Event Planning 101

by | Event Planning, Time Management, Virtual Assistant

Event Planning

Plan An Event That Sparkles Like Sunshine Every Single Time!

Thinking about hosting an event for your business in 2020?

Event planning can sound like a big task, but if it’s done well it can run like clockwork and be a huge success. Planning keeps you on track with your end goal, ensuring you’ve covered all the bases. So you can create an amazing, successful, memorable experience for all involved. Events can be tricky if you haven’t organised one before.  So we’ll share some basic ideas with you on what to do. How to do it, and who to call on when you need some advice.

 

To be clear, we’re not an events company! Streamlined Organising helps organise many events every year.  For several years we’ve provided quality, streamlined event support for multiple clients. And, of course, we organise our own events too. We love attending events too!

So as a bit of an event connoisseur, I’ll share with you the secret to a successful event from an administrative perspective. Wait for it…it’s this simple. The key is all in the planning.

Here are a few things to consider when you’re event planning:

 

Write it down

First, I would suggest you create a procedure document. So you can be clear on the process of your event and include your goals and tasks as well.

Event planning shouldn’t be done a few days beforehand. It needs to be planned as part of your annual marketing and sales strategy. There are many things to book and plan for an annual event including premises, marketing and of course the sales aspect.

 

What’s the purpose of the event?

Why are you having the event? Is it to say thank you to clients and suppliers for a great year? Maybe it’s for a birthday or anniversary of your business? Or possibly a Sales and Marketing event to get more people to know about your products and services? Decide on your WHY first to give you clarity. Create some goals around the event. Decide what you want to achieve. Being able to measure will help you decide on the success of the event and how and what you would change for the next one.

 

Event Date:

What date is your event to be held on?  What day of the week works best for this type of event? Consider public holidays and school holidays. Also, if you want to invite politicians, be sure to look at sitting dates for Parliament: https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Pages/sitting-day-calendar.aspx

Event Type:

Do you know the style of the event you’d like to hold?

  • A cocktail party?
  • Possibly a sit-down gala dinner?
  • A launch or opening?
  • A sales meeting?
  • Or maybe a workshop?

All of these examples are very different and need very unique considerations when planning.

 

Venue hire

Where do you plan to hold your event? This will depend on how many people you would like to invite and attend and what sort of event you would like to hold. Eyob from Icon Corporate Events, says:

Depending on your event you need to book the venue anywhere from 8 weeks to 6 months out from the date you wish to hold the event.

We work with Eyob on numerous events, and he provides great advice.

 

Do you need to speak to an event organiser? 

Make sure you receive a referral or recommendation for a reputable event company. Always ask if they have personally used them before. Event companies will plan different types of events for different types of businesses.  If you’re unsure whether to hire an events company or DIY, here’s a great blog from Celia at Events Outsourced. 

 

To MC or not to MC?

Okay so now you’ve picked the venue, the date, and you know what type of event you’d like. It’s now time to think about the content for the event. What topic do you want to present on? Who will be speaking? Who will MC the event? An MC will make or break an event. If it’s appropriate to do so, have someone who’s funny (yet politically correct). People will laugh and relax and listen more carefully. If the speaker or MC is boring then you will lose your audience.

 

Your VIP list:

Who’s your target audience for this event? You’d need to reflect back on your ‘why’ and your goals to decide on who to invite. In our experience, phone calls and personal emails are best for business event invitations. Using an interactive Invitation works well too, check out Paperless Post for some inspiration.

Marketing the Event:

Things to think about:

  • Social media
  • Media release
  • Website advertising
  • Registration of the event
    • Will you charge or is this a free event?
    • How will you register people?
  • Flyers to hand out to advertise the event
  • Partnerships to help get the word out there
  • Sponsors/hosts to help with costs

 

What do you need on the event day?

Have a think about what you need on D-Day and who can supply this to you:

Possible suppliers:
  • Florist
  • Photographer
  • Videographer
  • Audio Visual (eg T.V’s, projector functionality and screen)
  • MC
  • Prizes
  • Food and beverage catering
  • Branded Gifts for the tables
  • Marketing materials (eg Banners, flyers)
  • Music (eg DJ, Band, Grand Piano and musician)

After the event

Don’t hang up your coat just yet! After the event, you’ll need to follow up with your Guests.

What’s the best way to do this? Consider:

  • Email (Make sure you keep all their details so you can contact them)
  • Phone calls
  • Social Media
  • Survey

 

Congratulations! You now have all the knowledge to go forth and create a successful and memorable event!

I would like to thank Celia from Events Outsourced for her very valuable input into this blog.

For event support, general administrative support or to chat with me about how to implement these great tips and tricks please visit Streamlined Organising or call us. You’ll find our details on our website.