7 Event Planning Tips
Planning and running a successful live event does not have to be complicated. It doesn’t have to break the bank, stress everyone out, and cause you to collapse when it’s over. With a solid strategy, thoughtful planning, a focus on the over all experience and an amazing vendor team to support your goals, your event can stand out and be talked about by your guests for years to come.
We’ve put together a list of 7 tips and best practices we have gathered from working with our clients to plan and produce events over the last 10 years.
1. Define your purpose
This is the place to start. Before you look for any inspiration, clearly define your purpose for the event and the expected outcome.
Here are some examples:
- To raise money for your non-profit
- To educate your audience
- To provide entertainment
- To launch a new product or initiative
2. Your Three Words
Once you know why you are hosting this event, summarize it in three words. These are your guideposts along the way, as you are making every decision.
Is your event going to be casual, fun, and thoughtful? These are great words to describe a company party or fundraiser. A professional, informative, and inviting event would be more buttoned up like a conference or trade show. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun and casual too!
3. Prioritize the Audience Experience
Throughout every step of the planning process, make sure you are thinking about the audience experience. How will the event transition from one moment to another? How will your attendees move through out the space? What signage and collateral will be needed to help the navigate your event?
Don’t put yourself first but put yourself in your attendees shoes, and visualize the event from their position.
4. Foresight Is Key
One of the biggest event planning mistakes is underestimating how long it will to take to pull it all together. The farther out you can start, the less rushed you will feel and the more enjoyable the process will be. Having time to think about your ideas before you execute them is key. Working with other professionals will help you make sure you don’t miss anything.
5. Create a Master Plan
Start with the big things such as identifying your talent, booking the venue, and securing the date and time. Then create your plan, adding in the smaller details along the way. We recommend starting at the end and working your way backwards. Don’t forget to plan things like payment, marketing initiatives, refreshments, and event design.
6. Keep It Simple
As you begin to make decisions, refer back to your 3 words. Every decision made should reflect your 3 words. If it doesn’t – then don’t do it! It will only add stress, and our goal is to make smart decisions. It’s the little things, simple moments, and subtle hints that create an amazing experience.
7. Enjoy the Moment
Regardless of what type of event you are hosting, take a moment to step back and enjoy what you created. Work smart leading up to the event, have as much as possible done ahead of time, and don’t forget to train and set expectations for anyone who is helping. You want to set your self up for success and work to minimize the number of hiccups during the event. Trust us, there will be hiccups but you got this!
