event_management

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CHAPTER1: ENTERTAINMENT AND MEDIA INDUSTRY
The Indian Entertainment and Media (E&M) industry is poised to grow at 19%
compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to reach Rs 83,740 crore by 2010 from its present
size of Rs 35,300 crore, according to 2005 annual edition of the FICCI -
PricewaterhouseCoopers report Indian Entertainment and Media Industry -- Unraveling
the potential. Economic growth, rising income levels, consumerism, coupled with
technological advancements and policy initiatives taken by the Indian government that
are encouraging the inflow of investment, will prove to be the key drivers for the
entertainment and media industry. The industry has been forecast to outperform the
economic growth in each year, till 2010.

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The Indian entertainment and media (E&M) industry has out-performed the
Indian economy and is one of the fastest growing sectors in India. The Indian economy
has been growing at a fast clip over the last few years, and the income levels too have
been experiencing a high growth rate. Above that, consumer spending is also on the rise,
due to a sustained increase in disposable incomes, brought about by reduction in personal
income tax over the last decade.
The size of Entertainment in India is currently estimated at INR 353 billion and is
expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 19 percent over the next five
years.
The television industry continues to dominate the E&M industry by garnering a
share of over 42 percent, which is expected to increase by a further 9 percent to reach
about 51 percent. The share of the film industry, which currently stands at 19 percent, is
not expected to change materially over the next five years. Print media, is projected to
lose some of its share in favor of the emerging segments.

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CHAPTER 1.1 :LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND EVENT
MANAGEMENT
Event management is a multi-crore industry with mega shows and events hosted
regularly. In India even personal functions like marriages and birthday parties have
become important social matters, and have to be professionally managed. The growth of
sophisticated and mega companies have brought forth a spurt of meetings, seminars,
exhibition, conferences, product launches with everything being a matter of class and
style. Then comes the innumerable celebrity shows, international artists shows, shows for
a cause, road shows, competitions, that India has seen of late.
More than 200 companies have forayed into events. The live entertainment and
event management segment was of miniscule size of about 20 crores in the early 90s, but
now it has increased over 500 crores. Growth is approximately 400% annually. With
corporate increasingly using events to communicate with their target consumers and the
rising popularity of live entertainment event, the segment is poised to grow rapidly. But
surprisingly, research soothed that there was no formalized education to teach event
management and companies found their executives not up to the mark to handle event. It
was not so easy to train because event management includes organizational skills,
technical knowledge, P.R., marketing, advertising, catering, logistics, décor, glamour
identity, and human relations, study of law and licenses, risk management, budgeting,
study of allied like television and other Medias and several other areas.

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CHAPTER 1.2 : DEFINTION OF EVENT
Events
Reach
Live
interact
Live
Desired
Right
Creates
Impact
Communication With
AudienceWith the
Client
An event is a live multimedia package carried out with preconceived concept,
customized or modified to achieve the clients’ objectives of reaching out and suitable
influencing the sharply defined, specially gathered target audience by providing a
complete sensual experience and an avenue for two-way interaction.
The above figure is the graphical representation of the above definition. It is
evident from the model that an event is a package so organized so as to provide, reach
and live interaction between the target audience and the client to achieve the desired
impact.

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CHAPTER 1.3 :HISTORY OF EVENTS
Tracing the History of Events would entail tracing the history of mankind because
coming together forms an event. An event in its universal and literal form would be any
occasion when something happens to something needs to be done to organize the same.
Examples of International events are Olympics, arena sports. The Pushkar Mela has the
distinction of being the biggest attended fair anywhere in India, if not the entire world,
making it the biggest event of its kind. These represent the biggest organized effort in
events from ancient times. Originated on religious line, these melas – which literally
mean fairs – have always been a meeting ground for big and small traders, across the
Indian subcontinent. Traditional games and entertainment have always been a part of
such events. The euphoria generated in the fair was not only good for the participants and
audience but also for the economy of the region as a whole. Ancient events such as
Indian fairs and festivals, with the help of their visually spectacular depiction of epic
themes which are interwoven with singing, dancing and emoting were a means of
expression of the spiritual arid cultural tradition of a community.
It’s not only in its recent progress about event as marketing medium that events
are attracting corporate attention and at the same line getting corporatized itself. An
event-organizing agency does every time from offering consultancy for a communication
strategy to managing the post-event media coverage.

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Rural India comprises of over 5, 75,000 villages and the TV penetration here
barely crosses 5% and the Internet effect is infinitesimally small. Therefore, to obtain
reach for their communication campaigns, various corporate have resorted to events as
strategic alternatives. Having made a humble beginning event has now come a long way
in terms of classification and specialization that are possible in this field. In fact, in this
new millennium, events as a medium will be catering to all demographic segments of the
population. Events have proved to be a versatile marketing communication tool since
they can be easily customized to cater to the communication needs of the industry; be it
pharmaceutical, financial services or any other. To add to the benefits that a
communication, viz. advertising, sales promotion and public relation. An event can also
act as a focus for specific campaigns and help in giving a guideline to media-related
decision-making such as when to change, stop or even to introduce new campaigns.

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CHAPTER 1.4 :WHAT IS EVENT
MANAGEMENT?
Events begin where the glamour ends. EM is the most intimate form of marketing.
It is a controlled activity aimed at the target audience." With the ushering in of television
era, we have been witnessing a plethora of ceremonies or events being organized in every
part of the world. Behind the success of Miss World Competition, or World Cup '99, or a
Michael Jackson or even a product launch show are a group of Event Managers.
Event Management can be categorized into different forms such as organizing
cricket matches, product launching, rock shows, fashion shows and even training
programs for corporate sectors. Before product launching, organizing road shows has
become a regular feature. Different sorts of festivals can be organized. As one gains
experience, one can start a PR consultancy firm to develop press relations. One can
arrange youth camps for children or a trekking tour for youth or executives. An
interesting area in Event Management is organizing parties and disco nights. The concept
is gaining momentum because of the present day demand for socializing.
Event management is a glamorous and exciting profession, which demands a lot
of hard work and dynamism. As the name suggests, it means conceptualizing, planning,
organizing and finally executing an event. The event could be of any type - musical
show, concert, exhibition, product launching etc. This industry is just five years old in
India, but holds a lot of promise for expansion. It offers enormous scope for ambitious
young people.

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Event management is very closely related to advertising and marketing. Events
can be thought of as another means of advertising and brand building. Event
management, as an activity constitutes of visualization, creativity, and meticulous
planning and venue management. Visualization involves imagining the event to be a
brand and then customizing and promoting it as per the needs and values of the brand.
This requires a lot of creativity, originality and novel ideas to lend a winning and
distinguishing edge to the event so that it stands apart from the others. The creative
potential of a person is tapped to a very high degree.
To make an event successful, one needs to have an in-depth understanding of the
product or brand for which the event is being organized, and then plan accordingly. The
execution of the event is a process of projecting a small idea in a whole new way. The
presentation is what matters, to make the look and feel of the event a wonderful
experience for the audience.
There is a lot of logistics involved in managing of any event. It boils down to the
management and co-ordination of services and supplies. During event planning, one
needs to consider all the technical details like - projection of lights, sound effects and
other special effects to make the event a spectacle.
After planning comes the actual execution part, which needs to be orchestrated in
a perfect manner. The venue needs to be managed efficiently in all domains, which
include managing the banquet area, placing security personnel at the right places,
hospitality and all the other small things, which provide all the participants a perfectly
comfortable feeling.

