Event planning made easy
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The document provides tips for planning successful events from start to finish in 4 sections. It discusses determining preparation time needed, creating a project plan with timelines and vendor questions, important logistical details like registration and catering, and managing the event day with staff placement and load-in/out scheduling. Key advice includes determining the amount of time required for preparation, asking critical questions of all vendors, and testing essential facilities at the hotel before booking to ensure a smooth event.
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Event planning made easy
- 2. READY, SET, GO — GETTING STARTED RIGHT The #1 reason events get off track, and how to avoid it How to determine the amount of time you need to prepare for an event The absolutely most important thing to do first when you're put in charge The 6 essential elements of any meeting, and how to prepare for each Where you should hold the event?
- 3. BUILDING YOUR ALL-IMPORTANT PROJECT PLAN Key factors to consider in building your timeline Critical questions to ask all vendors The one thing to always remember about negotiating with vendors The 4 basic questions every event planner must be able to answer How to create your own working timeline document
- 4. DEALING WITH THE DETAILS The most important consideration for setting up a registration desk What type of food you should serve, how much, and when 5 essentials to test at the hotel or meeting facility before you book
- 5. MANAGING MEETING DAY How top planners decide how many volunteers/staff members to have on hand, and where to place them The secret to creating a smooth load-in-load-out schedule that spares time and tempers
Editor's Notes
- Off Track : Lack of Focus/MissionTime Needed: GoalsWhen In Charge: Delegate! Form CommitteesThere are six critical pieces of knowledge that you as a regular meeting facilitator should do to realize the above benefits. I believe these six things are:1. Understand how people process information. I have found Howard Gardner’s theory on multiple intelligences very helpful in designing meetings that are more productive and engaging. You can learn more about multiple intelligences by first taking a quiz at his website provided by Edutopia:http://www.edutopia.org/multiple-intelligences-learning-styles-quiz2. Design each meeting with a central question in mind. Generally you need to keep in mind what absolutely must happen at this meeting. This is your overall purpose – in this module we call this step deciding on the central question to be answered by your meeting. Even though you may have many agenda items, there is usually one item which needs some critical attention on the day of your meeting. To decide on this central question, I ask myself: “What one thing could we do today which will make almost everyone’s lives or work day go better?”3. Learn how to ask the right question at the right time. Every agenda item likely needs a set of 3-6 questions that the group will answer to come to some appropriate conclusion for that item. Before you start your meeting, brainstorm a series of open-ended questions (i.e. questions that begin with What, How, Where, When, Who and Why) for each agenda item and select the ones that will give the group the answers it needs to take the next steps. For example, if your agenda item is to decide how to improve customer service, your series of open-ended questions might include, “What are people saying about our customer service now?; What do our customers say we are doing well?; What do they complain about?; What are some easy things we could implement this month to improve our service?; Who will champion each of these ideas?; What will we report back to each other at our next meeting?”4. Encourage the group to use creative brainstorming. There are times in a meeting, where you want people to think creatively and all be engaged in offering new ideas. I usually start out a creative brainstorming session with a warm-up “fun” activity to help people to access their right (creative) brain. Then ask people and open-ended question to help them start their brainstorming. The question might be something like, “What are all the ways we can…” I then ask them to get into pairs to share their ideas and propose one or two ideas they agree on to the rest of the group. When each pair has done this you can ask the whole group to move to the next step #5.5. Help the group gain agreement or consensus. There are likely 2-3 items on your agenda where it would be helpful to have the whole group be “on the same page”. An easy way to do this is to take 2 or 3 ideas or proposed solutions and test how much commitment people have to implement any one of them. Sometimes facilitators use the five finger method of consensus. This entails each group member raising 1-5 fingers as a way to “rate” the proposed idea. One finger means you have serious reservations about the idea and five fingers means you think the idea is a really good one.6. Help the group make a lasting decision. Some of the ways you can help the group achieve a lasting decision include asking questions such as, “What are the pros and cons of implementing this idea?” “Who will benefit if we take this step?” “What are some of the challenges of implementing this decision?” “How can we minimize these challenges?” “Who will do what when?”
