Nibletz Staff
Everybody recognizes that running an event is a very challenging endeavor. There are so many aspects that have to come together to make the event a success. It’s no wonder that the organizers of conventions tend to be some of the most capable, (and the most stressed), people in business.
Managing a small business has been likened to organizing an event. As with events, business managers have to arrange people and processes in a way that produces a desired outcome. But there are some important difference. In business, if something goes wrong, it can always be sorted out the following day or week. But events can’t be sorted out after the fact: they have to go to plan every time. That’s why it’s essential that event organizers have a foolproof and logical methodology.
1. Set Goals
The first thing that any budding event organizer needs to think about is goals. The goals of the event should be concise and clear to anybody who does not know the finer details. If for example, you are organising an event for a charity, then make clear that the goal is fundraising. If you are a running a conference, make it clear that the goal is to facilitate the transfer of knowledge.
A less obvious consideration is whether you actually need a convention to meet your goals. It might be the case that your resources are better spent elsewhere. Perhaps an internet course, for example, would more cost-effectively deliver knowledge transfer.
2. Planning
The plan for each event can be broken down into three distinct parts. The first is logistics. Under this section, you need to work out how people will attend your event, how much food you’ll need and how much space you’ll need. For larger events, you’ll need to plan an adequate health and safety strategy.
The second is marketing. Knowing who you want to invite and why they might want to come is important. You need to have a compelling value proposition that your potential visitors can understand.
The third is financial. A financial plan will consider all of the necessary costs involved in running an event. For small events, this is usually just the cost of the room hire and food. For larger events, this might include welcome packs or other things guests might need to take away. It could also include the cost of speakers.
3. The Venue
As part of the logistic planning, you need to think about the most appropriate venue for your convention. The price of your convention will adjust depending on the venue that you choose. Remember when choosing a venue to get a shortlist of all venues that meet your basic needs. Then evaluate each individually.
Don’t just go for the lowest price. It may be that some venues are actually more conducive to meeting your goals than others. Often a great atmosphere can induce people to give more money or create a better impression among potential clients.
4. Marketing
The difference between having a successful convention and not can often come down to the quality of the marketing. Fortunately, we now have amazing online tools at our disposal that allow us to organize events cheaply and easily. Effective marketing will use online tools to target and recruit potential guests in a cost effective way.
Once your guests have arrived, it’s good to have professional materials to hand out to them. Pro printing can give your event the professional touch and help delegates learn more effectively.
5. Colleagues
In order for an event to come together seamlessly, it’s really important to make sure that everybody is on the same page. Each person in the team needs to know what they’re doing, when they’re doing it and why. This means organizing the caterers according to feeding times. It means discussing with suppliers your precise needs and timetable. And it means making sure that you hire the right speakers for the job in hand.
All too often events can be let down, not because they lack focus, but because the organizers have not communicated their objectives. Planning should start weeks in advance, and meetings should be held with staff to make sure they know exactly what they’re doing.
6.Remain Flexible
When you come to give your event, remember that things can and will probably still go wrong. That’s why it’s a good idea to adopt a flexible approach. It’s likely that unexpected and unpredictable changes to the itinerary will occur. So, building flexibility into the day will make your plan more robust. Always bear contingencies in mind.
