Secrets of Successful Event Management

SECRETS TO SUCCESSFUL EVENT MANAGEMENT

BEST EVENTS | White Paper

Introduction Having worked in the events industry for over 10 years, I have learned how to plan events of all sizes. My favourite sort is an intimate event where guests get to learn about each other (or a newly launched product) without having to shout over loud music. It could be that age is catching up with me! Some of team mates, however, love the adrenaline rush of planning huge scale events like carnivals, concerts and conferences.

Sometimes all event aspects run smoothly from planning through completion and assessment of the event, but more often than not issues may arise. Some of my most successful events have been done with very little (but reasonable) budgets, but a large amount of preparation. With events being a key component of many corporate plans, I wanted to share a few basics on event planning for those who are new to events.

SECRET NUMBER ONE Planning and Budgeting

It is not surprising that companies or private clients are not

sure how to start with budgeting. Have you heard yourself

say “How should I budget for a decorator if I’ve never

used one before?”

I understand the chicken and egg situation but without at

least an inkling of how much you are willing to spend on

your overall event or on one supplier, it makes it difficult

for you to track your spending and assess along the way.

In the example of the decorator, he would not be able to

design something without a budget as he would not know

whether he should propose an elaborate concept or a

simple one. Do not expect him to propose two different

concepts unless you are willing to pay for a consultation

fee. Ideas cost money.

Make a detailed wish list that includes everything possible,

regardless of cost, on a spreadsheet in Excel or other

accounting software.

Setting up your budget on the computer will allow you to

quickly see where you are and make adjustments to costs

as prices come in. You will be able to immediately see

how your budget is affected when you add in and take

out different event elements.

[email protected] www.bestevents-asia.com

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SECRET NUMBER TWO Organization and Timing

In an ideal world you would have at least a year to

plan your event, even though many details still

would be undetermined. Yes, it is possible to put

together major high-profile events for 1,000-plus in

under six weeks, but there is always a cost. You run

the risk of not being able to get the most sought-

after locations and suppliers. Why settle for second

best if you can plan ahead?

Below are some examples of event questions you

should try to answer when you begin your

planning.

What venues are you considering?

Feel out schedules, pricing, funds required to

secure.

What size of event are you looking to host?

There is nothing worse than securing a large

ballroom with only a few dozen people to fill it.

What other events are going on?

By checking the public events happening around

the day of your event, you might be able to

identify any other priorities your guests might have

such as conferences, meetings, holidays etc.

Is my event convenient?

Do your attendees have to go far to attend?


“Don’t be afraid to

postpone your event if, when

planning it, you realize it would do more harm than good to proceed with

it.”




SECRET NUMBER THREE Location, location, location

Having laid out the framework of your event vision and knowing all

your function space requirements—including supplier move in,

setup, rehearsal, day of, teardown and move out space needs

and what to look for—finding the perfect event venue is much

easier.

You are not limited to hotels, convention centers or restaurants

when it comes to site selection. Chic boutiques will allow you to

take over their facilities for a private cocktail reception and dinner,

followed by a fashion show introducing their new lineup of clothes.

Some even have cooking facilities attached to the store, making it

easy for caterers to set up and serve. You can take over yachts,

roller-skating rinks, airport hangars or hold a gala in an armory,

museum or art gallery.

You can tent a parking lot or do a catered aff air on a covered

tennis court or even on a hotel rooftop. Private clubs, restaurants

or empty warehouse space can be taken over and completely

transformed.

You are limited only by your imagination and your budget.

Virgin Atlantic recently had a new 787 plane. In order to christen it,

the airline held a banging party on the plane.





Searching for the right venue for your event can be a stressful and drawn out process. Have a list of questions prepared and on hand to bring with you to each venue. If you are unsure of what to ask, here’s a list of some questions to get you started: What is the flat cost to book the venue?

What is their booking policy? Is there a deposit needed or a payment plan available?

What is the cancellation policy?

How long can you cancel without incurring any costs?

How much notice must the site have to give you without incurring any costs?

What are the insurance requirements?

Does the venue have a list of required suppliers?

Has the venue ever held an event like yours before? [Have the space provide you with

references and really find out how others’ experiences with the location have been]

What are the catering costs?

Is there an on-site caterer or will you have to find an independent one?

Is there a fee for using an independent caterer?

