Event planning can be a huge task and can involve a lot of stress for event organisers. We have created some key tips that will help mitigate unnecessary stress involved in the event planning process and will help you ensure a memorable and successful event.
1) Start event planning as soon as possible
One of the biggest advantages when event planning that you can give yourself is starting as soon as possible. If the event is large, you should start planning the event around four to six months in advance. Smaller events need at least one month to plan. For smooth running on the day try and make sure that all vendor contracts are completed a few weeks before the event takes place.
2) Remain flexible
Things will inevitably change throughout planning an event and these issues can be anything from event times, locations or even the type of event that you are hosting. Thus you need to ensure that you’re flexible and can meet these changes.
3) Negotiate
Although many vendors will tell you that prices are fixed, in reality almost everything is negotiable. With every event there will be unforeseen circumstances, so you can try and negotiate the lowest possible price possible. It is important to determine your budget before meeting your vendors. You can try to offer to pay 5-10% lower than their quote based on your judgement. Remember they do want to win your business at the end of the day.
4) Assign responsibilities
You can break down elements of your event such as catering and transport and delegate each section to members of your team. The advantage of each member focusing on a specific section will mean they will be much more aware of small changes in each section.
5) Utilise technology to aid event planning
It has become increasingly easy to collaborate with team members thanks to the cloud. You can make a central manual or document that contains all the detail and this will make event planning so much easier. This will include everything to do with the event including vendor contracts, attendee information and floor plan. this allows the whole team to refer back to the document if they are unsure.
6) Have a backup plan
It would be very rare, and impressive if an event is pulled off without at least one hitch. Prioritise the most important assets of the event and create a backup plan for each. If a multitude of issues is associated with a particular aspect, you must decide whether an alternative can be found or whether it should be cut from the event entirely.
7) Do a run-through
Two weeks in advance of the event, you should do a full run-through of the entire event with your team. This should cover everything from the initial setup to the follow-up process. Once issues are highlighted, you should have enough time to address them. A few days before the event you should run through again and complete the same process for any complications.
8) Photograph everything
Your event will give you a great opportunity to set yourself up with a positive image for any future events so having a professional photographer can be quite important. What you want out of these photographed is shots of the full room, branding and attendees enjoying themselves. This will set you up well for any future events.
9) Use your online presence
Use your event to elevate your social media presence. Encourage your attendees to tweet about your event by creating a hashtag or encourage them to share snaps by creating geolocation.
10) Follow up immediately after
Even if the event is over, your work is not quite done. Follow up with your attendees immediately after either to gain an insight into their experience or demonstrate the success of your event, the key is being proactive.
Check out more things like “10 Tips To Master Event Planning”, by checking out Vivus or getting the Vivus app. Vivus can transform your event planning process. You can also sell or buy tickets to events.