What is Event Management?
Event planning includes responsibilities at all stages of the event cycle, such as event marketing, event sponsors, venue sourcing, event branding, and the creation of an event website.
5 STAGES OF EVENT PLANNING
| 1. | Research and Goal Setting |
| 2. | Design the Event |
| 3. | Brand the Event |
| 4. | Coordination and Day-Of Planning |
| 5. | Evaluate the Event |
Event Management is Event Planning
Event planning is commonly referred to by many various terms. Some event planners are known as administrative assistants, others as event coordinators, and yet others as event managers. What do these titles all share in common? Individuals participate in the event planning process. All events, whether internal or external, huge or small, must be organized.
What is Online Event Management?
Organizing a virtual event requires the same amount of time and effort as planning a physical or hybrid event. In recent months, we’ve had to modify event programming to include these new event types, which has added a learning curve for event planners as they gain experience with virtual event planning.
There are numerous considerations to examine while organizing a virtual event. Will this material translate effectively to a virtual environment? Are my speakers prepared for virtual presentations? How will I provide my sponsors with the same value as at my in-person event? How long should each of my sessions be?
Lastly, what technologies should we employ to facilitate this event? The use of technology or a virtual event platform, such as the Virtual Attendee Hub, facilitates the organization of a virtual event. Using virtual event technology, you can plan more efficiently.
The virtual Event Planning Checklist provides additional information on virtual event planning.
How to Plan a Function
Not certain how to arrange an event or where to begin? If your manager recently gave you an event to prepare or you are just entering the field, there are a few fundamentals to consider while organizing an event.
The most essential fact to understand is that no two events are identical, much like snowflakes. Each is unique and has its own purpose. From event kind to event size, an infinite number of variables distinguish one event from another.
The event planning template provided below serves as a starting point. It does not cover everything – no single handbook could – but it will provide the essentials.
Creating the Ideal Event
It begins easily. A concept. A plan. A goal. Your event’s aim determines its content, speakers, and location from the outset. It is a crucial first stage in the event management planning process.
Procedure for Event Management Planning
Which Event Kind Are You Planning?
Let’s start basic. Are you planning an event for an internal or external audience? An internal event is one held for personnel within your firm. This event could be a celebration of appreciation, a holiday party, training, or a team-building activity, among other things. An external event is one that seeks to register guests from outside the organization.
Determine whether it is a social gathering, a networking event, a conference, etc. Start with an excellent plan for event management. What type of event is it? In-person, online, or a combination? This will have an effect on the event’s objectives and planning process.
Describe Event Purpose
Every occurrence has a purpose. If you don’t know yours before you start planning, you’re off to a bad start. Why are you hosting this gathering? Is the objective to produce revenue? To introduce a product? To instruct? The event’s planning, promotion, and execution are guided by its objective.
Determine Event Size and Duration
How many participants will be in attendance?
How long will the event last? Consider the event’s goal and budget while making a decision. More attendees necessitate a larger venue or a more expensive virtual technology tool, but may also result in a greater return on investment.
The length of the event is typically decided by the type of event you are hosting. If this is the first year of the conference, you may like to hold a two-day event as opposed to a three-day event in order to gauge the level of interest.
Make a Budget
No one enjoys discussing money. Yet establishing a budget for an event is essential, and all parties must be on the same page. Decide or finalize the budget for the event as soon as you begin planning. The venue, catering, technology, and entertainment are expensive. There is a lot to budget for (perhaps more than you think), and starting with a clear budget for the event can make planning easier.
Check out Meeting and Event Budgeting Made Simple for some budgeting advice. Some items are more expensive than you may expect. For instance, coffee. Check out Budgeting: Coffee Consumption Estimation. Consider strategies to include event sponsors in the event.
Meeting and Event Budgeting Made Easy
The event budget is one of the most scrutinized components of any planning process following the event itself. Not everyone understands what a successful event entails or how to calculate the return on investment (ROI), but everyone understands money.
Regardless of the size of your event budget, it is essential to know where every dollar is going. You are making things more complicated than they need to be if you cannot easily track your event’s budget and use spending data to evaluate an event’s efficacy and improve year over year.
Event Tech and Event Budget
Technology has made event budget tracking simpler than with pen and paper or a formula-heavy Excel spreadsheet. There are a variety of tools, ranging from the Expensify App to more complex budget monitoring solutions, that make gathering, recording, and evaluating event expenditures significantly simpler.
Wondering whether your go-to florist is increasing their prices by an excessive percentage year after year? See what you were charged the previous year! Want to divide expenses into categories such as location, food, and promotion? It should be possible, and it shouldn’t require hours of digging through various Excel pages. Learn what budget tracking tools can accomplish for you by reading on.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Event planning includes responsibilities at all stages of the event cycle, such as event marketing, event sponsors, venue sourcing, event branding, and the creation of an event website.