Events are meant to bring people together. Oftentimes, people come to events to either meet people with similar interests or enjoy the company of other people. Sometimes, people come to events to learn something new or to help a cause. Regardless of why people come to events, there are MANY components that go into planning these successful events.

Because there are so many components, it can be daunting to try to manage all of them. If you are trying to manage an event successfully, there could be many questions you are asking yourself. How far in advance should I plan my event? How do I negotiate with vendors? Who should I invite to speak? How do I invite someone to be a speaker? This may be scary, but fear not! Keep reading to find out the answers to these common questions about event management.

How Early Should I Start Planning?

This depends on what you are doing at your event and how large the event will be. It is standard to start planning 4–6 months before the date of the event. Some say that small events only require 1 month of planning before the event, but that could be cutting it too close. 4–6 months before an event is plenty of time to create the schedule of your event, find the perfect vendors, choose the best volunteers, and market your event to potential attendees.

What is the First Step in Planning an Event?

The first step in planning any event is identifying what your goals and objectives are for the event. Is your goal to raise money? Are you trying to raise awareness? Do you want to entertain the community? Once you identify what goals and objectives you have for the event, managing the process becomes much easier.

How Many People Should be on an Event Planning Team?

Again, this depends on how large the event is. If you plan on having a larger event, you will probably want more help planning the event. There are several areas of event planning that you can delegate to other people. These include (but are not limited to):

• Entertainment
• Venue Management
• Publicity
• Speakers
• Volunteer Management
• Sponsors

Having people to help with these areas of event planning will make event management much more efficient.

How do I Brand an Event?

Branding your event is very important to let attendees know what to expect at your event. It also helps to build anticipation for the event, therefore encouraging more people to show up. When creating a brand for your event, you first need to create an event name that reflects what the event is about. Once you create an event name, the next step is to create a tagline that people will remember. After creating a catchy tagline, you then need to create your logo and establish your visual identity. Your visual identity is the colors, voice, tone, graphics, story, and other thematic elements. The goal is to create a memorable experience for your attendees.

What is an Event Master Plan?

An Event Master Plan is defined as “a guide for all components of your event”. One way to create smart goals for your event master plan is to remember the acronym “SMART”. Your goals in your event master plan should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timebound. Another useful strategy when creating your event master plan is to work backward. Establish what the end of the event should look like, then plan how to get to that point.

What Elements should be in my Event Master Plan?

Below is a list of things that should be included in your Event Master Plan:

• Event Goals and Objectives
• Individual Goals and Responsibilities (for your planning team)
• Volunteers and Volunteer Training
• Budget
• Date of Event
• Location of Event
• Event Software
• Special Guests and Speakers
• Sponsorships and Partnerships
• Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations, and Promotional Plan

Your event may have more elements than these, or it may have less. These are just a few of the many elements to consider for your plan.

How do I find Special Guests and Sponsors for my Event?

There are several ways to go about doing this. Thanks to the internet, finding people is now easier than ever. One way to find a special guest or speaker is to use social media. LinkedIn is a great tool to find people who share similar interests. If your event’s purpose is to raise awareness, find a person on LinkedIn who is interested in this certain cause. You can also reach out to your current network, your local Chamber of Commerce, or review events you had in the past. Networking helps find people who not only share similar interests with you but also care about the goals and objectives of your event. When it comes to finding sponsors, reaching out to people in your community is a great way to find potential sponsors. Establishing how a person or business will benefit from being a sponsor is key to gaining sponsorships for your event.

What type of Technology should I use at my Event?

Again, this depends on what type of event you are planning. If you are planning an event with the purpose of entertainment, you likely need more lights and speakers. Having appropriate AV (Audio Visual) is crucial to having a successful event. Determining what type of software you need is also important for an event. Some types of software that can be worthwhile to have include registration, ticketing, an event website, and lead-tracking solutions. Again, choosing the right software depends on how large your event is and what the goals of your event are.

How do I Promote my Event?

When creating a plan for your marketing, you need to identify key objectives and ways to measure your success. Your marketing plan should also meet the needs of the attendees and also meet the goals and objectives of your event. Creating a marketing landing page, email campaigns, or social media pages can help your marketing efforts. When it comes to advertising your event, you need to make sure the right people know about the event. Use information about your audience to figure out what channels to focus your efforts through. For example, if you are trying to reach a younger audience, social media would be a great way to reach them. Do not limit yourself to just social media and emails! News stations, print media, and radio are all great ways to let people know about your event.

What Should I Do Before My Event Starts?

After your event is all planned, it is important to do a mental run-through with your team two weeks before your event starts. Walk through each step of the event, from setting up to cleaning up. Use this as an opportunity to identify any potential problems. Make sure you also do a mental run-through 48 hours before the event as well.

Event Management has many different components from identifying objectives, finding guest speakers, collaborating with sponsors, and event promotion. If you need any assistance with event management or event marketing, feel free to contact us at 330–234–9396, or email us at info@marqueecreatives.com.