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CHAPTER 2 :SEGMENTATION
1. CORPORATE
 Product launches
 Conferences/ Convention Shareholders Meeting
 Employee Get-together
 Exhibition Road shows
 Press conferences
 Promotion
2. ENTERTAINMENT
 Celebrity Performances
 Musical Nights
 Award Functions Fashion Shows
 Beauty/Personality Pageants
 Cultural Program (Dandiya Raas, etc.)
3. SOCIAL/PERSONAL
 Weddings
 Birthday Parties
 Personal Celebration
 Family/ Friends/Associates- Get together
 Opening Ceremony Function

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 Association- Meetings/Educational Workshops.
4. POLITICAL
 Political Conventions
 Political Rallies/Meetings Election Campaigns
5. OTHERS
 Theatre Shows/Plays
 Premiers
 Government Contracts
 Food Festivals
 Religious Sammellans
 College Events
SEGMENTATION
Corporate
15% Entertainment
5% 35%
Social/ Personal
20%
25% Political
Others

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CHAPTER 2.1 :5 C'S OF EVENTS
 Conceptualization of the creative idea/ambience
 Costing involves calculation of the cost of production and safety margins
 Canvassing for sponsors, customers and networking components
 Customization of the event according to brand personality, budgets, etc.
 Carrying-out involves execution of the event according to the final concept

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The activities required for marketing and managing events require certain steps to be
followed that can be called the five C's of events. The first is Conceptualization of the
creative idea/ambience followed by the Costing i.e. calculation of cost of production and
margins on the event. Canvassing, for clients/ sponsors, customers/audience and
networking is the next step. Depending on the customers' needs and marketing objectives,
Customization of the concept is required. Finally, the most important part of event
management is the execution of the event as planned. We term this activity as Carrying-
out the event
In practice, each of the C's may not strictly adhere to the sequence in which they
have been presented above. There is a complex interaction between the various C's before
the carryout stage, depending on the requirements of the client, constraints forced by
budgets, etc. The final concept, which is going to be actually carried out, is a derivative
of a series of modifications to the initial concept. The final concept is arrived at after
accommodating changes required for a perfect fit amongst all other C's during the
conceptualization process. This process can be termed as event designing.

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CHAPTER 2.3 :EVENT AS A MARKETING TOOL
Management of event has traditionally been alluded to as a post marketing
activity and assigned the classic production responsibility as in any manufacturing firm.
The term management of events therefore carries a totally different connotation when
used in the context of events. Management theory would suggest that marketing is also a
part of management. Guess, every industry and its theory had variations! For all practical
purposes, I events one should differentiate between marketing and event management in
a functional way. Therefore, when we use event management, it is to denote the
production of an event.
A large number of people with different skills and roles are involved in the
execution of an event. There is a complex interaction of people and their responsibilities.
The customized nature of events as a whole adds to the difficulty in defining roles of the
people involved with the event. A host of decision-making situations is what
management of an event is all about. The manager’s job is to physically reproduce this fit
in the event. Therefore, it is critical that event management is not considered as a lesser
profession than marketing.
Events literally bring products to participants in an innovative and personally involving
manner. For example, when Camlin was interested in introducing active school students
to its new product line of Cartoons sketch pens, in addition to advertising in the expected
magazines and TV options, it sponsored drawing competitions at premier city schools. It
offered product giveaways and demonstrated the product's features and benefits through a
huge float and a road show covering most schools in South Bombay in the tour.

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Events can subtly, yet effectively, reinforce the brand image of the product or
service in the interest of the consumer through an event association using celebrities,
locations and/or acknowledged industry leaders. In 1998, soft drinks manufacturer Coca-
Cola India acted as the title sponsor of part of the Asha Bhonsle Live Concert Tour
organized by UNIRAPPORT Events, a division of UTV. The concert was an elaborate
tour of 10 cities. The audience had the opportunity to watch Asha Bhonsle live in concert.
Coke obtained the opportunity to present the event and use tickets for the show as
giveaways, thus effectively tying a brand building exercise with increasing customer
traffic in its retail outlets as well as a sales promotion campaign. Events therefore offer
innumerable opportunities for the sponsors to extract every possible mileage available in
the marketing lexicon.
Though sponsoring of a big event like a rock show, an Olympic Games or a
cricket tournament invariably means sharing the limelight with other companies and
other brands, the customizations of events totally serves the communication agenda of a
company. Communication through live media integrates the functions of advertising,
sales promotions and public relations.

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CHAPTER 2.4 :DIVERSE MARKETING NEEDS ADDRESSED BY
EVENTS
Brand Building:- Events help in brand building by
 Creating awareness about the launch of new brands/products
 Presentation of brand description to highlight the added features of product/ service
 Helping in rejuvenating brands during the different stages of the product life cycle
 Helping in communicating the repositioning of brands/products
 Associating the brand personality of clients with the personality of target market
 Creating and maintaining brand identity
 Image building
Focusing the target market: - events help in focusing the target market by
 Helping in avoidance of clutter
 Enabling interactive mode of communication
Marketing research: - Events help in conducting marketing research by
 Helping in creation and sustenance of a panel of consumers
 Enabling market database assimilation, maintenance and updating
 Providing instant feedback and opportunity for an authentic and instant market research

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Implementation of marketing plan: - Events help in carrying out certain marketing
activities by
 Enabling authentic test marketing
 Enabling focused sales and communication to a captive audience
 Increasing customer traffic in stores
 Enabling sales promotion
 Helping in relationship building and PR activities Enthusing and motivation the sales
team
 Providing an avenue to affirm presence
 Generate immediate sales
 Generate instant publicity
 Recruit new distributors and sales representatives
Relationship building: - Events help in relationship building by
 Giving relationship management a proactive feel
 Creating a forum for bringing together key corporate influencers, decision makers
and businessmen
 Creating a forum for career match making
Creating opportunities for better deals with different media:
A single sponsor may find it difficult to network with the different media. The
volume generated by one sponsoring firm may not be lucrative enough for the particular
media to offer substantial room for negotiation whereas professional event organizers are
in touch with the media components daily. This enables negotiation by event organizers
to be more fruitful than when as individual company negotiates with the media.

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Events and the Economy:
Over and above the marketing angle, the economic benefit to the region hosting the
event is also a positive aspect. Countries like India should be not only investing in
information technology but also other communication infrastructure to be ready in this
millennium to host similar mega events. The 1982 Asian games held in New Delhi gave
an impetus to the Indian economy with the setting up of an Asian Games village for the
participants with all modern facilities essentially in transportation and infrastructure. The
buses, which were introduced during the games to transport athletes, are in fact still in
operation and or plying between various cities such as Bombay and Pune, 22 years later!

