpret the meaning of the event.

Event filtering – The purpose of filtering is to decide whether to communicate the event to

a management tool or to ignore it. If ignored, the event will usually be recorded in a log file

on the device, but no further action will be taken.

Significance of events – Every organization will have its own categorization of the

significance of an event, but it is suggested that at least these three broad categories be

represented:

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Informational: This refers to an event that does not require any action and does not

represent an exception. They are typically stored in the system or service log files

and kept for a predetermined period. Examples of informational events include:

- A device has come online

- A transaction is completed successfully

Warning: A warning is an event that is generated when a service or device is

approaching a threshold. Warnings are intended to notify the appropriate person,

process or tool so that the situation can be checked and appropriate action taken to

avoid an exception. Examples of warning events are:

- Memory utilization on a server is currently at 65% and increasing. If it reaches

75%, response times will be unacceptably long and the Operational Level

Agreement for that department will be breached.

- The collision rate on a network has increased by 15% in a short period of time

(which is defined, i.e. an hour).

Exception: An exception means that a service or device is currently operating

abnormally. Typically this means that an Operational Level Agreement or Service

Level Agreement has been breached and the business has been impacted.

Exceptions could represent a total failure, impaired functionality or degraded

performance. Examples of exception events include:

- A server is down

- Response time of a standard transaction across the network has slowed to

more than 15 seconds

Event correlation – If an event is significant, a decision has to be made about exactly what

the significance is and what actions need to be taken to deal with it. It is here that the

meaning of the event is determined.

Trigger – If the correlation activity recognizes an event, a response will be required. The

mechanism used to initiate that response is also called a trigger. There are many different

types of triggers, each designed specifically for the task it has to initiate. Some examples

could include:

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Incident triggers that generate a record in the incident management system

Change triggers that generate a request for change

A trigger resulting from an approved request for change that has been implemented

but caused the event, or from an authorized change that has been detected

Scripts that execute specific actions

Paging systems that will notify a person or team of an event

Database triggers that restrict access of a user to specific records or fields, or that

create or delete entries in the database

Response selection – At this point of the process, there are a number of response options

available:

Event logged – There will be a record of the event and any subsequent actions.

Auto response – Some events are understood well enough that the appropriate

response has already been defined and automated. This is normally a result of good

design or previous experience (within problem management). The trigger will

initiate the action and then evaluate whether it was completed successfully. If not,

an incident or problem record will be created. Examples of auto responses include

rebooting a device, restarting a service, locking a device or application to protect it

against unauthorized access.

Alert and human intervention – If the event requires human intervention, it will

need to be escalated. The purpose of the alert is to ensure that the person with the

skills appropriate to deal with the event is notified. The alert will contain all the

information necessary for the person to determine the appropriate action

Incident, problem or change? – Some events will represent a situation where the

appropriate response will need to be handled through the incident, problem or

change management process.

Open an RFC.

Open an incident record – As with an RFC, an incident can be created as soon as an

exception is detected, or when the correlation engine determines that a specific type

or combination of events represents an incident.

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Open or link to a problem record – It is rare for a problem record to be opened

without related incidents. In most cases this step refers to linking an incident to an

existing problem record. This will assist the problem management teams to reassess

the severity and impact of the problem, and may result in a changed priority to an

outstanding problem.

Special types of incident – In some cases an event will indicate an exception that

does not directly impact any IT service, e.g. unauthorized entry to a data center. In

this case, the incident will be logged using an incident model that is appropriate for

this type of exception, e.g. a security incident. The incident should be escalated to

the group that manages that type of incident. As there is no outage, the incident

model used should reflect that this was an operational issue rather than a service

issue. These incidents should not be used to calculate downtime, and can, in fact, be

used to demonstrate how proactive IT has been in making services available.

Review actions – As thousands of events are generated on a daily basis, it is not possible to

review every one. However, it is important to check that any significant events or

exceptions have been handled appropriately, or to track trends or counts of event types etc.

In many cases, this can be done automatically.

Close event – Some events will remain open until a certain action takes place, for example

an event that is linked to an open incident. However, most events are not opened or closed.

