Event Management

Unit: 02
Event Planning
2.1 Planning Concept and Definition
The role of event planners is primarily concerned with the ‘HOW’ aspect of the event i.e.
how to make the event happen. In dealing with the HOW part, they develop good
networking with vendors; evaluate the future environment to check out the feasibility;
strive to draw a balance between budget and aspired event design; and ogranise the
technical aspects of the event. The event planner ensures that the event achieves its goal
with no element missing. Thus, we can say that the event designer gives expression to the
event concept and the event planner endeavors to make that expression functional.
The success of any event depends on the planning that has happened days or months
before the day of the event. If the right amount of time and effort is spent on planning the
various activities, the chances of developing and delivering a successful event increase.
Since every event is unique in nature, that is, no two events are the same, the process of
planning an event is also never the same as another event. Irrespective of the event type
one should always remember that planning is needed primarily for two reasons:
i) Committing and allocating an organisation’s available resources for achieving its stated
goals, and
ii) Anticipating the future problems and opportunities.
Most events are a one time opportunity - to invest, to market, to showcase, to build
relationships, and to create impression and experience. You already know by now that most
events do not occur on their own; these require a manager to ogranise, control, monitor
and evaluate number of activities going on under the single banner of an event. Thus, an
event planner is also referred to as an event coordinator or event manager and vice versa,
who is responsible for organising and facilitating all pre-event activities and on-site activities
as well, required to make the event happen.
The process of planning and coordinating the event is usually referred to as event
planning and which can include budgeting, scheduling, site selection, acquiring
necessary permits, coordinating transportation and parking, arranging for speakers or
entertainers, arranging decor, event security, catering, coordinating with third-party
vendors, and emergency plans.
An event plan defines how an event will be executed. It addresses all the components of an
event such as the start and end dates, budget, venue, marketing, attendees and more. The
scope and complexity of the event plan vary depending on the size of the event, but the
fundamental challenges remain the same.
Event planning is the meticulous process of envisioning, organizing and executing a wide
array of gatherings, from small-scale social affairs to large-scale corporate events.
It encompasses everything from ideation and logistical arrangements to budget
management and post-event evaluation. The goal is to deliver a seamless and engaging
experience for attendees while capturing the essence of the occasion.

• IMPORTANCE OF EVENT PLANNING

Planning is defined as a mental exercise involving the activity of deciding in advance how
things are to be done. Hence the event planner predetermines the entire course of action in
advance to achieve the event goal. Planning allows the event planner to anticipate the
future environment in order to achieve better event performance rather than going by
assumptions.
As defined by Catherwood and Van Kirk, Planning is a process that must continuously
occur… until the end of the event. It is crucial to have as a foundation for this ongoing
planning a vision, a statement, or concept that can be easily articulated and understood.

Developing an event plan requires a lot of efforts on the event planner’s part. It not only
restricts itself to a mental exercise but involves networking, team building, market research,
negotiations, technical and field knowledge, budgeting, publicizing and visiting sites.
A plan is treated as a good plan when it bears the capacity to be realistic and at the same
time allows adequate flexibility when the environment changes. An event planner can
ensure this by thoroughly scanning the external and internal environment in which the
event will operate in future.
A successful event is always supported with a strong strategy and sincere effort of the team.
It is usually said that a successful event management plan is the secret and inevitable
ingredient that leads to producing outstanding events that meet the expectation of both
clients and guests. Planning of an event should be made flexible as commitment is based on
future conditions, which are always dynamic and an adjustment is needed between the
various factors of event planning. The advantages of event planning are as follows:
• Things can be seen in totality.
• Problems and competition can be anticipated.
• Better utilization of available resources is possible.
• Proper resources allotment can be done Event Planning.
• Unproductive work and wastage can be minimized.
Though such planning may not predict the future of an event planner, surely a strategic plan
enables to meet future contingencies, correct errors, take timely decisions and avoid
deviations