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CHAPTER 3 :VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF EVENT
MANAGEMENT
3.1. PLANNING
A significant part of event project management is the planning. It is a process of
mentally fitting all the components together. It includes foreseeing any problems and
solutions. It is more realistic to regard event planning as a method of reducing the number
of problems. In this sense the aim of event planning is to plan all the tasks that can be
planned so that changes and unforeseen problems can be dealt with in a focused way.
Although most aspects of the event can be organized, the fluidity of event preparation
means there is always the unexpected.
The event starts with an idea or concept, the first question to ask is "Is it
feasible?” The feasibility is fed back into the concept (iteration) and the concept may
need to develop. Once it looks feasible, the event planning can start. The planning may
uncover opportunities or risks that need to modify the event concept. Aspects of the plan
may be implemented while other areas are still in the planning phase. For example
promoting the event may start well before site planning.
There are some aspects of shutdown that may well begin during set up. The areas
of risk, content and cost as well as the schedule have to be managed. The only certainty is
that there will be change. Internal change includes the increase in event staff, the increase
in contract management, as more suppliers are involved. Internal change may also be
unexpected. The event company may take on other events while the one event is being
planned. External change could be the all-too-common change of venue or it could be on
a grand scale with the change in overseas currency exchange rate.

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No matter what change occurs the event will need to work within constraints set
by the client - such as making a profit - or by legal and ethical issues. There may be far
subtler constraints implied by the client's working culture - such as the corporate culture.
The written event plan can be as short as one page or as long as a book. It depends on
the level of detail or scale in the planning. This level of detail will depend on such factors
as:
 Complexity of the event
 Scale of the event
 Familiarity of the event management, staff and suppliers with the type of event
 Legal and stakeholder requirements
 Time and other resources allocated to the task of planning
The process of writing a plan assists in the structuring of the event. It is also a
communication tool and a project baseline from which the event can be measured. It is
not 'written in stone' and will need revising as the organization of the event life cycle
proceeds.

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3.2. PRODUCTION
PRE-PRODUCTION
Following major tasks have to be performed during the pre-production stage:
 Prepare a detailed schedule prior to production work on site.
 Detail out role of departments that are likely to be involved in the production.
 Prepare a detailed checklist of activity heads.
 Plot a detailed time chart, delivery schedules that would lead to successful
execution of the production
 Preproduction work also includes completion of following tasks:
 Designing and creation of Set
 Designing of signage’s props etc
 Creation of packaging, which could include creating pre-production computer
graphics, animation, television show packaging, background music for entries and
presentation, etc.
 Scripting, designing and allocating the technical production element
ON-SITE PRODUCTION
This includes actual execution of work on site this could include
 Construction of Sets
 Lighting
 Backstage management and production Coordinating with dancers, artists
 Cueing and executing the screenplay of the act or performance
 Shooting and online editing
 Controlling and managing multi camera setups.

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POST PRODUCTION
Post event production starts with the end of the show, it is the responsibility of the
event manager to leave a venue premise restored to its original state as it was handed over
to them prior to the commencement of the event. The postproduction includes
 Ensuring smooth dismantling of technical gear and the staging.
 The material/branding pertaining to the sponsor should be neatly packed and
handed over to the relevant authorities.
 Editing of produced footage, packaging it for television
 In case the show has to be televised then the tapes should be sent to the television
director for editing and postproduction, a designate from the production team
should oversee the post production.

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PRODUCTION- THE SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES:
From the time the client approves the project and the discussed creative plan is
passed on to the production team. The onus comes onto the production to design and
execute the idea to perfection. A lot of good production values depend upon drawing
detailed checklist, plotting the event map and flow based on time lines and delivery
schedules. The first thing that effects good production is drawing a detailed interpretation
out of the creative brief, i.e. making a list of requirement that would go in to the event.
Starting from the elementariness that make an event like sets, support systems,
lighting, audio visuals, staging, backstage and artist, performers, etc. later they need to
workout a detailed flow which includes aspects that would make the audience
comfortable in the time they intend to spend at our event. This includes aspects of
cleanliness, comfortable seating, refreshments and sanitation, etc once the requirements
are listed out the production team needs to draw a detailed time lines of the event along
with job list of who would be responsible for the execution along with a deadline
The master sheet should also include contact numbers of the people involved.
There should be a minute-by-minute schedule detailing about the timing that would go
into putting up the infrastructure and also the ingress of staffing, artist, etc who will be a
part of the show. A separate cue sheet detailing the flow of the show/event listing the
timing of the acts, speeches, presentations detailed to include cues for backstage, lighting,
P.A operator, audio visual team, etc should be listed as part of the sheet. A separate sheet
showing the detailed report of work carried out during the day and progress on daily basis
should be submitted to the production or technical manager.

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3.3. VENUE AND SITE MANAGEMENT
There can be little doubt that event managers regard the choice of the site or
venue of the event as the most important decision. It can produce as many problems as it
can throw up opportunities. First trying to match aspects of the event to the site, next
designing both to complement the event and finally, communicating the eventual layout
to the stakeholders.
SELECTING THE SITE
Site selection is as much a part of marketing the event as it is a part of operations
or finance. A checklist for the event should be created so that nothing is left out or
forgotten in the excitement of finding a good venue. It may be helpful if you decide what
are the fundamental criteria and the changeable criteria. Some of the issues are:
 External and internal utilities such as power, water and waste removal.
 Amount of work needed to get the site to a useable state.
 Availability for the setup and breakdown of the event.
 Various qualities of the venue or site help in the event planning. This can be vital
as so many aspects of the venue will not be obvious in the site inspection.
 Is the site user-friendly? For example, do the delivery trucks have easy access; is
the floor strong enough for a forklift, height of ceilings, physical obstructions
such as columns and steps, trees etc.?
 Is the site attendee-friendly? Once again, this will depend on the type of event.
For example, some sites are easy to navigate and walk around; others are exposed
to wind and sun.

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3.4 LAYOUT AND DESIGN
To layout an event successfully, you need to consider a number of factors such as:
Flow - the movement of the audience, equipment, supplies, at various times.
Placement - where all the equipment, tents and other objects will be placed.
Fixed facilities and utilities - these will be part of the hire of the venue. You may
choose whether to use them or bring in your own.
Size of the event - in particular the audience numbers and their expectations.
Placement will concern financial issues as well. Food, beverage, merchandise should
be placed so as to gain the maximum revenue. The positioning of the stages or
entertainment areas will concern such issues as sound spill and proximity to services that
the stage requires.
These are the practical matters that allow the audience to experience the event. They
should be 'invisible' in the sense of not detracting from the theme of the event. However,
design is a combination of practicality and aesthetics. The aesthetics of site design is
related to the theme of the event and ultimately to the expectations of the attendees.
Designing the theme of the event and making it run through all aspects of the event is
often called the 'Look of the Event'. The site should reflect the theme - a medieval themed
event will still have some very medieval aspects such as lights, parking and a sound
system. However with careful and creative thinking, they can still be part of the theme or
at least not interfere with the theme.