Informational events are simply logged and then used as input to other processes, such as

backup and storage management. Auto response events will typically be closed by the

generation of a second event. For example, a device generates an event and is rebooted

through auto response – as soon as that device is successfully back online, it generates an

event that effectively closes the loop and clears the first event.

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Role of Event Management

Event Management involves studying the intricacies of the brand, identifying the

target audience, devising the event concept, planning the logistic management and

coordinating the technical aspects before actually executing the modalities of the proposed

event.

The recent growth of festivals and events as an industry around the world means

that the management can no longer be . Events and festivals, such as the Asian Games, have

a large impact on their communities and, in some cases, the whole country.

The industry now includes events of all sizes from the Olympics down to a breakfast

meeting for ten business people. Every industry, charity, society and group will hold events

of some type/size in order to market themselves, build business relationships, raise money

or celebrate.

Event management is considered one of the strategic marketing and communication

tools by companies of all sizes. From product launches to press conferences , companies

create promotional events to help them communicate with clients and potential clients.

They might target their audience by using the news media, hoping to generate media

coverage which will reach thousands or millions of people. They can also invite their

audience to their events and reach them at the actual event..

Services of Event Management Company

Event management companies and organisations service a variety of areas including

corporate events (product launches, press conferences, corporate meetings and

conferences), marketing programs (road shows, grand opening events), and special

corporate hospitality events like concerts, award ceremonies, film premieres,

launch/release parties, fashion shows, commercial events, private (personal) events such

as weddings and bar mitzvahs.

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Clients hire event management company to handle a specific scope of services for

the given event, which at its maximum may include all creative, technical and logistical

elements of the event. (Or just a subset of these, depending on the client's needs, expertise

and budget).

Event Manager

The Event Manager is the person who plans and executes the event. Event managers

and their teams are often behind-the-scenes running the event. Event managers may also

be involved in more than just the planning and execution of the event, but also brand

building, marketing and communication strategy. The event manager is an expert at the

creative, technical and logistical elements that help an event succeed. This includes event

design, audio-visual production, scriptwriting, logistics, budgeting, negotiation and, of

course, client service. It is a multi-dimensional profession.

The Event Manager may become involved at the early initiation stages of the event.

If the Event Manager has budget responsibilities at this early stage they may be termed an

Event or Production Executive.

Event Management as an Industry

Event Management is a multi-million dollar industry, growing rapidly, with mega

shows and events hosted regularly. Surprisingly, there is no formalized research conducted

to assess the growth of this industry. The industry includes fields such as the MICE

(Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Events), exhibitions, conferences and seminars as

well as live music and sporting events.

The logistics side of the industry is paid less than the sales/sponsorship side, though

some may say that these are two different industries.

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Benefits of Event Management

A recently conducted survey revealed that more than 67% event planners relied on

comprehensive event management solutions to manage events of varied scale and budgets.

This clearly reflects the growing popularity of solutions that have enabled event planners

to streamline their work and host successful events.

For several years, event planners had to put up with high costs to hire resources for

managing events. In addition, they had to address various glitches that arose while

organizing events. Thanks to the end-to-end event registration and management solutions,

planning and executing has become easier.

Advanced solutions come with several key features that help event managers like

you to plan and execute their events successfully. Some of the benefits that these solutions

include the following:

Online registration facilities

Integrated event management software tools provide features to facilitate online

registration. Registrants simply fill out the registration forms and manage their

registrations themselves. This helps you to make the entire registration process extremely

simple for your prospective attendees.

Cost effective

Hiring a resource for managing your event will require you to shell out several dollars. You

can save a lot of money by simply investing in an integrated solution that will help you to

cut down costs to a considerable extent. You can use the online registration software as a

centralized platform to manage the data about your event and attendees.

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Customizable registration questionnaires

A detailed registration questionnaire enables you to understand your attendees' interests,

expectations and preferences. You can ask specific questions to your registrants and get

useful insights that can help you to pull off your initiative successfully.

Payment facilities

With comprehensive event management software in place you can make it easier for your

attendees to pay for registering at the event. Most of these software tools support multiple

payment gateways using which your prospective attendees can pay up at the click of the

mouse. Moreover, they get instant confirmation emails once the registration is completed.

