Event Planning - Event Management Checklist (Part I)
- Pro-Branding
- 23 hours ago
- 4 min read
“For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned.”
Anonymous
This blog provides a comprehensive checklist for every event you organize. It ensures that no details are overlooked and everything is properly arranged. Each of these topics will be explored in greater depth in subsequent chapters of this blog.
1. Establish Goals and Objectives for Your Event Series or Individual Event
Are you aiming for the event to serve as your primary source of income? Alternatively, is your goal for the event to direct customers to your business? Or do you intend for the event to be solely a social gathering?
While it may be tempting to agree to all the aforementioned points, it is essential to determine your most critical objective. This will enable you to concentrate your planning, budgeting, and strategic efforts on attaining that specific goal.
2. Excellent Event Concept
An event concept extends beyond merely organizing a workshop or a hike. Consider an event as a small-scale enterprise that requires a concise business plan.
An effective event concept should be designed to attract attendees and incorporate organic promotion strategies. Additionally, the event should meet other objectives, such as generating revenue.
Furthermore, when organizing an event, it is essential to assess the costs and effort necessary to deliver the event with adequate quality. Should the required effort or budget exceed the event's potential benefits, it may be necessary to reevaluate and modify the event concept to achieve a more favorable outcome or to simplify the execution without sacrificing quality.
3. Event Series Name and Branding
It is important for your event series to have a distinct name, in addition to the titles of individual events, to strengthen your branding efforts. The name of the event series can incorporate your company name or be identical to it. For instance, given that my website is named Problemio.com, I might name my events Problemio Business Events.
This strategy enhances the ability of individuals to recall and recognize your events and business. While an event may seem memorable to you, it is important to remember that people have busy lives and may forget. However, if your logo, a distinctive and memorable event name, or your company's name frequently appear, this consistent branding aids in event recall. This can be the decisive factor in whether an attendee returns or not.
4. Establish an Event Date
Initially, establish a clearly defined event date that does not coincide with major global events such as the Super Bowl, Christmas, the Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, or long holiday weekends when individuals may be traveling. Avoid scheduling conflicts that could divert attention and attendance from your event.
This principle is also relevant to the timing of your event. For instance, the National Hockey League originally planned one of its playoff games on the same day as the final episode of Game of Thrones. Recognizing the potential loss of viewers to Game of Thrones, the National Hockey League astutely adjusted the game's start time to earlier in the day to circumvent the scheduling conflict.
When scheduling your event, it is crucial to ensure that local sports teams do not have a home game or are not participating in the playoffs, and that no other major local events are taking place. Although this may seem excessively cautious, these events will compete for attention with your own, and planning accordingly can significantly impact your event's success.
5. Venue
Most events require a designated venue. While I have organized events in parks without the need to reserve a specific event space, the majority of events necessitate booking a location that can accommodate all attendees.
It is essential to either identify opportunities to secure complimentary event space or ensure that there is an adequate budget allocated for venue rental. Often, the venue represents the most significant expense in hosting an event, making this a considerable challenge.
It is essential to ensure that attendees can easily access the venue, comprehend carpooling and parking options, enter without encountering long queues at the entrance, and be comfortably seated upon arrival.
Securing an organization to donate their space for your event is an excellent strategy to acquire your first sponsor without requiring a financial commitment from them or incurring venue costs for yourself.
6. Assemble a Team
For certain events, particularly when you are just beginning and the events are small in scale, it may be possible for you to organize them independently.
For events with 30 to 50 or more attendees, it is beneficial to employ additional staff to address inquiries, manage organizational details, and contribute specialized skills such as video recording or photography, which can enhance the event's value. These staff members can also facilitate check-in processes, assist with merchandise tables, and ensure attendees are seated and directed appropriately. Furthermore, staff can support marketing efforts, including social media management, publicity, SEO, and other promotional activities.
Even during my hiking events, which lacked a formal venue, guest speakers, and video recording, additional staff was necessary. If I led the hike and walked ahead of the group, there would be no one available to assist those who fell behind, became injured, or needed extra personalized attention. Thus, having additional staff is crucial for ensuring the smooth operation of even the simplest events.
7. Speakers, Presenters, and Activities
Engage speakers, educators, guides, or entertainers who will serve as the main attractions of the events. It is essential to conduct preliminary meetings with them to ensure they are well-prepared to deliver an engaging presentation that enhances the attendees' experience. Although they may possess expertise in their respective fields, they might not be skilled presenters or easily comprehensible. Effective presentation skills are crucial for captivating an audience. Ensure that they can deliver their content proficiently, as an inadequate presentation could lead to attendee dissatisfaction and discourage future participation.
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