The Ultimate Guide for Planning the Perfect Event in 7 Easy Steps

how to plan the perfect event
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Are you looking for how to prepare an event or for any event planning advice?

You have come to the right place, don’t worry.

We’ve seen a variety of organizations’ events throughout the years and have identified seven key steps that are critical to any successful event.

While we cannot identify every aspect you’ll need to consider, as much of it will depend on the type of event you’re hosting, however, we can propose some of the best practices that are critical to follow for any event.

Step 1: Research and Set Your Goals🥅

Depending on the nature of your event, you may want to undertake some research prior to getting started. Sometimes event planning firms will overlook this critical phase, which can potentially spell disaster for the event’s success.

Before organizing an event, you should conduct an interview with the individual or team responsible for event hosting. Identify and understand their specific objectives – fundraising, raising awareness, networking with other experts, and sharing new ideas, for example.

To be more efficient, prepare a list of questions for the research phase. You’ll need to know the event’s budget, the date, and approximate attendance.

Once the research is complete, you can document the event’s goals and objectives. The goals and objectives you set should be specific and measurable so that you can evaluate the event’s success later. Additionally, this list can also serve as a reference when you begin the major event planning processes.

Step 2: Establish Your Event’s Budget💰

Budgeting is a critical early step in event planning because it assists in clarifying different areas of your master plan down the line. Additionally, creating a budget enables you to avoid unpleasant surprises (like running out of money for decor, borrowing money to pay some bill, etc.). You’ll be more successful if you plan out your complete budget in advance, update it when variables are finalized, and stay actively involved in the process.

Based on your broad budget and first scope of requirements. You should begin by mapping out your line item costs in order to acquire a sense of how your budget will be distributed among your demands.

According to Eventbrite, “the budget is divided into four categories: marketing and promotion (43%), speakers and talent (32%), printed materials (29%), and venues (18%).”

As your strategy takes shape, you’ll need to revisit the budget. While line items will surely change, it is critical to maintain an accurate budget that incorporates any modifications or revisions. And, because you never want to go over budget, planners frequently make adjustments to guarantee you stay within your budget.

Step 3: Design Your Event🌃

The event design process involves the construction of the event’s master plan. First, you need to  begin by locating a venue that fits the event’s theme, guest count, and purpose. Throughout the planning process, you can collaborate with venue employees to improve communication and ensure that everything runs smoothly.

Second, once you’ve selected a place for your event, you can begin assembling a team to assist you with the remaining design duties.

Lastly, by delegating task responsibility to other team members, you can take the managerial role without becoming overwhelmed by event preparation specifics. Each member of your team will make a contribution to the master plan. This will not only help you but also motivate your team members.

For instance, the person in charge of entertainment will provide you with a list of artists and a schedule. The individual or group in charge of food and beverage will submit a complete menu with associated prices and a schedule for food service.

💡 Pro Tip: To ensure the success of your event, your event design and master plan should be as precise as possible.

Step 4: Organize Your Team🏇

“Delivering high-quality events requires buy-in at all levels of an organization. To create a truly unforgettable experience, you’ll need support from your executive team all the way to your on-site event staff.”-  Bill McGlade, CEM, Vice President, Account Management at Personify A2Z Events

To manage all the specifics of any event, a concerted team effort is required. Consider appointing a primary event manager or chairperson, as well as individual chairpersons for subcommittees, such as:

  1. Venue management
  2. Speaker management
  3. Entertainment management
  4. Sponsor management
  5. Volunteer management.

Individually assigning roles to team members establish accountability and prevent tasks from going by the wayside. Additionally, it enables delegation – but doesn’t forget to factor committee meetings into your event planning timeline!

✅ Pro Tip: TimeTackle provides team time tracking that helps you optimize your team’s schedule and find the best time to sync and collaborate with your team. Click here to learn more.

Step 5: Start Branding Your Event💹

A well-organized event with well-defined aims and objectives should be very straightforward when it comes to brand. This is because you are already aware of the host’s wishes and the expectations of the visitors. Brand the event with your research and design.

However, hold on! Additionally, you’ll need to demonstrate how your event is special and why it’s worth attending to your visitors. You can use promotional materials to further strengthen your brand and generate interest in your event.

Is there a special name for your event? Is there a motto or tagline for it? These small details that many event planners overlook can actually contribute to the success of your entire event’s branding. As you build a brand around the event, choose a name, tagline, and logo. This will help attendees understand what they can expect from the event if they choose to attend.

Your branding will aid you in publicizing the event. Depending on the event host’s preferences, you can use an email list, social media posts, or a custom invitation list.

Step 6: Determine Day-Of Processes🎯

Your planning is progressing well, and you are now prepared to go on to start planning the day of the event! Coordination is KEY. Finalize all arrangements with each member of your team and event personnel or volunteers.

Everyone involved in the event should understand what is expected of them and the critical nature of their contribution to the event’s success. You’ll need to plan the day’s events’ various components and distribute the schedule to each team member and your venue representative.

Each component of the event should be listed on the schedule with a clear start and end time. Additionally, you may specify which individual or group of individuals is accountable for each component of the event. Additionally, you can include additional critical information on your day-of plan, such as who to contact if there are technical difficulties.

This is a difficult stage! However, this is why event planners are successful – they have an uncanny ability to pay attention to detail.

Here’s a quick example of what something like this might look like: 

  • 7:00: All members must arrive at the venu
  • 7:15: AV and Lighting setup (Jim,Oscar) 
  • 7:30: Have quick volunteer coordination meeting (Micheal)
  • 8:00: Attendees begin arriving
  • 8:30: Start distributing the pamphlets(Eren, Pam) 
  • 9:00: Event Starts
  • 9:10: Speaker 1 takes the stage
  • 10:00: Break
  • 11:00: Speaker 2 takes the stage
  • 12:00: Lunch Break
  • 13:30:  Q/A session begins
  • 14:20 Event ends; all guests must leave

Step 7: Evaluate the Event🧮

You’ve reached the concluding stage of your event planning checklists – evaluation.

Not every event planner or event planning company utilizes a structured evaluation process. The evaluation stage is useful especially if you are new to planning or wish to collect positive feedback in order to establish yourself as professional planner.

You can collect feedback on conferences and formal work events by sending an online survey or handing out paper surveys to attendees. Include questions regarding the event’s organization and specific goals from your list.

However, feedback from participants is only one component of the review. Following the event, you can review your team’s goals and objectives and determine whether or not they were met. If they were, that’s fantastic! If you believe you could have been more effective in a certain area, share it. The only way to enhance your event planning abilities is to be eager to learn and grow.

Summary

Each of these components contributes to the success of your event planning. Develop a strong, actionable plan for your event by working through each of these. When preparing an event, it is critical to get started as soon as feasible. With so many moving parts, a head start ensures a smooth finish. So what’s the wait! Let’s build the perfect event. 

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