Event marketing

You can use the event registration and management software to market your events as

well. The "invite your friend" option will help you to spread awareness. You can even

create private communities to attract your target audience in an effective manner. Private

community is a powerful tool that will enable your attendees to network with one another.

Email notifications

Automated emails are extremely useful when it comes to informing your past attendees

about an upcoming event. Furthermore, you can schedule the emails to be sent out on

specific dates to ensure maximum participation.

Comprehensive event registration and management solutions are highly scalable in nature.

This benefits event planners hosting a wide range of events. Irrespective of the industry

you cater to, you can ensure high attendance and maximize your ROI effectively. So, choose

the right event management solution and host a successful event.

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How to Plan an Event

What does event planning involve? Here is a high-level overview are some of the

basic steps you’ll need to follow when developing an event. We can't identify all of the

details you’ll need to think about (since much of it will depend on the type of event you are

holding), but we hope the following provides a starting point for your event planning.

10 Steps to Get You Started With Event Planning

1. Develop Event Goal and Objectives:

The very first step is to establish a tangible goal and objectives. (e.g., why are you

organizing this event and what do you hope to achieve?)

2. Organize a Team:

Any event takes a concerted team effort to handle all of the details. Consider

identifying one key Event Manager or Event Chair as well as individual Chairpersons

for subcommittees, such as:

venue management;

speakers;

entertainment;

publicity;

sponsors;

volunteer management

3. Set a Date:

The date might already be pre-set for a reoccurring event, but if this is a new event,

be sure to consider the following before firming up your date:

Give yourself enough time! Ideally, you should have 4-6 months to

plan (depending on the nature of your event)

Be aware of statutory and religious holidays

Avoid school holiday time periods (e.g., winter, spring and summer holidays)

Check dates with key participants – e.g., speakers, presenters, VIP guests, etc.

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4. Brand Your Event

If you want your event to stand out, you need to choose a timely and compelling

theme that sets you apart from your competition. This means that you need to come

up with a dynamic overall theme and you need to take great care with the actual

name – since it can be a key attention-getter, especially in online media.

Brainstorm names: When you are brainstorming the event name, think

about:

- How is your event different from other events in your sector?

- What are you hoping to convey through this event?

Create a Tagline: Once you’ve come up with a name, also try to craft a

tagline – a short, memorable branding slogan that describes the event.

Design a Logo: The final step will be having a logo created to represent your

event. A logo can be an effective branding tool – offering immediate

recognition of your event in all of your publicity and promo items (e.g., T-

shirts, water bottles, bags, etc.)

5. Create a Master Plan:

This plan should encompass all aspects of the event, including:

Venue, logistics & catering management (contracts, permits, insurance, etc.)

Speakers/presenters (identifying, confirming, logistics & management)

Activities/entertainment

Publicity/promotion (online & off-line, e.g.,: web page & online promotion;

events calendars; printed programs; media relations; signage; social media,

etc.)

Registration (online sign-up, payment and tracking; on-site sign-in, etc.)

Sponsor/partner management

Volunteer management

6. Determine Administrative Processes

In other words, how are you going to keep track of your planning, registration,

budget, guest and speakers lists, etc.?

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7. Identify and Establish Partnerships & Sponsors

Are there organizations that you could partner with or call on for sponsorships to

defray the costs and increase potential participation? When you involve other

people or groups in your event, they have a stake in helping spread the word and

making the event a success. You might want to consider:

Seeking corporate sponsors to fund a portion of the event. This can range

from national organizations that might want to sponsor a dinner, offer a door

prize or a key silent auction item, to local businesses that might be able to

provide goods or services, such as flowers for the tables, gift bag items, etc.

Partnering with community organizations who might be able to offer a

venue and/or assistance with organizing or staffing an event

8. Create a Publicity Plan

Even with the most amazing speaker or entertainment line-up, you need publicity to

get people in the door. Event promotion starts with the initial notice or page on

your website, note in your newsletter or email to save the date, and then builds to

include online and off-line publicity, media relations and on-going outreach to

encourage registration. And no plan is complete without the post-event thank-you,

sponsor acknowledgements and articles about the event’s key messages or

fundraising success.