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3.5 SITE MAP OR PLAN
Perhaps your most effective communication tool for making sure the site is set up
as you planned is a good site map. It must be drawn so that it is understood and used by
the event team. It can assist in the layout and design of the site. It can also be used as the
basic event map for the attendees and put on the posters, invitations or on the web
The information on the map would include:
 Compass direction, i.e. north Pathways and roads
 Staging areas
 Access for suppliers, attendees
 Emergency services and access
 Facilities-toilets
 Food and beverage areas
 Security/police Disabled access
 Parking and public transport
 Ticket booths
 Information booths
 Telephones and ATM’s
 Lost children and first-aid centers
Storage and maintenance areas
 Administration desk
 Legend (list of symbols used on the map) Scale
 Off-limit areas
 Location

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Along with the deadline, the event site or venue is regarded as the major factor in event
operations. You can work the sire and exploit its opportunities or work against it and
have problems from day one.
Selecting the venue requires careful thought, analyzing the event’s requirements and
matching with the venue. It is rare that you find the perfect sire. It is a matter of give and
take. Sire design has two components that need to be considered together- the practical
and the aesthetic. Finally, it all needs to be communicated to all the participants via a
well-designed site map.
Along with the deadline, the event site or venue is regarded as the major factor in event
operations. You can work the sire and exploit its opportunities or work against it and
have problems from day one.
Selecting the venue requires careful thought, analyzing the event’s requirements and
matching with the venue. It is rare that you find the perfect sire. It is a matter of give and
take. Sire design has two components that need to be considered together- the practical
and the aesthetic. Finally, it all needs to be communicated to all the participants via a
well-designed site map.

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CHAPTER 4. SET DESIGNING
Set designing is a concept that is not new in the entertainment industry. Feature
films like Mugal-E-Azam, Taj Mahal, Khuda Gawah, Raj Tilak and tele-serials such as
Mahabharata, Ramayana, The Sword of Tipu Sultan, Buniyaad are some examples where
the highly elaborate sets reflected the concept of the programs and formed the nucleus of
the show/movie/tele-serial.
In the recent times all the programs / concerts / live shows are very much
dependent on the sets/stages. An artistic and a gigantic stage or stages with smaller
dimensions but with an innovative concept speaks volumes for the event.
What is a Set / Stage?
Going by the definition, "a provisional construction that transforms a given space,
may be outdoor or indoor, to suit the occasion / event and give it a different look or
revamp it as per the requirements is called a set / stage".
Sets / Stages form the center point of any event as the performers will be placed
on this platform where they carry out the activities (acting, performance, dance, ramp
walking, comedy etc.). This platform, irrespective of its position, is the area where the
focus of the audience / spectators will be glued to. Hence, this platform i.e. the set / stage
is the focal point of any event.
Events:
Events can be indoor or outdoor. The sets, irrespective of the venue have to be
very attractive. In an outdoor show, the stage should look huge in terms of the area and
the theme of the event or a set has to be put up.

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For an indoor event, the magnitude of the set can range from small to medium but
sometimes can also be a gigantic stage. The sets are always tailor-made suiting the event
theme, the product or the client.
Road shows, which make use of canters, also involve the usage of small- medium
or large props. This is dependent on the size of the canter, the magnitude of the road
show and finally and most importantly, the product.
Example:
Indoor –
1. Star Yaar Pariwar Awards - NCPA, Mumbai
2. MTV Lycra Style Awards - NCPA, Mumbai.
3. Ceat Cricket Rating Awards - Hotel Taj Mahal.
Outdoor –
1. Femina Miss India – MMRDA Grounds
2. Film fare Awards – MMRDA Grounds
3. Independence rock – Rang Bhavan
Road Shows –
1. Star Trek
2. Launch of Cult – the energy drink

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CHAPTER 4.1 : DESIGNING PROCEDURE:
The first step is to identify the genre of event. Categorize the event based on its
nature i.e. is it a corporate event, trade fair, exhibition, award function, educative event,
live show etc. Once the type of the event if identified, ask the client (can be the event
management company or the client directly) about his requirements and the coverage he
desires with respect to the stage.
The next logical step is to brainstorm and discuss the client needs with the
creative team. The production department also needs to be actively involved as the
feasibility, costing and the lead time are aspects of utmost importance.
Once a couple of ideas are confirmed by the creative department, they are
required to be filtered through various technical considerations i.e. the dimensions, the
lead time, the output, the effect, the cost, the theme etc. Once these aspects, i.e. the
commercial and the technical angles are considered, the idea is now ready for
presentation to the client. The idea is presented not only on the power point but also
miniatures of the same are built.
The ideas are presented to the client with minor inputs from the client and one of
the designs is approved. After this, a proper miniature is prepared with proper scales
(definitely on the lower side) with the areas of entry and exits, the podiums, the areas
where branding for the client could be done and other aspects.
Finally, the production department, in constant reference to the creative to the
stage design, starts the execution of the stage.

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CHAPTER 5. COMMUNICATIONS AND COORDINATION
The sum and substance of events as a whole revolves around interpersonal skills.
The need for achieving synergy among individual efforts so that the team goal is reached
is the main aim of coordination. The overall coordinators need to be leaders with fantastic
people skills. They are continually required to motivate the labor and other junior
coordinators to work real hard given the physical nature of job, the time constraints
involved and the one-off nature of the event. The overall coordinators also should be able
to guide the marketing and project managers and this may even mean that the experience
and expertise of past event need to be passed on to relative new comers given the
shortage of professional event managers. Thus, great communication skills and patience
without letting too many errors happen as well as knowing how to use the carrot and the
stick in a balanced manner are the basic characteristics of the overall coordinator.
From the figure below you will realize the level of communication and
coordination a site manager is responsible for to make the show a success. The char is a
simplified structural representation of the stage managers’ relationship to all others
working on an event. The stage manager/ show producer is in the middle and there is a
circle of people and teams to whom he is responsible and with whom he interacts to make
the event possible. He has to balance the artistic vision of the creative team, with the
budgets of the client, the compulsions of shop floor labor and the constraints imposed by
the administrative and finance team and at the same time juggle with the demands of the
other members of the circle.

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CLIENT
CREATIVE
TEAM
BACK STAGE
STAGE
MANAGER/
TEAM SHOW
PRODUCER
BUSINESS
TEAM: Event
manager team,
Clint servicing
team,
SITE
MANAGER/
STAFF
Suppliers of
Raw
Materials
Shop floor
Labour,
Carpenters,
Electrician,
etc
PRODUCTIO
N SERVICES
TEAM
He has the responsibility to execute the event in a myriad of constraints and has to
be sufficiently adjustable to the requirements of everybody. He has to be an adaptable
communicator. At the venue or the site, all of them will pressurize the stage manager
with their requirements and within the limited time span he has to fulfill all the
responsibilities.

