Event Management can be super stressful to people new to the space, so we have compiled the top 10 things any event management team (or anyone planning an event) needs to do before the big day!
It is also important to remember that whilst your event can range from a small workshop to a gala fundraising event, this checklist is the perfect place for you to start your planning.
- Define your goals and objectives
First, the most successful events have one thing in common; they have clear event goals and objectives.
Before crafting the event’s specific goals and objectives, consider the big-picture purpose guiding the business decisions.
Objectives are generally more specific than goals and should be written in detail to define the measurable results your event will produce.
Specific goals and objectives make it easier to determine which event metrics are most important for measuring success.
- Create a budget
A well-planned budget takes time to create and manage, but it can mean the difference between success and failure.
Your budget will be the detailed forecast of what will be happening financially at your event, including all the costs you may incur to execute the event.
Having a budget will help control your expenses and revenues and measure your event performance’s success.
Once you’ve developed a budget, you’ll have to track and review it regularly to ensure you stay within the allocated resources.
- Select an event date
Selecting an event date can be a lot more work than you might think, and that comes from the fact some periods of the year are more event heavy than others.
When choosing a date and time, most businesses make decisions based on venue availability, travel time, length of the presentation, and relevant holidays.
The consequences of a wrong event date just mean that your event won’t have the best attendance.
- Select a venue
The proper venue ensures that your event will be executed in a way that excites your guest and enhances the whole experience.
A suitable venue can make planning a lot easier as most platforms have packages you can choose from. This helps provide all the “extras” you may or may not have thought of to make a lasting impression – from event styling and catering to connecting you to other vendors who can assist in bringing your event to life.
- Create event branding and start publicity
Event branding is crucial to marketing and creating a successful event as it creates the event’s personality and gives your guests an insight into what to expect. But, it’s also more than just a logo.
It is the first thing that will catch the attention of all potential sponsors, speakers and influential guests.
To create a lasting brand identity, you need to understand your target audience; this will help you sell the experiences, generate content and make all the right connections.
Most importantly, keep in mind that when you come up with your brand’s identity, it’s crucial to keep it consistent across all the marketing material. This will help build trust and make your events more recognisable and memorable.
- Secure sponsorship and speakers
Event sponsorship is an excellent way of increasing a brand’s visibility, and connecting with the right sponsor tells prospective clients, competitors, and future stakeholders that your event is credible.
Through different sponsorship levels, packages can be carefully tailored to suit your brand’s specific needs ensuring you maximise every opportunity the partnership brings.
Sponsorships should mutually benefit both parties, so you must consider what you can offer in return for the support.
Events allow sponsors to network with new businesses and create new relationships and opportunities to showcase their brand.
Remember that sponsorships don’t always have to be at a financial capacity; they can be products, vouchers, and any other thing you deem valuable to your event.
- Launch Ticket sales
There are a few things you need to consider before and during your ticket launch and you must have a ticketing sales strategy.
Things to consider are what kind of tickets are you offering; Early bird, first release tickets, online tickets, hardcopy tickets etc. AND then you should also consider what these tickets will cost the customer; Is pre-sale cheaper? Are online and at-door purchases the same? Are there concession/student prices?
It may be worthwhile to team up with a ticketing platform to help you make those choices. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice from professionals.
- Coordinate with Event suppliers
When you’ve been planning and executing events as long as we have, you quickly realise the importance of building and maintaining good relationships with clients and sponsors and with event suppliers.
Running an event without suppliers is almost impossible, and you will rarely have all the products and services required for your circumstances.
As a planner, it also takes a load off your shoulders when you have experts to lean on.
Event management is an industry built on collaborations and partnerships.
It’s good to have people you know and trust to deliver on the promises they make.
- Manage set-up and execution
Event execution is just as important as all the steps mentioned above because it is the only way to measure and optimise your events program’s effectiveness.
Managing the event set-up and execution is highly dependent on the event management companies resourcing and staffing.
The success of an event can be the difference between a retainer client and constantly chasing down work.
- Conduct post-event analysis
Through post-event analysis reports, you can understand the impact your event has had.
Evaluations provide concrete examples of success and challenges your event may have faced and what you can do to improve for the next event.
Data from these evaluations can justify support and give potential sponsors an idea of what attendees will experience at your event.
I hope you found our list helpful in getting started with event planning, but if you still feel like you need help with planning your event, get in contact with the MCO team today! Email us at enquiries@mcoevents.com.au