9. Establish a Budget

Your budget should incorporate estimates for all of the key items identified on your

Event Master Plan. Don’t forget to include any travel or accommodation costs for

speakers, presenters, etc.

10. Determine Evaluation Process

How will you determine if your event is a success? Do you measure success by the

number of registrants or attendees or is it dependent on you breaking even or

raising a target amount in donations?

When you set your initial event goals and objectives, you should also consider how

you will evaluate the event to determine your success.

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THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN PLANNING

EVENT

1. Who is doing the planning?

Depending on the size of your event, you may be doing the planning on your own or

with a committee. Try to decide on who will be involved with the planning from the

beginning. Once you have decided who will be involved, make sure that everyone remains

informed of the planning process and timeline.

2. When will the event take place?

When deciding the date for your event, you will need to consider how much time

will be required to make the event successful. Some important things to consider are how

large the event will be and how many people are helping to plan the event. You should also

try to avoid major holidays and local or national events important to your community.

3. How can you stay organized?

Organization is key when you plan an event. One important component of staying

organized is having a timeline for your event. A timeline should include all of the tasks

needed to make your event a success and a due date for having them completed. It is

important to keep the time line updated if new tasks become necessary and as tasks are

completed. Communication between everyone involved in planning is very important so

that every task is completed and efforts aren’t duplicated. Try using a color scheme on your

timeline so it is clear who is working on which tasks.

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4. What type of event should I have?

Many times you will know in advance what type of event you are planning based on

previous events you have held or your organization’s mission.

5. Where should the event be held?

Finding a location for your event is one of the most important tasks, so make sure

you think carefully about your chosen site. If you have a space available at your own

facilities that will accommodate your needs, this will save you time and money. If not, there

are several questions to ask before you decide on your location:

Is the space big enough to support your needs (both in terms of people and

equipment)?

Is the location accessible to your community? This includes handicap accessible,

easy to find from the road with visible signs, short travel time or close available

accommodations.

Is the location available on the date and time of your event? Make sure to book time

for set-up and clean-up and learn if there will be other events before or after yours.

Are their multiple rooms available if your event requires small groups?

If you are using multiple rooms, are they easy to find and are you allowed to put up

directional signs?

Are there enough chairs and tables available to meet your needs and will your

participants be comfortable in the space provided?

Is the equipment you need available at the site or able to be brought in? Is there

anyone who can provide technical assistance?

Do you want to provide food or beverages at the event and do you have an adequate

budget to do so?

o If so, are there catering services available that meet the dietary preferences

of your community or can you bring in your own food and beverages?

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How much will the location cost? Remember to include costs for space rental,

equipment, catering and miscellaneous costs such as registration, table renting, or

parking fees.

Is a deposit required and is there flexibility to change locations, increase or decrease

space requirements or change the date or time?

6. How much will the event cost?

When you begin to plan your event, make sure to create a budget based on how

much you or your organization has available to spend. Remember that unforeseen costs

can arise, so plan for these in your budget. This is often done by overestimating some costs.

Remember to include costs for your venue (space, equipment and catering), office supplies

and postage for planning and marketing efforts, and any special costs based on your event

such as speaker gifts or video rental.

7. How can I let people know about my event?

Your marketing strategy should be based on who you want to attract to your event

and what works well in your community. Some possible options include: fliers, posters,

blurbs in a newsletter, e-mails or postcards and press releases for local newspapers. You

can find templates for these options in the community events tool kit located at

www.GenoCommunity.org. Remember that you can always use more than one strategy

depending on your budget and who you are trying to attract.

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Which Areas Of Expertise Are

Important In Events Management?

Choosing a client to take care of your events management needs can be a daunting

experience.

After all, there are so many companies and firms out there that claim to be experts

in event management and are willing to promise you the moon if you choose them. It is

important to look to a firm’s records to make sure they are right for you and that they have

the skills and resources to meet your needs in a timely, friendly, and professional manner.

Here are some of the areas of expertise that are important to consider when

choosing an events management team.

1. Conferences and Executive Meetings

The first area of expertise to consider when choosing a firm to help manage your

events is conferences and executive meetings. Look for a firm that is capable of helping you

through every element of staging the conferences and executive meetings you might need

to manage, from the design stage all the way through to the execution stage.

