Planning for the Success of An Event

Successful Event Planning

A successful event starts with strategic planning and is dependent on the ability to anticipate obstacles. Because there are always obstacles.

If you are going to work with an event planning company, you need to interview them first. You want to know they’re going to be a good fit for your corporate culture or personality. And you want to ensure they can get the job done.

So how can you determine whether an event planning company is right for you?

Start with what they’ve done in the past. Ask them for case studies of successful events they have planned and executed. Give them as much information about your event as you can and ask them to identify strategies that they believe will make or break your party.  Be up front about your budget and ask them to give you ideas that will work for the money you have. Look for the most innovative event you can get within your price range.

If your event needs advertising and promotion or media relations, ask the event planner if they can or if they have a supplier who can provide these services and what the cost is.

Once you’ve chosen your event or party planning company, you will need to determine the following:

Attendance

Assess how many people are appropriate for your event and the venue you choose. Present your guest list to the event planning company and make sure to notify them with any changes as soon as possible. Your check-in staff should mark off all of the people that attend so you know who was there. If your event is in a public space, consider having someone with a hand counter at the entrance.

Corporate Events Guest List

Corporate guest lists are one of the most difficult lists to produce. They need careful consideration and you don’t want to miss any suppliers, dealers, partners or affiliates. Ask your event planner if they can help you with the list – and budget a good amount of time. Inevitably, the guest list is worked and re-worked a number of times.  Then make sure you have all the right approvals from anyone with a vested interest in the guest list.

Event Layout & Flow

Make certain that the layout for the venue is easy for guests to move around in. The plan should allow an unobstructed flow throughout the event and the easy move of people. If your event is leading up to something specific, make sure your floor plan supports it. Look for possible bottlenecks and blockages at every turn. You may need to redesign your space several times – but it’s better to do it in advance than in response to a crisis on the day.

Food & Drink

One of the most important aspects of any event is the food and drink.  The menu and food quality are extremely important and should be appropriate for the time of day and type of event.  Ask your planner to present you with two or three menu options to choose from — and be sure to ask them why they’ve chosen them. You want your event planner to have carefully considered the specific needs of your event — and not simply present you with one of the standard menus they present to all clients regardless of the event. A really good planner can make great suggestions you might never have considered. Let them.

Your event planner should be able to provide a taste test for food, wine and cocktails. That will allow you to ensure you are serving your guests exactly what you want. Speaking of cocktails, ask for bartenders who will monitor guests for those who drink too much. Be sure to offer taxi chits, hotel rooms or other types of assistance for those who overindulge. Ask your party planner to provide a menu of exotic non alcoholic drinks and coffees that can be served towards the end of the evening as well.

Staffing

Be sure to talk about staffing requirements.  Will you need security?  Valet parking? Of course, adequate and appropriate catering staff is essential.  If gift bags are a component of your event, who will distribute them?  Is there an auction component to your event?  If so, you’ll need an auctioneer.  Greeting staff should be capable of collecting/distributing tickets and be provided with a seating plan to ensure all your guests know exactly where they’re going. You planner will help you determine your staffing needs. Nothing kills an event like under or inappropriate staffing.

Venue

Think about location and ambiance. Ask your event planner to recommend several venue options and visit them to assess for yourself if they will be suitable for your event.  Assess the space for logistics but also see how pleasant the venue staff is to deal with. You want to ensure your guests will be well taken care of by everyone, and that includes those who work at the location of your event.

Guest Experience

If your event is to highlight a product or brand, your guests need to be able to interact with the product and connect with the brand.  In fact, this may be the most important thing you must think through when organizing a product launch. How and when your guests have a chance to interact with the product will determine if and how a lasting and positive impression is created. A great planner can be invaluable in helping  you work this out.

Budget

When planning, be specific and stick to your budget– but do consider additional options based on your planner’s experience.  You’re better to add every line item you can think of and then trim the based on thoughtful consideration rather than having to suddenly add budget items in at the last moment. After your event, take an accounting.  Did you come under budget or go over budget — and what were the reasons for why you did or didn’t?

Overall Production

Consider production.  Are you having speakers or entertainment? Events need a production plan so that all flows smoothly.  The event planning company you are working with should have a preferred vendors list for any services and supplies they don’t handle in house. Their own production team should be clear on expectations and deliverables.

Press Coverage

Are you looking for press coverage for your event? Your events company may well have a great pr firm that can help you achieve your objectives. Certainly we do. Media advisories, social media campaigns, and art (b-roll, video and photos) are just some of what a good PR firm can help you create or source.  If getting media attention is important, you will want to involve the pr agency as quickly as possible. They may have insight into days and times of day that will be preferable for your event over others.

Photos and Video

You may wish to hire a photographer (and possibly a videographer) to document the event.  Photographs are a useful tool enabling you to review the event and evaluate its success. Also, they are powerful storytelling tools on websites and in newsletters, etc. Great photographs or video sent from an event to a media outlet can get pick up even if the outlet has not sent a reporter.

Keep in mind:

Nobody is perfect. Things happen. Your event planning company’s job is to control what they can – but sometimes, there are simply things beyond their control. Talk to your even planner about their contingency plans. Ask them the types of on the day emergencies they might expect to encounter and how they would handle them.  Chances are they have seen it all before!

Ask to be provided with a timeline.  This document creates a process for the planning of your event and will minimize the possibility of things going wrong. This will ensure that the event planner you are working with has systems in place to minimize errors.

There are thousands of details that will go into the planning of your event. Depending on what it is, it could take dozens, hundreds or even thousands of hours of event planning to bring it all together perfectly. The right event planning company will make all the difference in the world.

Some Post Event Benchmarks For Success:

1. Capacity of space versus projected attendance and flow.
2. Targeted guest list of opinion leaders, tastemakers.  Did you invite too many people or not enough? How was the turnout?
3. Successful celebrity wrangling.
4. Great post event press coverage.
5. Were the proper permits obtained for rearranging the furniture if being held in a public space and was all in accordance with fire codes.
6. Was the number of staff sufficient for your gathering? If security was planned, did they do their job?
7. Was the catering planned for the perfect amount of food and drink?
8. Did your guests compliment you on the choice of food and drinks?
9. Were guests interacting with activations and displays for your branding event?  If you had giveaways were guests excited about receiving these?
10. Did the entrance work well with a well organized red carpet area if that was required and were VIPs escorted for photo opportunities?
11. Check in area:  was it well staffed and order maintained? No gate crashers?
12. Did you need to extend the event and was your event planner able to do so and still work within your budget?

Ultimately with any event you want your guests to come away with an a great experience that leaves them feeling .  Events should come together with the appearance of ease of process—in other words all the hard work should be invisible.  Great events planning and planners will keep all the drama behind the scene.