Nearly half of business event-goers think face-to-face interactions are more important today than in 2015. Despite this fact, many business owners tend to dodge event organizing. The price of planning an event may not seem logical to some.
There are ways to avoid event costs from ballooning out of control. Proper planning and timely execution are the themes of a successful event. You’ll need to manage things like a boss in order to make other bosses happy.
Everyone has their own tips and tricks on how to organize an event. These are the five main pillars that you should focus on.
How to Organize an Event 101
No matter what industry you’re in, event planning is going to follow the same rules. If it’s a wedding or Bar mitzvah, you’ll simply swap out “sponsors” for “bride and groom”.
1. Finalize Your Finances
Budgeting is probably the most stressful part of organizing an event. Whether it’s a big budget or small budget, you have to pay attention. Financial literacy starts with proper documentation.
You can estimate using hypotheticals as much as you want, but once it comes time to pay everyone, your numbers better add up. What we mean by this is if you don’t err on the side of surplus, then your event is going to underwhelm. You would rather make compromises and cuts before announcing event details.
Notate hard numbers from every service quote and shopping list. Allow no surprises on paper to ruin your event.
2. Nail Your Marketing
Generating excitement involves having a plan and good communication. You can place ads on Facebook or Instagram all you want, it doesn’t guarantee turnout. Preordering ticket sales is a great strategy IF you already have entertainment/amenities.
You’ll need to know your target audience, too. Give them a reason to show up beside relying purely on FOMO. An ice cream truck rental could supply the perfect reason to attend, especially if it’s scorching hot out.
Extend this concept to exclusive product demos, the promise of cool swag, a famous speaker, and etc. Draw them in with previews of what the event experience is like. Make comparisons to previous events and get the word out early.
3. Value of an Event Planner
You should consider hiring an event planner who has done event planning training if you are inexperienced or the schedule is holding you back. Yes, budgeting is important, but if you don’t pull off this event right, you’re in even more trouble. Events net tremendous value for companies.
Look at all the famous event companies out there for inspiration. These guys know how to party and how to close deals. An event planner will save you so much time, money, and sanity–you’ll feel like a superhero at the end of the day.
Not everyone has the chops or experience to handle a huge event. They’re deceptively simple from the outside, but honestly, most events struggle to get by. An event that is held together with duct tape is invisible to the average attendee if they’re entertained.
Event planners also make budgeting a little more straight-forward. You can hand down the responsibility to a team of professionals and they will handle most of the bookkeeping. They’ll also know how to negotiate better, get the best people for the job.
It is in their best interests to make your event go off without a hitch.
4. Take an Active Role
While we did advise about hiring an event planner, that doesn’t mean you can sit back and relax. If you leave things up to chance, you’ll only put off the avalanche of stress until the big day. You must be in command of this event, regardless of who’s helping.
You need to manage responsibilities, make sure the work is evenly distributed. With an event planner, you won’t need to micromanage things. As long as you don’t lose track of who’s doing what, you’re fine.
Learn to get used to being considered a nag. Check and double-check with your team every step of the way. The event planner is handling all the big projects, you should take this opportunity to check on the details.
Ask questions, talk to vendors, and get second opinions on your event ideas. Miscommunications start small, but they can snowball into huge errors by the time they become visible.
5. Expect Setbacks
Organizing events requires a lot of moving parts and reliance on others. The likelihood of delays or setbacks is almost guaranteed. How you prepare for those problems will determine your success.
You have to go into things with a positive, yet realistic attitude. This enthusiasm rubs off on your team members. Don’t get a big head about your initial plans and become resistant to feedback.
Ask yourself why you think attendees would like this? Is the investment in catering based on your preferences or do you have polling data? Did you research the venue and make sure they have all the things you need for your event?
Lastly, expect setbacks when it comes to logistics, such as traffic, parking, and scheduling conflicts. Have a Plan B when Plan A cancels late, but have a Plan C and D to make it seem like they were the real plans after all.
Against All Odds
You’ve made it to the end of the road and you’re too tired to celebrate. Congratulations on a successful event! Knowing how to organize an event comes with its perks, though.
You’ll learn how to do the next business event better, quicker, and under-budget. Eventually, you’ll have enough confidence to leave yourself some time for the afterparty. For now, take to the internet to get your first (successful) event off the ground.
LetsBeGameChangers.com has an excellent selection of articles, like this one, to help you with all aspects of event organizing. We recommend reading their social media guides to maximize your marketing potential.