Event planning can seem like a daunting task for any entrepreneur. It’s true that event planning is a lot of work – but don’t let that scare you away. It can be a lot of fun and lead to some great networking opportunities.
If you’re in charge of planning an event anytime soon, take a look at these tips. You might find that they’ll help take your event from “good” to “great.”
Creating an event plan
The first step in creating an event plan is to decide exactly what you want to achieve. The specifics will come later, but at least you’re off to a good start. Event planning tools can be useful to help you with that.
You may want to make a list of things that you want to happen at the event, like where you want to sit, how many people you want at each table, and so on. For most events, the closer you can get to the actual numbers, the easier your planning will be.
But there is something else you should add to your planning list: the number of guests that you actually expect. You probably can’t count on everyone showing up, after all, so there’s no point in planning for everyone if you won’t end up using all of the tables.
When we’re talking about more than a handful of people, then, it’s important to think about other things, like how to make the room feel more spacious, how to make sure there’s enough food to go around, and so on.
Related: Ace Your Venture Launch: Top Benefits of the Event Management
Creating a budget
Since you’ll probably be spending a lot of money, it’s important to make sure you budget for the event in advance. This isn’t a blank cheque; you have to account for the fact that things could run a little late, you might need to hire some extra help, and so on.
Of course, you can always adjust your budget later. You can always add more food or decorations. But if you’re just setting this up now, then you’ll need to consider all of these things in advance.
Another way to look at it is that you can’t have your cake and eat it, too. You can’t just put on an event and then charge the guests for food and alcohol.
Deciding on a location for your event
This is also a crucial step in creating a great event. Ideally, you want the event to be somewhere with a good connection to your business. So it’s important to choose a location that’s convenient for people to find.
But it’s important to consider how much space the event will need. That might mean finding somewhere a little bigger than you originally planned. Or maybe you’ll be able to use an outdoor space.
So, it’s really important to look at how much space you’ll need for the event, and then estimate how long you’ll need it to last. Figure out how many tables you’ll need, and then look at where they’ll be placed. That’ll help you decide where to go for the location.
But remember: you’re not supposed to pick the location based on only a few days’ worths of planning. Make sure you look at the space around the location to figure out if there are any places that will be off-limits or need to be cleaned before your event.
Setting an agenda for the day
To keep your event running smoothly, you should have an agenda for it. It doesn’t have to be long or complicated. Sometimes an agenda can take the form of a schedule of speakers, a schedule of breakouts, or a schedule of tutorials.
But an agenda gives your attendees something to do, so you don’t end up with bored attendees. It’s also a chance for you to give some further information about your business and some tips on things you want them to do at the event.
Making sure you provide your attendees with relevant information and help them to do the things that you want them to do is another key part of running a successful event.
Hiring vendors for your event
Once you’ve set up the event, you have to hire some people to make it happen. This can be a job for your employees, or it can be a job for a service provider. The key thing is to find a service provider who’s experienced in events and who can get your day organized on the fly.
If you’re really busy, you can hire a friend or family member to help you. But if you have a little more free time, then it might be worth looking for someone who’s a bit more professional.
The main thing is to pick someone you’re confident in. Try to pick someone who’s excited to be a part of your event. Someone who’s eager to help you. And someone who you trust.
And make sure that the service provider you choose has the proper credentials. You might have an idea of what they’re qualified to do. But there’s no sense having your event organized by someone who’s incompetent or unqualified.
