Eventful Ideas: Building blocks of a successful event
We’re social beings with a desire for interaction with one another, so why is it that anticipation of attending an event can either fill us with a sense of excitement or dread (and bitterness over the favorite TV show we’ll end up missing)?
No matter where you live, you’ve no doubt attended an event that made you feel one of the two ways mentioned above, so what makes the difference? What makes an event successful and an occasion that everyone wants to attend?
If you’ve ever been involved in planning an event, you know there is no magic formula that will guarantee success, but the (name of newsletter) series is intended to provide practical tips on planning, scheduling and implementing an event that will win you accolades.
Whether you are organizing an event for 14 or 1400, there are some basic fundamentals that are key to any well run event.
Create a plan first! This sounds pretty basic, but you’d be amazed at how many people jump into planning an event without much thought given to what kind of return on investment they’d like to see on all the money and time they will be spending.
Good planning (even for a small event) should include the following steps:
1. Do your research.
What are the strengths of your idea?
- Is it a unique concept? Is there a demand for this type of idea?
What are your weaknesses?
- Can your staff or volunteers dedicate the time required to plan the event? Do you have an adequate budget to fund the project?
What opportunities are there?
- Can you partner with another event or organization to maximize your reach?
What threats do you need to address?
- What are the insurance risks? Are there competing events occurring at the same time? Are there venue limitations?
2. Set your goals and objectives.
- Identify what you are trying to accomplish with your event. Are you raising public awareness, trying to raise funds, or simply wanting to throw a party that everyone will enjoy and remember you for?
- Establish measurements for these goals. And celebrate with the team when you achieve them!
3. Create a realistic budget.
- Just because you think the concept is great, doesn’t mean that every one will buy a ticket or give you a donation. Be honest about what you believe you can generate in revenues and establish your break even point. Are you prepared for a financial loss? If not, think twice about doing the event. Maybe there is a better way to achieve your goals?
4. Establish an event identity.
- Where will the event be held?
- What type of food and beverage will be served?
- What kind of décor and entertainment will you have?
- Who will your audience be?
- How will you reach them?
5. Create a production guide.
- Develop a list of tasks requiring completion indicating who will do them and when.
- Develop communication and reporting processes to make sure everyone stays in the loop on progress or areas of concern.
- Develop a contingency plan! What happens if a speaker doesn’t show up? or the weather doesn’t cooperate? Be prepared with ‘Plan B’ (and C)
6. Formalize a wrap-up and evaluation process.
- Be sure to have ways to capture participants, organizers and vendors comments to help measure your success and / or improve on future events. And review this information!
- Make sure follow-up items are taken care of and acknowledgements and thank you’s are given as appropriate.
7. Celebrate your hard work and accomplishments!
Though event planning requires an abundance of organizational skills and energy, if done well, it can be a lot of fun for everyone involved and have a long-lasting beneficial impact.
Future articles of (name of newsletter), will provide more ‘how to’ tips on topics such as site selection, food and beverage considerations, negotiating contracts, and event marketing to help you make your next community event a outstanding success.