Also make sure the firm you hire is one that has experience managing executive

meetings and conferences of all sizes, from those that are small and intimate with only a

few key players to large scale events that may host thousands of delegates. A high quality

event management team will also have the flexibility to scale up or scale down their

management of your events, depending on the resources you already have available and

your specific requirements.

Naturally, an event management team will be a stronger candidate if they have

experience managing a wide range of conferences and gatherings, including symposiums,

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corporate training sessions, roadshows, annual general meetings, congresses, summits, and

the meetings and conferences mentioned above.

Look for case studies; ask the firm for them if you have not already reviewed them,

and check to make sure they have performed good work not just in the past but recently as

well.

2. Sponsorships and Exhibitions

When selecting an event management team, a second area of expertise to consider is

sponsorships and exhibitions. Look for teams that view these areas as strengths instead of

as weaknesses. A good event management team will be able to take care of every part

related to the staging of an exhibition. This does not include simply being there on the date

of the exhibition.

Rather, it includes a number of factors that must be executed flawlessly long before

the exhibition in order for the exhibition itself to work without interruption. This means

the teams you consider should be capable of handling the planning of the exhibition, the

budgeting, marketing, and logistics onsite as well as liaisons with exhibitors.

Similarly, when it comes to sponsorship, be sure the team you select has the skill,

knowledge, and networking competence to maximize sponsorship opportunities and

relationships. This might mean helping you work effectively when it comes to profiling

your sponsors in some scenarios.

In others, it might mean being able to increase the sales of your enterprise or having

the skills necessary to cultivate leads that lead to business opportunities.

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3. Incentives

Finally, incentive trips are an essential element of business in many circles, and

treating delegates to a good time can be crucial in making headway in a number of

industries. Do not leave such golden opportunities to chance. Look for an events

management team that is capable of project managing every part of a trip with incentives.

This might involve managing weekends to Sydney or fully paid trips across the Pacific to

Europe or North America. Regardless of whatever incentives you may have planned, a good

team will be able to meet your needs and give your delegates an experience they will never

forget.

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Career in Event Management

Events and occasions are an integral part of human life. We simply cannot bypass

them as they touch almost all aspects of our social existence. Birthday celebrations, social

gatherings, engagements and weddings are events we celebrate at the personal level.

During academic years there are school events such as annual day functions, inter

and intra school contests, sports day celebrations, followed by college and university level

festivals. In the sphere of work, there are annual general meetings, exhibitions, marketing

campaigns, conferences, product launches and brand development activities. Other events

such as fashion shows, cultural programs, talent hunt shows, promotional campaigns,

religious gatherings and so on also play an important role in our life.

And what’s more, all of us have been a part of these events from time to time. We

either organize these events or take part in the show. Either ways we want these occasions

to go on as per our expectations and in doing so we often seek professional help. However,

we do not pay much heed to the people who assiduously put in their effort and creative

talent to make these events memorable and successful. They are the event managers.

Event management is a multifaceted activity. Major constituents of this profile

include creativity, meticulous planning, relationship management, advertising and

marketing and much more, all rolled into one seamlessly choreographed process.

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Step-by-Step

The very basic qualification to get into the realm of event management is to be a

graduate in any discipline. However, you must possess certain traits that would help you go

a long way in this industry.

Essential skills include:

Public Relations: to manage clients, their agents and a vast gamut of professionals

you would meet in the line of your profession

Creativity: from the germ of the concept to manage an occasion to its final delivery

Marketing skills: to sell your idea to your clients in order to make their events

memorable

Analytical ability: you must have the knack to solve all sorts of problems and even

have the foresight to anticipate unforeseen issues

Organizational skills: to carefully plan for tasks for self and for the entire team

Networking skills: this industry thrives on the shoulders of personal networking

and you must have the ability to utilize it and expand it in your favour

Management skills: ability to manage time, stress, subordinates, clients, budgeting,

risks, situations and so on

Institutions that offer event management as a vocational study program are few and far

between. Most of these institutes offer certificate and diploma courses. On the other hand,

event management companies prefer candidates who have earned their qualification in

allied fields such as a degree or a diploma in Public Relations, Tourism, Hospitality

Management, Sales or Marketing.