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CHAPTER 6. TECHNICAL PRODUCTION
Technical production has always been the “what’s that” factor for event
managers. Knowledge of technical production has so far been the domain of few and very
few event managers have tried to dare and ‘know it all’ for the success of event because
technically sound event can make the most ludicrous concepts look creative, fabulous and
opulent if treated to perfection.
It is easy to hire a production or technical manager and rely on this expertise to
deliver the goods. But if you don’t have knowledge about the technical world you can’t
tell if it’s good for you or not
What makes a great technical production?
A detailed insight into technical gear knowledge of different application of
technical gear, how does one distinguish gear and/or equipment for the right event?
Selecting technicians is done as per show and budgetary requirements of the
client. Having a through knowledge of the show requirements and look and feel that is
required for the show, the design of the set, the seating plan of the audience and the
format of the show
Technical world at glance
1. Lighting
2. Sound reinforcement
3. Audiovisuals
4. SFX
5. Trussing and Scaffolding
6. Lasers
7. Televised Coverage/ Broadcasting
8. Venue construction

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Lighting:
 Architectural Lighting
 Theater Lighting
 Special Effect Lighting
Venue construction:
 On Ground venue arrangement
Drinking Water
 Canteen during Set-up days
Barricading
 Toilets
 Green rooms
 Meter rooms
 Cabling
 General lighting
 Gates
 Parking arrangements
 Venue cleaning and maintenance

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Tips for Technical Manager:
 Always plan for the worst-case scenario. Keep enough back ups for power,
mixing controls.
 Keep a Swiss knife and a torch handy while on set.
 Rubber soled shoes for protection against electric shocks.
 Never handle live wires with bare hands, make sure all wires, joints are well
insulated.
 While ordering projectors, always insist on asking for a projector with a bright
bulb if not brand new.
 It goes for scanners and follows spots too.
 Prepare a detailed technical rider of all equipment using separate sheets for each
department, 1st out performance, playback equipment separately.
 If audio-visuals presentation is to be made in any format e.g. in the form of DAT,
audio cassette, CD, VCD, MD, BETA, UMAT, VHS, etc then ensure that the
software required to play the presentation is included in the software head of the
rider and make sure you hand over a copy of this rider to each department head
along with the relevant software and make sure to take it back after the show.

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CHAPTER 7. SPEAKERS AND OTHER PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS
Who are the people on the program?
A program requires a variety of types of people-speakers, moderators,
interviewers, workshop leaders, trainers, discussion leaders, panelist, expert witness, and
summarizers
Scrapping the term “speakers” is a fairly easy way to make a dramatic difference
in the quality of programs offered. The challenge is to see how many different types of
people the manager can use to communicate the required information without having
them read speeches.
Successful professional speakers learn very quickly that reading speech is not
good for business. They talk to their audience; they usually move off the stage, walk
around, and look the audience squarely in the eyes. Wireless microphones encourage
movement. Theses speakers are often looked upon as entertainers, and there is nothing
wrong with speakers being entertainers. In fact, the problem arises when a speaker is not
entertaining.
Event coordinators must be more selective more demanding and more detailed
with speakers. They have got to learn how to bring out the best in poor speakers who
happen to be recognized expert in the field. Most speakers would not welcome guidance
on the subjects’ desired focus as well as the type of attendees and the level of their
knowledge is unimaginable.

36
Locating People:
Thinking about program participants actually begins in the program design phase,
because this is where the manager decides what he wants planning to communicate and
how he will do it. As the manger selects the topic and a format, He must ask if he can
locate or recruit qualified people at a price he can afford.
Once the event manager knows the boundaries of who he needs and what he has
to offer, he can begin researching, brainstorming, asking knowledgeable people in the
field or his colleagues with related and respected experience. Don’t automatically use the
staff, board of directors, congressperson, and friends as key presenters. Not only may
they not be the best, it may be harder to keep them focused on the goals and the
audience’s interest in the subject. Besides, how does a manager tell his congressperson or
the chairman of the board that the fifteen minutes are up?
Clarifying roles:
While the manager is researching his resources, he should begin to define in
writing what he wants each person to do. What role does this person play in the
conference? What does that role mean to him? Will the participant automatically
understand what he expects? Probably not, so the manager should write a description a
short paragraph explaining exactly what is expected of each program participant.

37
Developing content guidelines:
The next step is to develop a written list of points or questions the manager would
like to have included in the speech, discussion or workshop. Then communicate these
points to his program participants in writing, through briefing meetings, or in reviews of
their plans. This is also a good time to go over the schedule and the importance of
adhering to it on site a key aspect of managing program participants.
Some topics are so broad it would be pure luck if the speaker/leader touched on
them without guidance. The question the manger may ask is: why tell the experts? The
answer is that the experts usually have no way of knowing what has been covered in past
events, and they may not know the level of audience’s knowledge or its current interest in
the subject. All speakers have favorite aspects of a subject, areas in which they are most
comfortable and require the least preparation. Without guidance, speakers head straight in
that direction and the manager will have given them a license to do what they want rather
than what he or the audience wants. They aren’t wrong the manager is for abdicating his
responsibility.
Research takes time and requires the manager to become a three-minute expert in
a variety of subject areas. It offers the opportunity to learn about so many different
subjects. If the manager has to delegate don’t give the job away without explaining what
he wants, indicating why he wants it and supervising the product to keep it on target.

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CHAPTER 8. SELLING SPONSORSHIPS
Sponsorship has become an established communication tool for building brand
awareness, brand image and corporate image. It is important to write a good sponsorship
proposal and sell it in the most effective and efficient manner:
A good sponsorship proposal must include:
A) Title of the event:
The sponsor shall be entitled to have the event named after the brand nominated by the
sponsor.
B) Background of the organizers and the events
C) Types of Sponsorship available
D) Details of benefits to various sponsors
This is the most important point, which is the backbone of the proposal, and the
sponsor will only be given based on the benefits, which a sponsor receives.
For example: Logo on advertising – the sponsor shall receive logos on all
advertising related to the event, including all press advertisements, all posters, banners
and hoardings which is of great benefit as the buyer now visualizes the media as
described above and is more inclined to the event.

39
An excellent way of obtaining resources or help for planning an event is not only
in-kind arrangement possible (prizes for a raffle); sponsors can also offer cash,
discounted leasing of Premises (room hire discount) and networks and contact to use.
Example of these includes:
 Having a radio station or relevant magazine as a sponsor;
 Distributing press releases to obtain publicity promoting the event
 Involving universities, which may set creation of advertising material for the
event as
 A course assignment
 Sponsorship for printing company who would then be featured on the promotional
 Material (sponsors should be featured on all the promotional material); and
 Featuring the event in all free classified section like what’s on’, community
 Notice boards, listing in club and school newspapers and special interest
magazines,
 Interviews with the event coordinators etc.