Does the venue have it’s own wait staff?

How many employees will be available on the day of your event?

What are the venue’s A/V capabilities? [If there is no A/V production then you should inquire about costs of set-up. Big productions can take a lot of time to put in place and you may have to rent the for more than just the event day.]

How much production will you need to provide?

Is there a freight elevator or way to load-in/load-out any equipment that has to be brought to the space? [Factor in load-out cost for money and time. Something that takes a long time to put up will most likely take some time to take down.]

Is there an area to store equipment out of sight of guests?

What are the best ways to get to and from the venue location?

Are there parking facilities and taxi or public transportation options?

Are there any on-site amenities? Is there an on-site computer or printer? Is there an office for you to work out of?

Don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions. A good venue will have answers to all your questions and more, and if not, then they should be happy to find out the answers needed.





SECRET NUMBER FOUR Team Management

Not all companies or private clients see the need to hire event management companies. Whether you have an army of willing volunteers, or need to extract your colleagues from their day-to-day tasks kicking and screaming, it’s not always easy to build an event planning team. How do you choose the right people and form them into a well-functioning team? Step 1: Select team-members Choose team-members for their skills and abilities as they apply to the event. Aim for a mix of team-members with different skill-sets. Ensure that together as a group, you represent all the skills needed – in the right proportions – to make your event a success. Step 2: Set the ground rules At your first team meeting, make it clear who is in charge and what is to be expected from the team. This is the time to remove any confusion or conflict, and clearly set hierarchies, roles and responsibilities. Do this now to avoid potential problems later. Step 3: Brief the team Well-briefed team-members are essential for a successful event. Tell the team-members what the aim of your event is and what message should be spread. At every stage ensure they are completely in the picture. Step 4: Assign tasks and set goals Set clear, unambiguous and achievable goals for the team as a whole, and for individuals within the team. No team-member’s goal should conflict with another team-member’s goal. Assign different tasks to one or more people. Make sure people are capable of their tasks and know what they can decide on their own and what they need to refer to you. Step 5: Communicate Communication is essential for the success of your event. Plan regular meetings to keep track of the event as it progresses. Encourage and foster cooperation, not competition. Step 6: Hire Freelance Event Staff With a strong team, you need strong event staff to support your team. Freelance staff are there get the RSVPs, lick stamps, and on the event day, capture your audience, promote or model your products, greet guests among other things. Event staffing companies like Event Sidekicks provide freelance Corporate, Hospitality, and Promotional Staff.

“You're only as good as

your team!

Select the best

suppliers and staff

and involve them

from the start..”


http://www.eventsidekicks.com/






SECRET NUMBER FIVE Event Marketing If you have an ideal list of people you want at your event, take the time to send them a personal email. It might feel like too much work, but starting those conversations as early as possible will eliminate stress from your event planning. Ask those people, or other influencers, to share that they are coming to your event. You can send them a couple of free tickets to give away to their followers, or give them inside details on why your event will be such a good time. When people post about your event, make sure they know to include your event hashtag, but don't stop there! Check on that hashtag often -- you'll want to make sure that people just learning of your event can see more event details. A regular post including a link to your event page will ensure nobody gets frustrated when trying to learn more about your event. Email Invitations and Online Event Registration Email invitations are the most economical event marketing method and undoubtedly drive more attendance for planners than any other marketing medium. Email invitations should have a professional appearance, with eye catching graphics, an effective subject line and relevant content. Properly bundling emailed event invitations with an online event registration and payment-processing system will dramatically increase attendance numbers, reduce manual data entry and simplify attendee tracking tasks. Post event data analysis on over 75,000 events shows that planners can achieve up to three times the standard response rate after implementing integrated email marketing, direct mail, and outbound calling campaigns. Creating a compelling event website It is critical for an event web site to allow attendees to register and pay for an event online (if fees apply for the event). There are various website oriented marketing initiatives that can be used to promote registration and attendance, such as early bird discounts, group rates, and promotion codes. Offering online event registration via the event web site is key because it allows planners to measure if they will have the right amount of space, food, seats, and materials at the event. Without a solid online registration solution and the capability to track these metrics, planners often overbook a venue or undersell the space they have bought. A quality event web site should present attendees with an event agenda and streamline the registration process for all parties.





Leadership & Management

Secrets of Successful Event Management