Start Early

A creative aptitude and the skill to manage things meticulously are the main

ingredients of getting into the event management industry. These skills can easily be honed

especially during the academic years.

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You can start off in this direction by organizing school and college events such as

skits, quiz contests, cultural meets, annual day functions or sports events. For this, you

need to have the acumen to select an appropriate venue for the occasion, visualize the

décor and the sequence of items as they would unfold in front of the spectators. Further,

you must arrange for an assortment of equipment, technicians and artists who would make

the occasion successful.

A rich experience during these years plays a crucial role when you select event

management as your preferred profession later on in life.

Is it the right career for me?

Like many other career paths, the route to a successful occupation in the event

management industry is not based on the foundation of academic laurels and certifications.

However, the basic survival toolkit to get into this profession is both wide and subjective.

Your basic task is to plan and present an event in a novel way and that too from

scratch. For this, you must possess the quality to think out of the box. Apart from ample

creative juices, you ought to have good planning, marketing, budgeting, negotiation, client

management, and communication and leadership skills.

Further, you must have immense patience and insight to see right into the smallest

details of the entire event management process and always stay focussed on your project

goals. Good networking skills, client management, business analytics, time management,

ability to take on challenges, problem solving skills and adjusting to rapidly changing

situations are some other qualities essential for this role.

The mantra for success in this cutthroat business is to constantly improve upon

your existing skills, stick to your career objectives, avoid complacency and always delight

your client.

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What would it Cost Me?

A Post-Graduate Diploma in Advertising, Media and Events (PGDAME) from the

National Institute of Event Management (NIEM), Mumbai, costs around Rs.1, 25,000

approximately, whereas the Post-Graduate Diploma in Event Management (PGDEM) costs

up to Rs.55, 000 and the fees for a Diploma in Event Management (DEM) is around Rs. 40,

000.

Funding/Scholarship

Since most of the existing study programs pertaining to event management are

certifications and diplomas, scholarships are not on offer for students pursuing these

programs.

Job Prospect

There are plenty of jobs in this industry. In spite of the current global economic

slowdown, the event management industry has continued to grow in leaps and bounds.

There are plenty of events: weddings, birthday parties, talent hunt and reality shows,

fashion and cultural shows, academic and sports meets, religious functions, corporate

events, conferences and so on.

Talented youngsters who want to leave their mark in this industry have numerous

avenues. You can join an event management company or a media house that specializes in

event management activities. Once you have garnered ample experience you can either

start working in the capacity of a freelancer or event set up your own events business.

Pay Packet

The pay packet in this industry varies according to your role and responsibility. It

also depends on factors such as the organization you are working with, the type of clientele

your organization is catering to, your experience, and the city where the firm is located and

so on.

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As a fresher in this industry, you can easily bag a pay cheque in the range of Rs.10,

000 – Rs.15,000 per month. The remuneration goes up with your experience and area of

expertise. You can earn big money working in the capacity of an expert freelancer or the

owner of your own event management company.

Demand and Supply

There are is an insatiable demand for professionals associated with this particular

industry. As very few educational establishments offer professional courses for aspiring

event managers, there is a great paucity of experienced professionals in this field. To fill

this gap, the event management business has to acquire professionals from a vast array of

other vocations.

Market Watch

Event management is an industry that is on the move. An exponential growth in

events such as talent-hunt competitions, music concerts, fashion shows, academic

functions, exhibitions, trade fairs, religious gatherings and the like have fuelled the demand

for talented event managing personnel. The demand for creative and result oriented event

managers is going to continue in the near future.

International Focus

Off late our country has started getting more and more media coverage and

recognition abroad. Further, the cine industry has started hosting mega annual events at

international venues. This has greatly improved the scope for people engaged in the event

management industry to try their luck in international market.

Professionals in this field also get the opportunity to showcase their talent at

international events where delegates from our country participate in cultural festivals and

exchange programs, trade shows, conferences, exhibitions, corporate events and so on.