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CHAPTER 9. BUDGETING AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
The budget is the real event shaper; it puts all the theory into perspective. The
manager will find out what is really important to his CEOs, members, or clients. It
doesn't have to be an extravagant budget; actually, there are very few of those. The
interesting point is where the money is spent, specifically when compared with the stated
goals.
The coordinator can't talk about expenditures without an evaluation of potential
revenues. The manager needs some idea of revenues before he tackles the expenditures.
This ceiling or range becomes a major management and planning tool for the coordinator.
The history is important to the budget process as staff resources are to planning
schedule. If the manager doesn’t have a group history, he can, at a minimum, seek out
trends for similar, programs or evaluate the general economic outlook. Normally, in good
times, attendance is higher and supplier costs are less negotiable. Correspondingly, bad
times mean fewer attendees and greater flexibility in negotiations. But this is not always
true, so check the implications for the event. An event that emphasizes selling skills or
employment opportunities may be better attended in tough times.
Also in the trends area, event publications survey readers and publish results that
tell the firm how money from corporate versus association events is being spent. Our
industry's trends, suppliers, respected colleagues, and the event firm’s files are the most
obvious sources. All too often, the budgeting process is seen as purely mathematical,
while it is really an intellectual process in a mathematical format.

41
The budget as a document is an important planning tool, but the true value is in
the degree to which the manager uses it and in the accuracy and thoughtfulness of the
preparation process. The planning schedule reduces all the manager knows to people,
risk, and deadlines. It is this combination that determines the road the event will take. The
goals are the foundation; the planning tools are the supporting beams. Add a healthy dose
of creativity in the interior design (program, speakers, food and beverages), this empty
structure for the energy that only the attendees can provide. Ultimately, it is this
combination that determines whether the result will be success, mediocrity, or failure.
The event coordinator's role in establishing the budget varies, depending on the
organization's structure. In some companies or associations, the budget process is closely
guarded and the coordinator is involved only in the area of his or her responsibility. In
other cases, a budget would never be prepared if the coordinator didn't force the issue.

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Format
The beginning point in preparing a budget is research. Research can be in the
form of bids, the economy in the host city, past financial reports on the same or a similar
meeting, seasonal advantages or disadvantages, or national economic trends, such as the
price of gasoline. The manager doesn’t need to be an economist but needs to observe,
make notes and view it from a holistic point of view.
The coordinator must take apart financially the event he is planning. There are
many ways to divide the event into general categories that may or may not relate to the
internal accounting system.
If the event has only one account code, the manager will have a lot of flexibility
in formatting his budget. If he is required to bill a variety of costs to a variety of accounts,
prepare to work closely with the accounting office in the beginning. That aspect of
budgeting is most difficult when government contracts are involved or when direct,
indirect, overhead, and general and administrative costs must be broken out
The point is not that he understands the mathematical formulas for organization's
accounting, but that the manager interfaces with the system for efficiency and
accuracy.Now that the coordinator has all that information, he must organize the budget
into categories. These are divides into income items and expenditures. Other schemes
include organization by day, by fixed and variable costs, by profit centers (such as
children's or spouse programs exhibits, or events with add-on fees), or by internal
accounting codes. What ever be the requirements the manager must at all times list every
possible expense item and the estimated cost.

43
He must then explain exactly how he arrived at each cost figure-for example
2,000 four color, eight-page advance program announcements; or 200 lunches at Rs. 150
plus 25 percent tax and gratuity times three days. This explanation will be valuable in the
monitoring and final accounting.
Clearly, some areas are easier to budget than others, such as signs, furniture,
office equipment and any of those areas directly controlled by the coordinator.
Audiovisual is one of those areas not easily controlled by the coordinator, especially if he
leaves all options open to speakers. Always the manager should go by the budget he
might want the world but can the budget carry it all the way.
Budget for "unanticipated extras" but also give staff and speakers deadlines for
additions to the budget which the manager is on a tight budget, additions may also mean
cuts. The video monitors may cut into food and beverages or decoration. A quick trip
back to the purpose (goals and objectives) may provide guidance in additions and cuts.
Once the budget has been prepared and approved; attach a page for explanations
of budget adjustments, with additional space for dates, changes, and approval signatures.

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CHAPTER 10. EVENT LAW
Recent research has shown that there is a need for about 400 to 500 small sized
Event Companies in Mumbai alone to look after a huge amount of small events like
parties, weddings, dealer meets, corporate events, kitty parties, small conventions,
conferences, promotions, road shows, competitions etc. Other cities like Delhi and
Bangalore could do with a few hundred and about 100 each are needed in Calcutta, Pune,
Jamshedpur and Hyderabad. The capital requirement for forming a event company would
be very less; only an office set up, say a rented office, a telephone, a computer, few
necessary office equipment and office stationary. Costs would be incurred for company
brochure, letterheads and visiting cards, and a bit of marketing cost, but the returns are
phenomenal. Each event done could bring in about Rupees 5000 as fees and one could
easily do 1 to 2 events initially and go up to five per month.
The legal aspects of the Event company formation:
1. Registration under Shops and Establishment Act.
It is simple, go with the papers of the proof of ownership of the office premises
whether it is purchased, leased or rented, to the nearest municipal ward office and submit
them with a form obtained from the Shop and Establishment Department. The charge is
Rs. 600 p.a; you can pay Rs. 1800 for 3 years in advance.
An inspector will visit to verify the premises and then the license is issued. It is
compulsory to have this license.

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2. Registerfor Service Tax
The Service Tax on event management is 10.2% and registration is to be filed
with the Director General of Service Tax, office of the Commissioner of Central Excise.
Head office is opposite Churchgate station, at Bandra-Kurla Complex and branches are at
various places. This is compulsory.
3. Optional- you may require Municipal license for storage if you store equipment.
4. One pays lease tax on hire of equipment if equipment hire is the main factor and not
the skill of the person handling it.
5. One should also know about important Labor laws. Contract Act, Food and
Beverages Act and about various police permissions.
6. One should be aware of the Income Tax rules. It is better to file returns, have your
PAN number as it smoothens your path.
7. Cut T.D.S on various items as directed by Income Tax rules.

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OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Various Permissions required for holding an Event
(A) General Details
The various permissions required for holding an event are as follows:
Civic Permission: This includes much permission as listed below:
1. Police Permission.
It is necessary for the event organizers to contact the local police station in order
to get permission for a loudspeaker. If loudspeakers are required after 10 pm then an
application letter has to be sent to the Mantralaya.
2. Deputy Commissioner of Police
The DCP of the local area has to be informed so that he can organize a
'bandobast'. Police permission and permission from the DCP have to be forwarded to the
Commissioner of Police for his approval.
In addition to this, the Cultural Desks No.9 has to be applied to, to get approval for any
performance that is scheduled to take place during the event. Moreover, an application is
also to be submitted to the Law and Order desk office No. 11 for holding the event.
3. Traffic Police
The traffic police of the local area as well as the Assistant Commissioner of Police have
to be contacted at either the Lokhandwala or Worli Office. In the case of a road show,
details on how many vehicles will be used, the names of the drivers, the routes and
timings of the road show etc. have also to be submitted.

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4. Ambulance
The need for an Ambulance depends on the nature of the event. It may or may not be
necessary.
5. Fire Brigade
This is imperative for an outdoor event. The blueprint showing the entrance and exit
points have to be submitted to the Chief Fire Officer at either the Byculla or the Marol
office.
6. Municipal Corporation of Mumbai
There are 3 departments that have to be approached. They are:
a) Estate department
The event organizer has to approach this department in order to get a NOC to
permit the event.
b) Building and factories department of the ward office
Event organizers have to apply to this department for keeping panels and other
temporary enclosures during the event for which a prescribed amount of fees has to be
paid to them.
c) Food and beverages department
The Medical officer of the health department of the concerned ward has to be
notified. For liquor permit, the office of the collector of the Central Excise Department
has to be approached and an application has to be sent to them.