2.2 Event Planning Process

Various steps of event planning process:
1) The Purpose, Vision and Mission Statements
A clear statement of purpose and vision should be prepared. This should be based on the
needs of various stakeholder groups. These stakeholders groups may include client
organisations, the government at various levels, the local community, people / participants
who are expected to come to the event, sponsors, and volunteers.
For many events, particularly corporate events, a statement mentioning the purpose is all
that is required. For events that are more complex in nature (such as large public events)
and involve a number of stakeholder groups, it is beneficial to create vision / mission
statements to guide their development and conduct. A vision statement is different from
the mission statement, but both may be combined. Vision statements usually describe what
the event seeks to become and to achieve in the longer term. They are usually brief, precise
and motivational in nature. A mission statement describes in the broadest terms the task
the event organisation has set for itself. In case the event has also established a vision
statement, then the mission needs to be viewed in terms of fulfilling this vision. Such
statements seek to define an event’s purpose, identify major beneficiaries and customer
groups, indicate broad nature of the event and mention the overall operating philosophy of
the organisation conducting it (for example , whether to be fully or partially self-funded).
Some events have a combination of both vision and mission statements. A mission
statement, once established, becomes a basis upon which goals and objectives can be set
and strategies established. It also becomes a means to provide to the staff an understanding
of the event and what it wants to achieve. It is an invaluable tool used to establish a
common direction for a team.

2) Develop Event Goal/s and Objectives

Event goals and objectives are established during the event designing process while
developing the event concept. Goals are broad statements that seek to provide direction to
those engaged in the organisation of the event.
For example: goals for charity events can be to raise money, update the mission statement
to the level of educating the community, motivate board members and supporters, do
marketing of the organisation, recruit volunteers and expand the organisation’s network.

Goals also need to be established when the event is complex in nature and involves a
number of stakeholder groups. Objectives on the other hand are used to quantify progress
towards an event’s goals and as such set performance benchmarks. Objectives allow event
organisations to assess what aspects of their planning have succeeded or failed. Clearly
stated and well defined objectives enable the event planner to come up with a
comprehensive plan with a scope of controlling and evaluating during / after
implementation phase.
Though the terms ‘goals’ and ‘objectives’ are used in event management interchangeably,
they are actually distinct concepts.
Dowson and Basset have recommended the five Es that focus on the feelings and emotions
that the event attendees will experience during or immediately after an event. These Es if
incorporated will help the event ograniser to establish relevant objectives:
Educate – keeping training workshops in an event programme to educate people who
attend the event;
Enlighten – inviting a guest speaker to speak to the event attendees on relevant future
issues and trends ;
Engage – motivational speakers can be used to engage attendees;
Energize – to energize the event attendees, icebreaker activities;
Entertain – to include time for social and cultural programmes in the event so that the
attendees can enjoy themselves.

According to Bowdin et al., the acronym SMART is a useful criterion that can be applied for
establishment of well defined event objectives. SMART objectives should be:
Specific : It is necessary to clearly state what event goal has to be achieved, using action
verbs to describe what has to be done, and not vague and discreet words.
Measurable : The objectives should mention targets that can be quantified and measured
whenever required, especially at the end when the entire programme is being evaluated.
Agreeable : The objectives indicate the expected outcomes and hence should be agreed
upon by those responsible to achieve them.
Realistic : The objectives should be realistic taking into account the human, financial and
physical resources to achieve them.
Time-specific : This means that the objectives should be achieved in a stipulated time
period.
Objectives which adhere to the SMART principle are very important as they are tangible by
providing scope to measure, control and evaluate the activities during the implementation
phase. Without these principles as benchmarks one would not be able to measure the
deviations and the activities could actually lead to major irreversible and non-correctable
damages.

