Planning an event is no walk in the park. There are lot of variables to worry about and a lot of duties to fulfil. Among all these chaos, it’s pretty easy to lose one’s way and end up eventually in c complete mess.
There is a system for everything, a roundabout and organised way to go about doing these tasks so that the person or the team organising the event don’t end up in utter anarchy. In almost there are three most important aspects that the managing must look out for. They are:
- Marketing campaigns
- A Venue
- Sponsors
We will discuss all of the above points in details along with a few more tips which are equally important.
Creating a Committee
Planning an event solo is just not possible. It’s a whole lot of pressure for one single person to handle alone. Crete a committee of 4 to 5 members and distribute the workload equally among them. Maintain a chart to keep a record of the duties assigned to each individual and also include a checkbox to record the completion of those tasks in a given time. This is a first step for an organised workflow.
Brainstorming for Ideas
Find a quiet place and relax with your team member or just with yourself. Grab some writing materials and jot down every possible idea that pops up in your head regarding how the event should progress. Write them down. First collect enough ideas, and then filter out the necessary and viable ones. Try a videoconference if you’re not able to gather all the committee members in one place. Discuss the options and ways to go about a particular task, one topic at a time.
A popular method is known as “mind mapping”. In this process the thinker has to concentrate on a single concept to explore. Next, map out the thoughts in small bubbles close to the central topic. Then go about joining the different thought bubbles to the central ideas and among themselves as per their importance. It’s an excellent way to arrange your thoughts. The advantage of this process is that the viable ideas are readily available for discussion, and one doesn’t have to search thorough a pile of papers to find that missing link in the chain.
Including a variety of media to your brainstorming is also very helpful as it gives an idea about the future reference material you may need in your events. Search the net for reference materials related to your event and start collecting and arranging them. Very soon you will end up with an array of pictures and other media content alongside your thought bubbles. A graphic representation is always helpful as it helps to better understand a particular situation.
After brainstorming comes the question to apply these in proper places. Now we will discuss the points required to organise an event. Brainstorming provides the ideas. Implementing those ideas into your events and executing it is the real challenge.
Event Management and Organisation
- Finding a proper and appropriate venue for your event is the most important aspect of a planner. Don’t publicize the date and venue before checking with the respective authorities about the availability of the place.
- Define a game plan and stick to it. There must be a goal which you intend to achieve through this event or you intend to spread the awareness about something. Decide is and stick to it. All your event ideas should be directly or indirectly linked to this game plan.
- The invitation is the first thing that people of the event will se. In other words, it will represent your event to event goers. Hence, it should be nothing short of perfect and should not be neglected. The invite should consist all possible details, starting from who are invited to what the event is about, where it is taking place (make sure to include the street address) and directions regarding how to get there, the time the event will take place and the duration, the purpose of the event, parking information and finally a suggested attire to be worn at the event.
- Be smart and organised. Organisation is a key factor in event managements. Maintain an excel spread sheet to keep track of the different personnel attending the event. It will be easier to issue required items like name badges, thank you cards and many more.
- Be observant to minute details. Do not plan your event on a religious holiday and be careful to dietary preferences. Keep a variety of options open to choose from. Regarding food, try to maintain both veg and non-veg food categories for the invitees.
- Try to stay in communication with your guests throughout the event. Give them a prior call to confirm their attendance and send a note of letter, thanking them for attending the process.
- Make a list of equipment that you intend to employ in the event, such as, speakers, projectors, video cameras, microphones, etc. Hire a professional to carry out the task smoothly.
- Gather sponsors and review their contract before signing. These events have a tendency to go over budgets. Try to come in lower than your intended budget. Don’t be afraid to negotiate with other caterers, florists, decoration companies etc.
- Anything can go wrong. Always have a backup plan for every aspect of the event. Have a first aid service ready in case something goes wrong. Take weather conditions into consideration. If it’s going to rain, have umbrellas ready on-hand if guests are walking from one point to the next.
Reference and Alert for Such Conferences
AllConferenceAlert.com provides the user with a huge number venues and events to choose from all around the world. The website lists the various conferences in progress. An individual may visit any such events to witness first-hand how these things are held and gather tips if they wish to host them oneself. Otherwise they may just visit the conference for the sheer interest in the field to gain some knowledge first-hand.