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Indian Performing Rights (IPRS)
It is an NGO. Depending on the size of the venue, a ticketed event will be charged
Rupees 10 per head and a non-ticketed event will be charged Rupees 5 per head.
Phonographic Performing License (PPL)
It's an association of the music industry. This license is required for film music,
pop music etc., to be played at an event.
Entertainment Tax
It is necessary to pay entertainment tax for a ticketed event. The tax is to be paid
to the Collector of Mumbai at his offices situated at central Mumbai or Bandra East. If no
sale of ticket is there, a NOC from the collector is to be obtained.
(B) Permissions for Open Ground Events
1. Submit ground blue print and NOC from Ground Owners or Rent receipts.
2. BSES, Health Dept. and PWD – NOCS.
3. Police NOC's
 CP Office (Law and Order) a1so DCP's office
 CP Office (theatre Department- Premises License)
 CP Office (NOC for Tickets or Passes)
 Local Police (Bandobast)
 Local Police (Loudspeaker)
 Local Police/ ACP (performance License)
 Local Police (Sale of Food and Beverages)
4. Fire Brigade NOC
5. Traffic NOC
Also IPRS and PPL if it applies.
6. Foreign Artist. GAD license (Home Dept. Govt of Maharashtra.)

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(C) Auditorium Show
1. Commissioner of Police (Ticket selling permission).
2. ACP (performance license).
3. BMC - pay a theatre tax of Rupees 12.50 per show.
4. IPRS and PPL if it applies.

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CHAPTER 11. CATERING
Food, beverages and celebrations are inextricably connected. From social life-
cycle events to giant hallmark events, the relationship between food and frivolity has
been a close one. This is not to suggest that it is not serious business as well. The event-
catering field has grown in even greater proportions than other segments of the overall
industry.
While there is no official statistics on how many individuals have entered the
catering profession, I am confident that if they were published, they would be
astonishing. It seems the only regulation imposed is by the local health department. The
sheer numbers of individuals who have entered the event catering business in recent years
make it impossible to adequately control the field. Among the problems are uneven food
quality and service as well as immature business skills, which often result in difficult
business relations with fellow event professionals. On the positive side of this complex
field, much of the creativity, not to mention the actual business, which is generated in
Event Management, stems from catering professionals
To fully understand the modem-catering field, the event manager must recognize
two distinct features that distinguish catering from other professions. First, traditional
food operations are confined to fixed locations and provide a relatively fixed menu to a
known market. Caterers, by contrast, may inhabit a temporary location that may or may
not be unusual and challenging. Second, although all food professionals must work with
certain time constraints, the caterer must serve his or her product within a specified
period of time working closely with the bandleader, decorator, and entertainment
coordinator as well as the event manager.

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Logistical Considerations
Proper and efficient guest flow as well as effective methods for ensuring the timely
deliveries of food and beverage is essential considerations for the catered event. The
event caterer may have substantial experience working in a permanent venue but when
asked to provide service off-premise he or she may not be aware of the additional rigor
required to survive in the jungle. To survive and thrive, one must know the basic laws of
the event jungle. Figure outlines these important considerations.
Logistics Laws for Effective Catered Events:
Determine in advance the goals and objectives of the catered event and match the
logistical requirements to these objectives. For example, a brief networking event
should use fewer chairs and tables to allow time to the guests to mix and mingle with
numerous individuals.
Determine the ages and types of guests and match the requirements to their needs.
For example, if the guests are older, more chairs may be needed to provide additional
comfort during an extended reception.
Identify the food preparation and other staging areas and ensure that there is a
clear passageway to the consumption area. Check the floors to make sure they are
free of debris and allow the service staff to move quickly.
Whenever possible use a double buffet style. The double buffet not only serves
twice as many guests but also allows the guests to further interact with one another as
they receive their food.
Do not place food stations in areas that are difficult to replenish.
Large crowds of guests may prevent services personnel from efficiently replenishing
food station.

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CHAPTER 12 :ADVANTAGES OFFERED BY
EVENTS
As is clear from the preceding section, use of events as a marketing communication
tool not only takes care of the problems associated with traditional media but also offer
certain advantages because of which events are gaining importance over them. Some of
these advantages are detailed below:
Events have the ability to bring together sharply defined participants since the
capacity for a particular event is usually limited. A specific number of the target
audience could be invited or enticed to buy tickets for a show specially created for a
particular profile of the target audience.
Since the audience is actively targeted, the option of controlled reach can be exercised
and ideal audiences for narrow-casting of information can be gathered. This leads to
lowering of the media networking budgets and focused communication with the
specially gathered audience. The audience that has been specially invited invariably is
an ideal audience.
An event carried out professionally and cleanly is invariably a memorable experience.
The word-of-mouth publicity that this generates is an advantage that lingers on a long
time after the event has actually been carried out. This provides an advantage of a
higher brand recall to the client.
The involvement of all the senses in experiencing the event is one of the greatest
advantages that events can offer. Events can be designed such that the audience is
actively involved in every part of the event and made to feel good. Thus, events as a
live media offer a certain amount of immediacy to the experience-of being there
while it's happening. For the audience, it is undoubtedly a thrilling situation.

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Live media also enables interactive communication. Live media scores over
conventional advertising in terms of reach, impact and tangible immediacy of
measurement. Live media communication is a complete sensual experience as
compared to a press advertisement or TV/Radio commercial. This is so because a
press ad is basically a flat piece of paper and a commercial is just an audiovisual
experience. The high recall value of live media communication is also a major factor.
No other media can boast of the ability to provide such massive collection of
feedback instantly as events. Being a live media, it is possible to feel and deduce the
reactions of the audience to the aim or objective that the event was conceived for.
The easily customizable nature of events, mean that specific traits of the local
inhabitants can be incorporated in the big picture to ensure that the event is socially
and culturally in tune with the local culture. Thus, the localization of events is very
easy.
The advantage- in terms of post-event publicity that events can offer over and above
the paid or bartered media is the benefit associated with reports of the event in the
newspapers and news on the electronic media. For such reports there is no extra cost
to be borne-neither by the sponsor nor by the event organizer. This is a double edged
sword because, in case the event is not up to the mark or is dogged by controversies,
then, the same is also reported impartially.

