2013 Planning Day Presentation by Kevin Farrell

1. Steps to Successful Event
Planning
Kevin Farrell
Director of Student Center Services
Assistant Director of Student Activities for
Programming and Leadership

2. Things to remember...
• This presentation does not share every step
required of you for SGA.
• This is strictly for event planning in a general
sense.
• I am not an expert on event planning.
• The timelines are suggested and encouraged
timelines given by the presenter.
• Discussion on event planning could take
hours… this is strictly a quick overview.

3. Why do we plan events?
• It’s fun!
• It promotes community
• It provides a constructive release from
school pressures
• It provides opportunities for leadership
development
• It gives students a sense of
achievement

4. What is considered planning?
• Meeting times
• Chess Nuts
• Practices/Games
• Baseball Club
• Broadcasting/Publications
• EC Radio
• Service
• ECCO
• Events
• Black Student Union

5. How are these considered event planning?
• Meeting times
• Attendance
• Practices/Games
• Attendance
• Broadcasting/Publications
• Attendance
• Service
• Attendance
• Events
• Attendance

6. Goals for Programming
• To develop community
• To educate the campus
• To involve fellow students in their own
learning
• To provide on outlet for the release of
emotions
• To provide a place for people with a
common interest to gather

7. Steps in Programming
• Create a vision/plan/idea
• Plan details
• Budget
• Location
• Time
• Create action steps
• Work with Club Advisor
• Implement Event
• Follow Up/Evaluation

8. The Vision 12 weeks out
• What’s the purpose of the event?
• Academic
• Conference
• Game/Match
• Meeting
• Panel Discussion
• Reading
• Social
• Speaker
• Workshop

9. The Vision 12 weeks out
• Who is the target audience?
• Men
• Women
• Faculty/Staff
• Kids
• Public/Community
• Campus-wide
• Class Years

10. Plan the Details 11 weeks out
Find and reserve a location
• What is the purpose of the event?
• Where would be the best fit for the
event?
• Who is your target audience?
• What is your anticipated attendance?
• If you have a speaker/performer, do
they have specific requests?
Pick a time/day of week
• When will you get best attendance?

11. Plan the Details 11 weeks out
Come up with a budget
• What is necessary to ensure a great
event?
• After considering locations, what
decorations can you get?
• Do you need to have food?
• What fees may apply? (travel, lodging,
etc.)
Promotion Ideas
• What can you do to lead up to your
event to promote your event?

12. Action Steps
Here comes the work …

13. Action Steps
• Create deadlines
• Sit down and go backwards from the
day of your event to current time
• Create workloads
• Find people’s strengths and assign it to
them
• Everyone should have a duty
• Perform duties
• Create a flow of the night so everyone
knows what they are supposed to be
doing (agenda for the night)

14. Action Steps
• Contracts with performer/speaker
• 10 weeks before the event
• Promotional Materials
• 9 weeks before the event
• Reservations
• 9 weeks before the event
• Catering/Food
• 8 weeks before the event
• Decorations
• 5 weeks before the event
• Confirmations
• 3 weeks before the event
• Publicity
• 2 weeks before the event
• Evaluation
• 2 days after the event
• Follow up/Thank you
• 1 week after the event

15. Action Steps
Contracts with performer/speaker | 10 weeks before the event
Contracts
• Performer
• Space
• Vendor
Why so early?
• Program Advisor Review
• Vice-President of Student Affairs Reviews
• Business Office signs
• Fax back to company
• Payment – helps to ensure checks are cut on time

16. Action Steps
Promotional Materials | 9 weeks before the event
• These are just ideas
• BE CREATIVE!
• Events Calendar
• Flyers
• Banners
• Social Media
• Sidewalk Chalk
• Emails
• Portal
• Consider space
• Consider theme for event
• Consider approved budget
• Consider other things you need to buy
• Consider what can be re-used

17. Action Steps
Reservations | 9 weeks before the event
Space
• Space Reservation Forms
• Outside space – club sports
Speaker Requests
• Flight
• Lodging
• Transportation
• Meals
Equipment
• Media
• Through Cardinal Cushing Library
• Tables/Chairs/Set Up
• Through Student Activities
• Sound
• Through Student Activities
• IT to assist if needed
Volunteers
Photographer
Security
• Depending on Event
• Through Student Activities

18. Action Steps
Catering/Food | 8 weeks before the event
• Bon Appétit
• First choice for catering
• Set up through program advisor
• Outside Vendors
• Need a contract
• Set up through program advisor
• On Your Own
• Need credit card
• Set up through program advisor

19. Action Steps
Decorations | 5 weeks before the event
Why so early?
• Missing items
• Item is not the size expected
• Need to order more
Things to remember
• Balloons always make a space look good
• Decorations add vibrancy and energy to an event
• Too much is too much and too little is too little
Where to order
• Tons of online sites
• iParty
• Target
• Ocean State Job Lot
• Etc.

20. Action Steps
Confirmations | 3 weeks before the event
• Space Reservation
• Guest Reservations
• Travel
• Lodging
• Catering
• Set Up Needs
• Sound/Technical Support
• Security

21. Action Steps
Publicity | 2 weeks before the event
Creativity
• Promote correct date, time, location
• Advertise what’s happening
• Publicize in at least three different ways
• Bold important information
• Date
• Time
• Location
• Giveaways

22. Action Steps
Evaluation | 2 days after the event
Ask what people thought
• Work with program advisor
Ask your team what they thought
Work with “set up team” (IT, Facilities, Program Advisor) to find out how
communication was
Provide SGA your event evaluation

23. Action Steps
Follow up/Thank you | 1 week after the event
Show appreciation
• Always appropriate
• Thank you notes / small gift
• Speaker
• Anyone who helped you

24. Adding a little extra…
Consider adding a little extra to your events
Attire of your staff
• Everyone match
Welcome sign
• For a speaker/presenter
Theme it!
• Create a theme and have everything match it
Invite faculty/staff
• Send special invites