3) Analysis of Internal and External Environment

Factors present in our internal and external environment which influence the event’s
success need to be scrutinized. This process is sometimes called ‘situational analysis.’
Internal environment consists of all those factors which are present as resources and the
planner or the manager has a control over it. External environment consists of factors
present outside our control. However, external environment needs to be scanned by the
event planner for working out alternative measures in anticipation of any threats. The
scanning of internal environment gives us an insight of strengths and weakness and the
scanning of external environmental factors gives us an understanding of threat and
opportunities present in the external environment. This process is referred to as SWOT
analysis.
SWOT analysis is required to identify factors having adverse impact and factors that could
be conducive and accordingly plan out a strategy to minimize the adverse impact and
maximize the positive impact. The SWOT analysis involves referring to a range of existing
information sources, data collected previously on the event, census data and general
reports on relevant matters, deeper understanding of needs, wants, motives and
perceptions of current or potential customer groups which could be necessary to bring out
the desired modifications in the event in an effort to increase attendance. Scanning of
environment is essential to reassess the objectives.
Thorough scanning of the external environment will help the event manager in making
decisions on matters such as target market selection, promotional messages, programming,
ticket pricing and when to conduct the event. The external environment consists of
economic, social, cultural, political / legal, technological, demographic, meteorological and
competitive factors.
Economic: Economic factors such as inflation, wages, occupation, unemployment, cost of
living, distribution of wealth, import, export, taxes and tariffs impact the demand for a
particular event. For example, as an event manager you might have to reduce ticket prices
and look for alternative sources of revenue such as grants or sponsorship to subsidize the
event costs, if a particular region has poor living standards.
Social: A society has its own lifestyle, behavior, family pattern, beliefs and attitude. Changes
in a population’s ethnic / religious make-up or leisure behavior can affect demand for an
event. Attitudes have a big influence The event planner will need to take these social factors
into account so as to appeal the audience with the event product. Not taking social factors
into consideration could lead to a costly mistake.
Cultural: A society has its own tradition, customs, ceremonies, festivals, method of
cultivations and so on. The culture of a particular place can be an important resource for
organising an event.
Political / legal: The government and the law and order system govern the society. The rules
and regulations affect the way the people behave in the society and the way the event
managers are expected to behave. For instance, the event planner should be aware of the
laws regulating the noise levels in public spaces, and consumption of food and alcoholic
beverages in a particular State or region.
Technological: Development in technology, inventions of new equipment and machines
have revolutionised the way people undertake the task and set expectations. A good
example of technological factor is the online selling of tickets which creates a comfort zone
not only for the customers but also for the ogranisers by giving them clear idea on customer
size and the required logistics thereafter. Also, the internet reduces issues like human error,
required manpower, and load on administration. Internet is largely used today for
promoting festivals, exhibitions and other events, and as a vehicle for conducting events like
conferences, by providing information, directories and resources online.
Demographic: Demographic characteristics means the composition of a society in terms of
age, educational level, occupation pattern, gender, density, growth, movement, distribution
and structure of population.
Meteorological: Meteorological factor pertains to the weather pattern of a particular area.
This factor is very important to be considered by an event planner as it would affect the way
decisions would be taken for venue, location and the time of the year pertaining to the
season.
Competitive: Competitive factors include the study of all those organisations or companies
which operate in the same sector and have the same market to cater to (that is, attract a
similar audience). The event planner must have complete awareness of the existing
competitors and their action.
Physical / Environmental: The concept of ‘green’ events is increasingly gaining importance
in the event industry. Concern over matters such as pollution, waste generation and impact
of greenhouse gases (particularly when they are conducted outdoors) due to the changing
weather patterns are affecting the way in which events are conducted. Many councils and
sustainable environmental groups in countries are actively encouraging event companies
and ogranisers to ‘green’ their events.

Detailed scanning of the full range of factors as discussed will reveal the event’s target
markets, its range of activities, and opportunities for promotion, fundraising and
sponsorship. Those factors that can pose as threats to the event also get identified.
Once the event planner is done with the analysis of external environmental factors,
scanning of internal environmental factors is the next step. Internal environmental factors
consist of physical, financial, informational and human resources. A SWOT analysis while
scanning the internal environmental factors will enable us to identify strengths and
weaknesses.
4) Planning the Programme Activities, Site Layout and Logistics Planning

Having already developed a clear idea of ‘who’ will be attending the event, the next step
would be to create a plan of activities that are meant for the target audience. The
programme schedule also depends on the type of event and the chosen location meant for
itThe event programme is likely to include either a combination of formal and informal
activities. Formal activities could be speakers talking in a conference, or cutting of a ribbon
at a shop launch. Informal activities could be day trips and visits, music and entertainment,
dinner, dancing and other social activities. But make sure that you do not cram in lots of
activities while planning the event programme. For example, a team-building event is
likely to include activities such as rafting, trekking or mountaineering,