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CHAPTER 13 :RISK MANAGEMENT
Our industry is based on risk. By this we mean uncertainty about the future
creates risk. An event is a unique combination of elements i.e. suppliers, attendees,
clients and therefore has a degree of uncertainty. Most of the event manager's time is
spent on reducing that uncertainty.
The job of risk management is to discover the areas of uncertainty and reduce them. But
this alone is not enough for the modem event managers; they must be able to demonstrate
how this is done.
The first myth to dispel is that risk management only concerns safety or security.
These are important parts of risk management - but they are only parts of it. If the event
manager concentrates only on safety issues, then they may miss other areas of risk that
impinge on safety. For example, not having enough funds to hire the right number of
security staff because a sponsor has pulled out. In this case the primary risk is the
withdrawal of a sponsor.
The secondary risk is the security issues. The advantage event managers have is
they are very conscious of safety risk. People are our events. When a person lands on the
moon and the world is watching - this makes it a special event - not just an engineering
feat. The event manager understands the basic process to do a full risk management plan.
They already do this when they walk the site, looking for problems, such as electrical
leads that are not taped down or stairs that are not well lit in white light.

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The risk analysis process used is:
 Identify the risk.
 Assess the likelihood of the risk occurring
 Assess the impact of the risk occurring (severity) Produce a strategy to minimize
the risk
 Assign the task to minimize the risk with a time frame
 Monitor the risk
 Reassess the risk for further action
It all sounds technical - but if you observe what you do when you ask the caterer for a
sample of their food, you are beginning your risk management of this element of the
event. Your assessment of the risk may conclude that it is a good idea to take photos of
the plate of food so that the caterer knows what you expect on the night of the event,
thereby minimizing the likelihood that they make a mistake at a time when it would be
impossible to correct, i.e. just before it is served to the guests.
Hopefully, this example illustrates that the technical risk management process is
second nature to the event manager,it is almost intuitive. The next step is to look at all the
elements of the event and apply the same process. But there is a problem - how do you
identify all these elements? If you leave one out you are not doing a full risk
management: This IS why risk management is based on project management. The
'elements' are found in the work breakdown structure (WBS). That is, the list of work that
needs to be done to get the event organized and finalized.

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Tools and techniques from project management that can be used, these include:
1. Stakeholder analysis - Many of the risks arise from the requirements of the
stakeholders. Therefore a stakeholder management plan is a first step in risk
management.
2. Fault trees - This technique is used to assist in identifying risk and allow the staff to
be consulted and become part of the risk management process. Getting the staff and
suppliers involved in risk analysis is an important step.
3. Documentation – proof of risk management is not just an incident free, successful
event; it is the documents that recorded the risks and were an integral part of
management of events. These include incident report sheets and a risk register. They
make up the risk management-planning document. Such documentation is the basis of
project management.
4. Terminology – project risk management gives the event company a list of accurate
terms that can describe risk. These are the standards used across all industries. As
well the staff has a language to describe the possible problems at the same time as
analyze them.
5. Risk Audit – the risk audit is related competency and maturity models outlined in so
named conference paper. The aim of the risk audit is to allow the event organization
to know where they are in respect to the standard in the industry. It helps to identify
the gaps.
Event stakeholders such as the government and their agencies, insurance
companies, sponsor and the courts, are increasingly demanding risk management
planning. As a practicing event manager, one already knows the process and risk
management will give you the language to describe it.

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CHAPTER 14 :THE 10 BIGGEST MISTAKES MOST
EVENT PLANNERS MAKE...AND HOW TO AVOID
THEM
Mistake #1
FAILING TO IDENTIFY MEETING OBJECTIVES
This is a very common mistake. Be sure to know one hundred percent that your
management expects from this meeting. Examples: education, recruiting, awards
presentations, new product rollout, awareness etc.
Mistake #2
FAILING TO BUDGET PROPERLY
Many planners make this mistake by overlooking some very costly items.
Specifically travel, audio/visual, programed handouts, shipping charges, decorations,
security and afternoon breaks.
Don't overlook these costs!
Mistake #3
FAILING TO SELECT THE RIGHT FACILITY
This mistake can destroy the best event. Things to consider when planning your
event: Location, location, location! Depending on the locale of your attendees, proximity
to the airport, sleeping room costs, freeways, major thoroughfares and traffic patterns are
critical. Meeting room location, meeting room size and parking fees, all affect your
attendance.
Mistake #4
FAILING TO HIRE THE RIGHT SPEAKER/ENTERTAINER
Every planner's worst nightmare is a "flop". Be sure to use a reputed, skilled
speaker or entertainer whom you have personally seen or whose references you has
checked.

58
Mistake #5
FAILING TO IDENTIFY AND SECURE A PROSPECT LIST IN ADVANCE. There
are many times when events fail because of this one
Factor. Secure your entire list before securing your date in writing. Be sure your list has
all names, titles, and mailing addresses, fax numbers and e-mail addresses. Your
attendees can't register if you can't reach them.
Mistake #6
FAILING TO PREPARE A MARKETING PLAN
This definitely ranks in the top three with regards to importance when planning an
event. Be sure to layout your timelines. Get in touch with your contacts by your target
dates. Plan your contacts by mail, e-mail, telephone and fax by the week. This will insure
maximum contact in a timely manner and will drive your attendance.
Mistake #7
FAILING TO SECURE STRONG CONTRACTS
Here's where you can really run into trouble. Do NOT promote your event
without legible and signed contracts for everything including your speaker, facility, other
contractors, entertainer, performer etc.
Mistake #8
FAILING TO CREATE THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT
With the hundreds of details we put into every meeting, don't overlook your
meeting environment. Lighting, seating, room temperature, music, decorations, audio,
visual, location of the bathrooms and telephones are all important.

59
Mistake #9
FAILURE TO SECURE THE RIGHT AUDIOIVISUAL
A client spent over Rs. 2, 00,000 for audio/visual equipment but the headlining
speaker went on stage and looked dumbstruck because the event company had ordered
the wrong equipment! A powerful lesson. Get it in writing! Request a written list of
audio/visual needs from every presenter and feed him or her back to your staging set up.
Mistake #10
FAILURE TO MARKET THE EVENT PROPERLY
Once you've created your marketing plan, stick to it! Once your event is booked,
it's critical all of your marketing contacts go as planned. Remember; use every means to
reach your attendees. One method alone' doesn't reach everyone because we are-all
different. Use every means available to you. Don't forget e-mail and better yet, your
sponsors' Good Luck!

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CHAPTER 15 :CONCLUSION
From a fledging industry, live entertainment is becoming big business. Large
corporates are sponsoring events, and are using the opportunity to market their brands to
a focused audience. The future is expected to see more events, especially international
events, drawing larger crowds and leading to higher ticket sales. Television channels, in
their relentless quest for viewer ship, are expected to commission more events and also
buy telecast rights of events. Revenue sources such as merchandising rights and internet
rights, hitherto untapped, also hold out significant potential for event managers.
High entertainment tax in certain states, high withholding tax on foreign artist
payments, the proposed service tax, cumbersome clearance procedures at the local level
and lack of exhibition infrastructure are the chief stumbling blocks to growth.
Government of India and the state governments should address and resolve these issues
as they stand to benefit considerably from the industry’s growth.

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CHAPTER 16 :BIBL IOGRAPHY
1. Books
‘Event Management and Marketing’ by Sanjaya gaur and Sanjay Saggere
The Indian Entertainment Industry by Ernst & Young
Festival & Special Event Management by Johnny Allen
2. Websites
www.ficci.com
www.pwc.com

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