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Positives/Negatives

Positives

You get numerous opportunities to rub shoulders with celebrities from different

walks of life be it cine stars, sports persons, politicians, corporate moguls and so on

You have the satisfaction of having pulled off grand events with aplomb

You get the thrill of organizing and managing events from their concept all the way

up to their execution

Negatives

Like other creative pursuits you will have to put in endless hours of hard work to

meet your deadlines

You have to cope up with immense work pressure to live up to your client’s high

expectations

Other than long working hours the time schedule can frequently be erratic

Different roles, different names

An organization that is into event management business offers numerous positions

to job seekers. The following are some of the departments in a typical event managing

company:

Public Relations – managing a vast gamut of people ranging from clients, artists,

stage performers, government officials, public and so on

Promotion and Marketing – for promoting the image of the organization and also for

marketing the event to the public at large

Brand Development – a talent pool that is responsible for managing client

requirements pertaining to brand restructuring

Designing – team of creative people who visualize and then prepare design layouts

for the stage, costumes, accessories and so on

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Administration – department that is responsible for back office and general

administrative tasks

Production – team comprising of media professionals who manage the production

and editing of audio video related media

Printing – department that takes care of printing all sorts of marketing collaterals

and promotional items

Top Companies

1. Cineyug Entertainment

2. Cox and Kings

3. DNA Networks Pvt. Ltd.

4. E-Factor

5. Fountainhead

6. Percept D Mark

7. Sercon

8. Sita Conferences

9. Tafcon Group

10. TCI Consultancy Services and 'e' Events

11. Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

12. 360 Degrees

13. Top notch media and production houses

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Tips for getting hired

Since you would be working in the service industry and meeting people all the time

having good communication skills helps

Although a graduation degree is enough to get into an event management firm but

qualification in Hospitality Management, Tourism Management, Public Relations,

Human Relationship Management, and Marketing enhances your chances for getting

hired

Keep an up to date portfolio of all your creative and organizational activities and

highlight your achievements during the selection process

It is not mandatory but desirable to have a certificate or a diploma in event

management from a reputed academy

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10 TIPS FOR EVENT MANAGERS

Event Management, as is obvious from the term, refers to the organized planning

and research involved in the proper execution of any event. The event may range from

simple social events like birthdays, weddings, family reunions; more complex corporate

and official events such as Annual General Meetings, brand promotion meets, product

launch parties and also special entertainment events such as live concerts and award

ceremonies.

The art and science of managing an event has become a specialized discipline and

requires multi-faceted skills. Following are 10 things to keep in mind while organizing an

event –

Knowledge is power: In order to make an event successful, understanding and

knowledge is crucial. No two events are the same and understanding the nuances of

what is required for a particular event is crucial. Events such as corporate meetings

have their own demands of protocol and procedures. Entertainment events such as

concerts require knowledge of various supporting resources to be put in place.

Before actually commencing with managing an event, do make sure that you

understand what exactly needs to be done. Talk to people who have participated in

such events before, talk to other people who have managed such events before, keep

yourself constantly updated with the evolving dynamics of each type of event.

Set the Stage: What is perfect for a few persons may turn out to be a claustrophobic

experience for a hundred. It is very important to know the number of people who

are expected to attend the event beforehand. Make sure the customer has intimated

his requirements to you clearly. The choice of the venue will depend on this factor.

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Very often the decision of choosing a venue is taken jointly with the customer. After

the venue is chosen it is essential to obtain maps, scout the location, and take notes.

Prepare today, execute tomorrow: Once a high level understanding of what needs

to be done is obtained, it’s time for the planning phase. Chalk up a plan of which

actions to be taken, and when. Assign responsibilities to the various actors within

you team. Track the progress of each such planned action to completion. Before a

big event, it is crucial to conduct dry runs and simulations. If possible, do involve the

customer in such a dry run and walk him through of what he may expect during the

actual event. This will prevent unpleasant surprises.

Time it Right! When planning an event, work out a plausible time span. No event

should be hurried, hectic affair and neither should it be a long drawn affair which

puts the audience's patience under test. The agenda should be well balanced, with

adequate time contingencies built in.