While selecting the event location (whether it is a country, city or town), the target
audience is one factor that should be considered primarily. Questions about a lot of people
or a few people who will want to attend, their accommodation, how many will be willing to
travel, how accessible thelocation is by car or public transport, and the cost of travel to and
from the event will have to be considered. Once the location has been decided there may
be a number of venues to choose from such a hotels, purpose-built convention centres,
sports stadiums, banquet halls, community centres, universities, museums, concert halls,
athletic grounds and so on. The availability, price and capacity of the venue are important.
Proximity to accommodation, car parking, free wi-fi, reputation of the venue and venue
staff are other important considerations. To research on a venue which you are totally not
familiar about but would like to know if it is reputed, a very good starting point is to contact
the local Destination Marketing Organisation (DMO), also sometimes called the Convention
and Visitor Bureau. DMOs can liaise with venues, secure permits, ogranise site visits and can
even help source local suppliersx. Destination Management Companies (DMCs) and Venue
Finding Agencies also help event ogranisers to put on an event in a new city or region in
return for a fee or commission
The event site may be indoors or outdoors, but wherever the event is taking place a proper
plan of the layout of the event site needs to be prepared. A well-planned site will mean the
risk of crowd congestion and crowd crush is reduced. The layout of an event draws up a site
plan with certain fundamentals applicable to every event: ensure that the attendees can
easily enter and exit the site, ensure that the central point (such as registration or help
desk) can be easily found, and also facilities such as toilets or the nearest bar are visible and
not too far to walk to. The organising team will use the site map to get everybody to set up
and in the right place, while the suppliers, vendors and contractors will refer to the site map
to ensure power supply and water. One of the biggest challenges faced by the event
ograniser is logistics planning, which is very crucial in ensuring the smooth flow and
movement of the people on to an event site, around it and out of it. Logistics planning is
also important to ensure that suppliers, contractors and support services are all in the right
place, before the event. A good logistics plan should also consist of communication protocol
for staff and key personnel.

5) Organise a Team
The effectiveness of the organising team can have a significant bearing on the success of an
event. Organising a team depends on the size of the event being ogranised. In case of large
events an organising team is already there as the role of team or organisation structures
becomes complex. Hence such work load requires team effort. In small
events, the event ograniser may be single handedly capable of taking care of Event Planning
all the aspects. In order to create functional departments to achieve event objectives, we
may first need to gain an understanding on various domains of an event.

*********EVENT DOMAINS*********

To facilitate smooth work under each function, the event planner would need to create
functional departmental heads. This is also referred to as functional structure. A team
created based on their intended output and the role to which they are best suited,
departmentalizes employees by their function. The event planner (head) is required to hold
regular meetings to coordinate different functional activities, expenditure and budget
position, reinforce event goal and objectives. Undoubtedly, this functional structure gives
more comfort, efficiency, specialization and expertise to the team members of the
organisation carrying out the event.
However, nowadays many organisations believe in the concept of outsourcing. Perhaps, this
new way of thinking is conceived to be a more economical way of managing an event. Here
different aspects of the event such as catering; site management; risk and compliance;
finance and accounting; and venue management are given to a third party to be managed.
This structure is called multi-organisational or network structure. Network structure
provides more proficiency, more accurate estimation of budgeting, less manpower and
makes the process quicker.
Irrespective of the structure adopted by the organisation whether it is functional or
network, the event planner should have a fair idea about the activities to be included under
each function. This would require the event planner to sit with the team members or
functional heads and list down the activities under different domains of the event. Meeting
at this point ensures that no element goes missing when the final event is executed
Brainstorming and quality efforts given at the time of the development of event design pay
during event planning. This is so because during event designing, the entire structure or
framework is laid, upon which further event planning is done.
6) Set a Date
Though, in many cases the date for the event is already set, the event planner should still
reassess the date by evaluating the time span required in preevent activities. Also, the event
planner should assess the date for any religious holidays, events of other competitors
during that time period and the availability of speakers, entertainers, sponsors and vendors.
After evaluation, if the event planner finds the already set date unsuitable, it must be
changed.
7) Brand Your Event
Development of the event concept and event theme during event designing process
provides unique elements that would make the event to stand out. The entire focus of
event designing is to create an event environment which is distinctive, appealing and
creates experience amongst the audience. Since designers are more creative, the event
planner along with the designer could work out an event title, tag line or a logo or all the
three elements to brand their event. In fact, to keep the event memories alive after an
event, the event planner could get the logos printed on folders, bags, T-shirts and other
such products as an effective branding tool
event, the event planner could get the logos printed on folders, bags, T-shirts and other
such products as an effective branding tool.

8) Create a Master Plan

Master plan is a comprehensive plan that takes all aspects and activities under each domain
into consideration. Refer back toTable1which shows the activities under event domains that
serve as a guiding tool and controlling measure to ensure that all the parameters are taken
care of in chalking out the course of action with a desired expectation. The master plan
contains fine details of all the activities including who is responsible for what, when and
where the task needs to accomplished, the methods and requisites to complete the task.
For example, if you consider the functional domain - venue management, listed in Table 1,
the master plan will contain complete details of décor, furnishings, venue layout, way
finding, lighting, sound, special effects, visual presentations, attractions, ceremonial
requirements with reference to what is to be done, when, where, how and by whom it is to
be done.