- Develop a Time Line – work back from the date of your proposed event – do you have enough time to complete all tasks; establish levels of sponsorship; approach sponsors; arrange a trade show; collect registration fees; sell tickets; arrange early bird discounts, etc.Develop a Budget – try to take into account all of your possible costs – amounts that you know and amounts that are estimates – use a formula sheet such as Excel to determine what your ‘breakeven’ would be.Establish a “Resource Listing” – determine what ‘resources’ you have available to off-set your direct financial costs.NOTE: All my listings are in alphabetical order and not in any order of importance.4 Basic Questions: Purpose … Goals… Audience…. Budget/ResourcesBUDGET AREAS TO FOCUS ON:BankingCollectionsExpensesFinancial trackingInvoicingPricingReportingRevenue streamsSponsorship
- Your meeting or event location can help make or break your success. The location you choose sets the stage and creates the right environment for the action to happen. � Budget, of course, plays a major role. � Using your own internal conference room saves money, but ask yourself, is it really the right place to meet? � In essence, you need to think about a place that minimizes disturbances, offers comfort and convenience, meets your equipment and space needs, and projects the right image.When it comes time to pick that right location for your meeting, pay attention to the following nine characteristics of the room or rooms you're considering and use the questions as a checklist so that you make the best possible decisions.1. Space and Capacity: � Will everyone be able to fit comfortably into the room after you set up the chairs, tables, aisles, a stage, or other presentation area, and any audiovisual equipment you need? � If you're a novice in this area, definitely ask for advice from your venue contact. Room capacity: � Find out about the legal capacity of the room you are renting, and do not exceed it. � Also check out all emergency exits, and work them into your planning, being careful not to obstruct them with a stage or seating. � Make sure that all the exits are clearly marked and illuminated.2. Temperature: � Does the room have air conditioning or heating? � What control do you have during the meeting in case body heat causes temperature to rise uncomfortably? � Unfortunately, windows aren't a good substitute for air conditioning because they let in outside noises and distractions along with fresh air (which may not be so fresh). � Many large facilities have temperature controls that are centrally located, and you may be hard-pressed to find a happy medium between the Artic and the Sahara in the individual meeting rooms.3. Lighting: � How much control do you have over the room lighting? � Can you make the room dark enough for the audience to see images projected on a screen? � Can you make it light enough for participants to take notes and not fall asleep?Ideally, you should be able to control and dim individual lights in the meeting room. � If you can't control the lighting, you can arrange to have venue management unscrew specific bulbs ahead of time to achieve the desired effect for your event. � This is particularly important for bulbs that shine directly above or onto a screen and wash-out images.4. Sight lines & Potential distractions: : � Will you be unable to seat participants in any areas of the room because of a column, low ceiling, or other impediment obstructs their view? � You can best glean this type of information from a site inspection. � You can't rely on room specifications to give you this data. � However, if a site visit isn't possible, grill your contact with specific questions so as to avoid any on-site surprises. � What potential distractions make the room a less-than-ideal setting for your meeting? � Is the air conditioning too loud? � Is the room situated on a busy street? � Does noisy foot traffic intrude from the hallway outside? � Is the room located adjacent to the kitchen or above a general session auditorium where dress rehearsals may be taking place? � Are the walls thick enough to block out distracting noises? � How about the sound system - can you hear feedback from one room to another? � The only way to know the answers to many of these questions is to test things out. �6. Seating and tables: � Does your room have all the tables and chairs you need, or will you have to rent them? � Are you required to rent them from the venue, or can you use an outside provider? � If the room has any furniture that in inadequate or inappropriate for you meeting, will you have to move it out and store it? � Will the venue provide this service free of charge, or is there an additional fee?To make your life a little easier, get a copy of the blueprints for the room you are using. � These will help you immensely to figure out how to arrange seating, the stage, and equipment.Realize that if you're planning to use the same room for several presenters or meetings, you need to decide the best configuration for all the different presentations. � You want to avoid the expense of having the room reconfigured for each separate meeting.7. Rental time: � Be sure you have access to the room early enough to set up and troubleshoot any unanticipated problems before the meeting begins. � Build in time for audiovisual technicians, lighting specialists, chair and table suppliers, caterers, and any other service providers to do their thing before attendees arrive. You may also want to give presenters rehearsal time in the room to become familiar and comfortable with their environment, and to run through their presentations in search of potential problems, such as sight lines.9. Essential items: � Find out in advance whether you venue provides the following essential items either free of charge or for an additional fee. � Any of the items not included, provided, of course, you need them, ought to become part of your contract negotiations:• Coverings for any tables you're using, such as tablecloths and/or table skirts.• Water and glasses for attendees.• Notepads and pencils• Dishes of candy at each table.• A stage and stage props, such as a lectern, greenery, or an American flag if it's appropriate.• Easels or sign holders and signs to direct attendees to the proper room.• Flip charts or other props for presenters.• Extension cords, power strips, and extra tables for projection equipment.• Extra lighting, should it be necessary.• Audiovisual equipment, such as a microphone, projector, screen, and so on. � If the venue provides these, does it also provide technical staff to set up and handle any problems with the equipment, should they arise?• Stanchions and ropes, if necessary.Find out early which items you'll need to rent from an outside supplier to give yourself enough time to make the necessary arrangements.
- Services for the physically challenged — you need more than a barrier-free buildingHow to deal with language differences in printed materialsTimeline A timeline is organized chronologically by date and may include tasks, staff assignments, program notes and their corresponding deadlines. Event Timeline: The event timeline outlines the tasks to accomplish for the event from month-to-month, week-to-week, and day-to-day. It looks at the entire event planning process from start to finish. Printed Materials Timeline: The printed materials timeline outlines the deadline dates pertaining to the printed material design, printing and mailing.Schedule A schedule includes tasks, staff assignments and program notes or cues centering on the days preceding and the day of the event. It is organized by time of day. Event Schedule: The event schedule outlines the different event components based on date, time and location.Program Schedule: The program schedule outlines the different individuals and components that make up the spoken or performed program based on date and time of day.Production Schedule: The production schedule details from setup to strike each aspect, task, duty and cue to be completed in the days preceding and during the event. It is categorized by date and time.