Planning an event can be a tough task, especially when you don’t have the experience and a concrete strategy. The whole process requires meticulous preparation, great attention-to-detail, and a hands-on approach. A simple mistake and your event becomes a major flop. You don’t want that to happen, at least not when you’ve invested a lot of money and time in planning your event. We’re going to save you the headache that comes with event planning by sharing simple steps on how to plan an event.
Define your Event Purpose and Goals
It may seem pretty obvious but it’s important to establish your goals and objectives for planning an event before you start making any plans. Do you want to celebrate an occasion, educate participants, express gratitude to partners, fundraise, raise awareness for a cause, or offer guests aesthetic pleasure? Such prompts will help you to get narrow as possible and optimize every aspect of the event for success. Your purpose in planning the event will inform aspects such as venue selection, timing, catering, marketing, and role distribution. Understanding your objectives will help with setting achievable goals.
Draft yourBudget
Budgeting is probably the most important component of planning an event. Without a budget, great ideas will not see the light of the day. Ensure you reflect all tasks in your budget and have a reserve in case of unforeseeable situations. Most importantly, find ways to keep costs low.
Distribute Roles
It’s important to allocate responsibilities to different team members throughout all the stages of the event. Role distribution helps to create accountability and efficiency.
Set the Date and Venue
You will want to set a date and venue that is convenient for your targeted audience to increase attendance. Choose a date when most people are likely to be free while keeping into consideration things like holidays, weather patterns, and availability of key participants. Check your community’s calendar to establish if there are other events that may be running concurrently and tweak your date accordingly. Pick a venue that is easily accessible, spacious enough to accommodate all guests and should have ample parking space.
Brand your Event
You want your event to stand out and create the intended impression to the targeted audience. This is where branding comes into play. Choose a captivating theme, name, tagline, and logo that will represent your event.
Market and Advertise your Event
There is no point in having an impeccably planned event and have a handful of people attending. You’ll need to get the word out there and encourage your target audience to participate. Consider both online and offline publicity to encourage participation. You can use posters, social media, email blasts, and press connections to inform your audience about the event.
You can also consider engaging with potential partners and sponsors and increase the exposure of your event. However, keep in mind that sponsors will come on board if they are going to benefit from the event.
These are the basic and effective steps in planning an event. Whatever event you’re planning, stays focused, give attention to all details, and your event will be a huge success.