9) Identify and Establish Partnerships and Sponsors

Sponsorships and partnerships help to defray the costs and increase potential participation.
The domain heads created as part of the functional organizational structure will be able to
establish partnerships and sponsors owing to their network developed in their specialized
field. However, identifying and establishing partnerships / sponsors becomes the prime
responsibility of the event planner or manager. Company’s brand is a big factor in inviting
partnerships and sponsors. For known and established brands such as Wizcraft,
Fountainhead, and many more, it is easy to get partners and sponsors. Event is an
investment for both event ogranisers and partnerships / sponsors. Event planner therefore,
must be able to showcase the expected benefits to investors (partners / sponsors) as an
outcome of event. Marketing, promotions and publicity also help to invite sponsors and
partnerships. When we involve other people or groups in the event, they have a stake in
making the event a success.

10) Create a Promotion and Publicity Plan

Even with the most amazing speaker or entertainment line-up, you need publicity to get
people in the door. The methods used to promote an event will depend primarily on the
target audience. Event promotion starts with the initial notice or page on your website, note
in your newsletter or email to save the date, and then builds to include online and off-line
publicity, media relations and on-going outreach to encourage registration. Creating
promotional tools can be very costly. Hence it is essential to ensure that the quality of
advertising material is up to the standard. Sometimes one can take advantage of free
publicity through newspapers, magazines, radio and television. And lastly, no plan is
complete without the post-event thank-yous, sponsor acknowledgements and articles
about the event’s key messages or fundraising success.

11) Determining Budget and Financial Planning

The event manager or event ograniser should know how much money the client is
prepared to spend for the event. It costs money to hire venues, book rooms, feed guests
and entertain people at an event. If the event ograniser does not know this, a lot of time
will get wasted in doing effort and resource planning that is unrealistic. For example, there
is no point in visiting locations and venues only to discover that just these will exhaust all
the budget of the client. A budget may include costs such as travel and accommodation
costs for speakers and presenters, may include costs of an open bar at a wedding function,
and so on. Hence it is vital for the event manager to find out what is, and what not is
included in the budget. The budget should incorporate estimates for all of the key items
identified on the Event Master Plan. The basic principle of good cash flow management is to
make sure that there is more money coming into the events business than going out of it.
While one has to see that money comes in on time, it could become problematic too at
times could become problematic too at times. For example at a ‘pay at the door’ Event
Planning ticketed concert, most of the money will come in through ticket sales only on the
day the concert is. If the event ograniser has lots to pay beforehand by making payments,
such as, during booking of artists and advertising the concert, then that could be a lot of
money going out before any money comes in from ticket sales. Hence good financial
planning involves anticipating any shortfalls in money, which allows the event ograniser to
make contingency plans for cash flow (example extending credit and payment terms).
Sometimes for certain events, though money is there to put on the event, additional funds
are required. Sometimes events are successful in attracting sponsors. Contra deals are also
becoming common in the event industry, where unlike a sponsorship deal, no money is
exchanged, but there is a mutual agreement for beneficial goods and services. Contingency
planning is also important, as sometimes the event can be cancelled or postponed, and one
needs to ask then: How will this impact finances? Does the ograniser have appropriate
insurance to cover the event costs?

12) Operational Plans

Once the strategic planning of the event has been accomplished, the implementation of the
plan can start. This process can happen through operational plans that apply project
management practices Operational plans are useful for the achievement of the event
objectives and the implementation of its strategy. Areas for operational planning vary across
events. It would be common , however, for plans to be developed in areas such as
budgeting, marketing, staging, research and evaluation, administration, sponsorship, risk
management, transportation, programming, environmental waste management , and
staffing (paid and volunteer). Each area that develops operational plans will make a set of
objectives as discussed earlier, that contribute and progress the overall event strategy;
action plans and schedules; details of individuals responsible for carrying out various
aspects of the plan; budget detailing; monitoring and control systems; and the allocation of
resources (financial, human and supporting equipment / services). Policies should be
considered as guidelines for decision making. An event may, for example, have a policy of
only engaging caterers, who meet particular criteria. These criteria may be based on
licensing and insurance.

