Five Tips for Managing a Successful Event

People seem to fall into two categories; they either love planning and managing events, or they want nothing to do with them aside from attending as a guest. While it’s understandable to be overwhelmed by all the details, it does not have to be as daunting as it may seem. The following tips will help whether you’re managing your company’s anniversary party, a professional conference, a charity fundraiser, a networking event, or maybe even your kid’s birthday party! 

Tip 1: Identify the Goal(s)

Naturally, different events have different goals. Your first step during this process should always be to identify the goal(s) of the event. Is it to thank your clients and colleagues for their support? Is it to raise money for a good cause? Or is it to create an educational opportunity for industry professionals? This will help set the budget for the event and should be revisited throughout the process to ensure your planning aligns with the goal(s). In addition to identifying goals, determine how to measure whether you were successful in achieving your goals.

Tip 2: Plan, Plan, Plan

There’s nothing more important than the planning stage in the event management process. The length of planning will vary depending on the specific event, but it’s almost never too early to start. For a large corporate event, it’s wise to start at least 6-8 months out. If you don’t know where to begin, there are an abundance of free event planning templates online. Start with one and tailor it to your event. Then take the time on the front end to assign tasks to the team or committee members as well as due dates. Make sure to build in some buffer room in case something gets delayed or you have a roadblock along the way. 

Tip 3: Employ a PM Tool

Managing an event is essentially managing a project, so using a project management tool just makes sense, especially when multiple people are managing or coordinating different aspects of the event. Ideally, your project management tool will allow you to create to-do lists, assign tasks, keep your budget up to date, provide status updates, and communicate with the others working on this event. If everyone utilizes this tool, it can eliminate the need for too many status meeting updates. A few options include Basecamp, Monday.com, and teamwork.

Tip 4: Get Creative

This is the fun part! Think of ways to engage your attendees during the event so they are participating instead of simply attending. If the event has a theme, try to incorporate it throughout to make it feel cohesive and well-designed, from the invitations to the decor to the food. Putting something together that is well thought out and effectively themed is what separates a memorable event from a forgettable one. Note - This part of the process generates lots of big, and potentially expensive, ideas, so always be sure to consider if/how these ideas help meet the goal(s) of the event. 

Tip 5: Gather Feedback & Measure Success

Hold a meeting with your team or committee soon after the event, ideally within one week), to evaluate the successes and areas of improvement. Additionally, ask your guests/attendees for feedback. Google Forms and SurveyMonkey offer free, user-friendly ways to create and send surveys post-event. Compile feedback and event metrics into a document to present to firm leaders as well as revisit when planning your next event. 

Now is the time to sit back and enjoy! Remember, the more planning that goes into an event, the more you are able to enjoy it as a host.

If you need help planning your next event, contact us at marisa@meeksmarketing.com.