Tools of the trade: It is also very important to have a grasp over the technicalities

that run the show. Arrangement of proper technical equipment and skilled

technicians is of prime importance. Nothing can be more embarrassing than a piece

of equipment malfunctioning in the middle of the show. Pay attention to detail – for

example when two projectors are beaming simultaneously on two ends of the stage,

they must be in sync and have the same color balance. Have the technicians check

and recheck the equipments before the show starts.

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Rules are not always meant to be broken: Organizing an event also requires

number of approvals, permissions and procedures to be obtained. These range from

permission from the police, civic authority clearances, environmental clearances etc.

Make sure you, or your customer, have sought and obtained all necessary approvals

and permissions. Stick within the boundaries of the provisions during the event.

Never ever make the mistake of landing up in the wrong side of the law.

There is no "I" in teamwork: An event involves a number of players. In some large

scale events, it is mind boggling to think of the sheer number of players involved.

For example, in a music concert – musicians, sound technicians, light technicians,

stage technicians, sponsors, celebrities and of course the general audience. Each of

these parts has to function smoothly in order for the whole to work. Communication

is the key. Frequent meetings, briefings and rehearsals are needed for everyone to

understand what their responsibilities are and how they need to coordinate. During

the event have effective communication and coordination mechanisms like wireless

headsets, or cell phones. In teamwork, most of all, it is important to forsake egos.

Don't try to blame others for anything for might go wrong – instead the entire team

should work in close coordination to cover for the slightest mistake made by an

individual.

"If anything can go wrong, it will": In spite of the intricate planning, rehearsals

and the best of your efforts, things may not always run smoothly and last minute

glitches can occur. Do not panic - be prepared for such exigencies. Have a backup

plan in place. Arrange for emergency power backups and other technical backup

systems. If an inordinate delay occurs (for example a performing artist does not

show up on time), plan in advance how to handle the situation and keep the

audience occupied.

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Safety is paramount: While it is important to have fun, safety is a very important

factor. Ensure that emergency exits are well marked and that you have adequate

trained personnel to handle the situation in case anything untoward happens. Have

the fire brigade and paramedical ready in case of very large events.

Smile!: Last but not the least, always remember that managing an event is all about

interacting with people to deliver the best results. Keep a cheerful and positive

disposition - it lowers stress for everyone concerned. The customer is always king –

some things may not always go your liking, but in the end your satisfaction would

come from seeing the event getting executed perfectly.

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CONCLUSION

Event-management companies are those organisations that take on the project of

managing a particular event of their client from the beginning to end. A relatively new

breed of companies in the Indian corporate line, these companies are however, getting

increasingly important with the rise in corporate and personal events needing

professionals to manage them.

Scope:

With the Indian economy opening up and throwing open its doors to global MNCs, there

has been a sea change in the way large corporate houses do business. Bigger is increasingly

becoming better, and who better to manage their ambitious public-relations events than

professionals who have the expertise and resources of making every announcement, event

big. Their scope includes these broad heads:

• Corporate: High-level meetings, conferences, exhibitions, product launches, seminars or

even employee outdoor activities of mega companies.

• Social:Family functions particularly weddings, birthday celebrations, house-warming

rituals etc.

• Celebrity Circuit:Celebrity shows, international artists shows, road shows, competitions

and social-causes shows.

• Sports: Every kind of popular sport whether cricket or Formula One race.

• Cultural: This includes events which are cultural or are heritage, art based.

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Industry Figures:

Still a largely un-organised sector, reports and studies are few. However, the structure of

the event management market in India is slowly changing from an unorganized framework

towards an organized market.

• The market for event management in India is expected to witness growth of 25% p.a. and

reach INR 23 billion by 2012.

• The number of event management companies is under 5000 presently.

Drivers:

The key drivers in the growth of event management companies in India are:

• Growth in consumer spending and disposable income.

• Increase in below the line promotion among establishments.

• Rising need of organised and structured event.

• Rise in the number of institutions offering course/specialization in event management.

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Challenges:

However, some of the pertinent issues faced by entrepreneurs desirous of in setting up a

event-management venture are:

• Lengthy procedure for import of equipment.

• High levels of entertainment tax imposed by the state/central governments.

Clearly the key trends and drivers for growth point towards a successful horizon for the

event management companies in India

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