13) Control Systems, Evaluation, Debrief and Follow-up

Once the operational plans are implemented, mechanisms are needed to see if actions are
happening on the basis of plans. These mechanisms are in the form of systems that allow
performance to be constantly compared to objectives. Performance benchmarks (such as
ticket sales over a given period) are very useful in this regard. Meetings, reports and
budgets (budgets allow actual costs and expenditure to be compared with those projected
for various operational areas) are generally a major part of the control process. How will
you determine if your event is a success? When you set your initial event goals and
objectives, you should also consider how you will evaluate the event to determine your
success. Evaluation is mostly a neglected area of event planning. A proper event evaluation
will help the event manager to assess what worked well and what didn’t, and provides
useful lessons in the planning of future events, making it easier. Evaluation can also be a
good way of showing others (example clients, sponsors and partners) that the event was a
success, which can help in justifying future events. evaluation processes can be used to
identify goods offered in kind and funds raised at the event. Likewise if the objective of an
event is to raise awareness, data will have to be benchmarked and gathered on online social
media activity and offline publicity – again based on your initial goals.
Post-event evaluation can be extremely complex but can also be fairly simple; for instance
planning a post-event debrief with key members of the event organising team, key suppliers
and partnering organisations and distributing a simple survey to find out opinions of the
event attendees. A debrief immediately at the end of the event while everyone is still on-
site is referred to as a ‘hot debrief,’ and scheduling such debrief will prove useful. This is
because immediately after an event, majority of the members in the event organising team
as well as the suppliers, vendors and contractors supporting the event company, will start
working for their next event.
It is also important to plan follow-up activities that can be completed post event, such as
sending a personal communication to thank guests for attending the event. Follow-up can
also be done by sending promotional materials such as a heavy brochure to an interested
client, and sending invitations for upcoming events.

2.3 Pre-Planning for Event

A successful event begins with comprehensive planning, a concrete understanding of your

event’s goals, and the identification of resources needed to make things happen. Setting
aside time for pre- event planning allows you to be one step ahead in the event process.

Pre-event activities are important because they help to ensure that an event runs smoothly
and is successful. Pre-event marketing helps create anticipation and awareness for your
event and draw a larger audience. You’ll need to outline your goals and plan your event
strategy as a first step. Depending on your goals and event type, you’ll need to consider
digital and printed graphics, online advertising, social media marketing, interactive content
and media creation, online shopping experiences, and more.

• List of things come under pre-planning of event planning

✓ Identify Funding Sources
✓ Prepare a Detailed Budget
✓ Decide on Pricing
✓ Determine Accounts and Payment
✓ Obtain Approval
✓ Select Vendors and Suppliers
✓ Follow University Hosting Requirements

1. Make a checklist: Creating a checklist helps you keep track of tasks/ideas, as well as
details of the event that could easily be forgotten. Write down everything you will
need for your event before jumping into the decision-making process. Your outline should
cover areas such as costs, budgets, important dates, possible vendors, and so forth. Be clear
on the event particulars (date, purpose, goals) and pay special attention to the number of
people attending this event and the budget. A large portion of the budget is spent on food
and beverages, so guest count is critical! Your Event Consultant can help you review this
outline and consider priorities before finalizing decisions. Either way, it doesn’t hurt to keep
a notebook on hand to got something on paper, so that you remember it later!
2. Create a budget: When it comes to planning an event, keeping a budget is SO important.
As mentioned above, the type of food and beverages selected directly affects the budget.
When planning for your event, consider the essentials first – ensure the major expenses are
properly accounted for, so the remainder of expenses can be fairly distributed.
3. Do your research: When searching for providers of different services for your event,
ensure that you select the best option by considering the theme, content, food, and
location. These features constitute a large chunk of the pre-event planning phase. Rather
than rushing into the first vendor, you can find, consider your options and keep an open
mind. Negotiate if necessary. An Event Consultant an help you make the best decision given
your considerations!
4. Accommodate your guests
Be prepared to assist your guests. After all, the success of an event lies in the perception of
the guests. For instance, prepare to offer a wide array of menu options, including things
such as “vegetarian/vegan options”. To get a better idea of the attendees, it is notable to
conduct a survey amongst the guests. Your Event Consultant can help with constructing the
survey to reach out to your audience! Engage on social media Promoting your event on
social media platforms is a great way to connect with your guests, as well as boost your
event and increase engagement. This way, more people can connect with you during and
post-event.

2.4 Post Planning for event

Post-event activities help evaluate the success of the event, gather feedback from
attendees, and make improvements for future events. These activities also provide an
opportunity to document and share the event’s impact and outcomes, which can be
valuable for reporting and marketing purposes. After your event, you’ll need to think about
content updates for your website, data analysis and reporting, lead follow-up, and feedback
collection.

➢ POST PLANNING CHECKLIST

✓ Collect and analyze event data and metrics to measure the success of the event.
✓ Gather feedback from attendees, sponsors, and other stakeholders.
✓ Evaluate the return on investment (ROI) and adjust future event plans accordingly.
✓ Share event highlights, photos, and videos on social media and other marketing
channels.
✓ Create and distribute a post-event report to stakeholders.
✓ Follow up with attendees, sponsors, and leads generated from the event.
 ✓ Update event-related materials, such as websites and presentations, with information
from the event.
✓ Settle outstanding invoices and payments.
✓ Store and organize event-related documents and materials for future reference.
✓ Plan and start preparations for the next event.
✓ Gather feedback: Post-communication from guests is so important because feedback
allows you to see what you can do to improve, as well as what you did well. This will
encourage you when planning for your next event!
✓ Thank everyone who helped: Contact all vendors and staff to thank them for their
hard work and to follow up with any possible questions/comments they may have.
✓ Pay outstanding invoices: Finally, if there are any bills not yet paid, ensure you pay
them (on time)!
✓ Share Content with Your Attendees On-Demand
✓ Invite Attendees to the Next Event

2.5 Characteristics of good planner

1. People Skills: There is one thing that all events have in common: they involve people. No
matter what type of event you host (in-person, livestream events, or hybrid events),
people are always there. This is why your people skills play an important role. You’ll have
to consider all kinds of characters and have to do it efficiently. This includes suppliers,
supervisors, sponsors, coworkers, vendors, staff, government officials, and executives. A
big part of your career success involves feeling comfortable when connecting with all of
these. In other words, communication skills are key in this business.

2. Organizational Skills: When it comes to organizational skills, event planners need to be

able to prepare everything efficiently. Every one of your events will have thousands of
pieces that you must put together skillfully. Moreover, successful event managers usually
work on several projects simultaneously. You’ll have to make sure that orders, invoices,
meetings, deliveries, and other tasks are executed properly and timely. Thus, one of the
most important events management skills is your ability to organize. By doing this the right
way, you ensure yourself a successful event.

3. Communication Skills: So far, it’s clear that you need to have dealings not only with clients
but with other key figures in the event planning process. But communication skills go
beyond this; you must also convey messages clearly. Make sure that your instructions are
explicit and direct, especially when dealing with your planning team. Also, make sure you
do this appealingly.

4. Networking Savviness: The best event planners are those who can create a network. Be
sure to make contact with different professionals in the event planning business.Once you
have a reliable network, your projects will run more smoothly. Don’t forget that they can
also refer you to new clients.
5. Understanding of Events: At the risk of pointing out the obvious, event planners must
know how the event industry works. Your event planning skills will not be complete until
you achieve this knowledge. Also, it helps if you know how to set up a request for proposal
(RFP) or a floor plan. Contract review and data analytics are also important event
management skills. More than businesspeople, event professionals are artists: they need
to find creative solutions. Also, it helps to understand what’s realistic and what’s not.
Finally, someone may be more naturally talented in this regard. Yet, these skills can be
developed over time as well.

6. Research Ability: Every event planner must do research to stay up to date on the latest
news in the industry. Resources, tools, and event-related aspects are worth considering.
Nowadays, this information is easy to access online through a search engine. Yet, the key
is to find the right piece of data amid the ocean of information available. This depends
solely on the organizer’s research skills. Good researchers will be able to find accurate
information quickly. This includes last-minute restrictions, such as capacity limits or
entrance conditions, that governments may apply.

7. Client-oriented Service: Rule number one for all event managers is “the client comes first.”
Always keep in mind that you’re organizing the client’s event, hence, you must prioritize
their vision. Even if you disagree with one decision, you must put their needs before yours.
Also, you need to consider factors such as budget. Remember that amiability is a big plus.
Use expressions such as “It’s my pleasure,” “Let me see what we can do,” or “Absolutely.”
With this approach, you can reassure your client’s confidence and lower their anxiety.

8. Problem-solving Skills: If you’re wondering what pays off in this industry, the answer is
problem-solving skills. It’s impossible to imagine an event without problems, and you must
solve them with a cool head. Being an event manager is more than placing sticky notes
and giving a few instructions. Most of the time, organizers must make difficult decisions.
There will be unforeseen situations that you have to resolve calmly and effectively. From
keeping the audience entertained while the keynote speaker is stuck in traffic, to finding
a new provider at the last minute, you must be ready for everything.
All in all, decision-making skills and the ability to solve problems will be your best allies.
We all want to be in control, however, taking care of everything yourself is not the best
strategy.

9. Ability to Have Difficult Conversations: Probably, at some point, you’ll have to face
difficult situations. Giving constructive feedback or firing someone are not easy things to
do. When you find yourself in this situation, you need to handle it well. If you want to run
successful events, you will have to make difficult decisions like removing a team member
or reassigning a task. Your leadership skills depend on how you approach such a scenario.

10.Be Resilient and Flexible: Event management is not about a clear set of tasks. It’s
important to understand that responsibilities change, and you need to adapt to each
situation. A big part of your job can involve anything from putting out fires to making
 decisive phone calls, and you need to do this as efficiently as possible. Your performance
in those cases must be impeccable, and you must remain calm. That way, you can go back
to running the show in no time. Having a checklist is important, but you need to be able
to move away from it. If things deviate from your planning process, you need to
respond. Otherwise, the event will suffer. Finally, keep in mind that your way of dealing
with this will define your reputation as an event manager.

11.Negotiation Skills and Budget Management: Bargaining is an important part of the job.
Most of the time, you’ll have to work on a budget, and your negotiation skills may save
the day. When booking a place or negotiating a contract, you want to get the best price so
that you can stretch the budget. But how do you do this? While some people are innate
negotiators, others may need practice. All in all, it’s a mixture of tact, confidence, and
preparation. Forecasting and expense control are vital factors. Experience with invoicing
is also helpful.

12.Decision-making Skills: This is a deeper insight into one of the previous points. If you make
a decision as an event planner, you must analyze the situation carefully and consider all
possible outcomes. Since this will be an important part of your daily routine, you must put
a lot of consideration into it. Moreover, it’s not only about deciding fast; your solutions
must be viable. Work on your decision-making skills and you’ll be able to come up with
better solutions each time.

13.Develop Your Creativity: A creative planner is vital for a successful event. Also, the ability
to engage clients and attendees is crucial. Booking a venue, hiring caterers, and finding
the right entertainment options are not enough. This is where creativity becomes
essential. If you want people to remember your events, make sure you transform your
ideas into unforgettable experiences. Although this is not a hard skill, it’s an ability that
you can acquire with practice and dedication.

14.Be a Good Leader: A true leader brings people together. Rather than giving orders, try to
engage employees and inspire them to give their best. Vendors, volunteers, and team
members must work together for a common goal. Also, they need to feel that what they
do matters. With your style, try to make people feel important and lead them towards
success. Even if you have to be tough sometimes, make sure this is not your natural way
of communicating with others in the work environment.

15.Love What You Do Although it may sound like a cliché, passion is still an important part of
the equation. An event manager must put passion into everything they do and work
enthusiastically. Self-motivation is key at this point. Also, the feeling of pride after creating
a successful event can be what makes your engine start.
Nobody doubts that event management is one of the most stressful jobs, and this is
exactly why you need that extra spark. Motivation will help you overcome challenges
and keep calm when things get difficult. Work with genuine passion, and you’ll see the
results.
This approach will also lead to higher creativity and give you a sense of fulfilment.
16.Proficiency in Technology: In our day, technology proficiency is not an option. Keep in
mind that technology is a manager’s best friend. Software and apps can simplify processes
and improve your efficiency, so, don’t be afraid to use them. Even if you don’t know the
solution inside-out, make sure you understand what advantages it can provide. In line with
this, staying on top of the latest trends can also be very helpful.

17.Risk Management Skills: Safety must be one of your top priorities. It’s likely that event
attendees, speakers, or sponsors don’t see the efforts that you put in this area. However,
you should never cut down on safety. Safety is important for every person involved in the
planning process and for attendees as well. Whether it is about on-site safety measures or
client data protection, make sure your event is safe. Also, stay updated on healthcare
regulations and government safety measures.

18.Keep Calm: Even the best planning has its weak points. In other words, you cannot predict
all the possible issues that may arise.If an incident jeopardizes your event, make sure to
stay calm. Only by this will you be able to find the best solution.