Events can be a part of any business or industry – whether it is planning a company Christmas party, organizing a trade show, or hosting a speaker event, most businesses will be on the hook for managing an event at some point.
Small businesses or businesses without much event planning experience can struggle to get everything done on time and on budget, but our tips for event management can keep you on track for your best event. What’s the most important event management advice for your business?
Event Management Tips
- Start planning and organizing early: It might seem unreasonable to begin planning your Christmas party in March, but smart businesses know that one of the most important events planning ideas is to start as early as possible. The more vendors that are involved, the more time you want to give yourself to coordinate all the details. Plus the earlier you start, the more organized you’ll be – this means better budgeting, less stress, and a smoother process overall.
- Make your list: What does your event need? Business meetings, for instance, will need charging stations and reliable WiFi access. Understanding the needs of the event is key in your event management process, as it can help you find the right vendors, the right venue, and other key components that will make your event a success.
- Delegate: One of the most important tips for event management is deciding who will do what. Some companies have event committees that can help break out the responsibilities of anything from corporate events to fun cultural events to events that include hosting company tours. Other times responsibilities for organizing and executing an event fall to department managers or HR. The most important part, no matter who is ultimately responsible for the event, is breaking up those responsibilities into smaller parts. Assigning details means you know who’ll be responsible for organizing and following up on details from calling caterers to arranging transport to handling registration and RSVP details.
- Make it easier to collaborate: Regular meetings are important to keep everything on track. Creating a shared document that all event planners have access to is a key component to successfully managing events. Whether this is a Google Sheet or other cloud-based document, it’s essential to use something to track vendor contracts and information, venue information, registration and attendee details, floor plan information and more.
- Have a plan B: Even the best-planned events can have things that go wrong. Unforeseen details can arise that throw a plan off track. Having a backup plan means you’ll be better able to troubleshoot anything that comes up. Figure out who the point person for questions will be and have numbers on hand for vendors and any other important contacts. One trick for keeping mistakes as minimal as possible? Have pictures taken of your event space so you can better envision things like setup and event flow and you’ll have the pictures on file to reference and check again should any last-minute changes pop up.
- Rehearse your event if possible: A walk-thru is a great idea for any event. Even if you’re just walking through the space of your holiday party, it can help you get a better understanding of how to manage any hiccups, as well as potentially highlight problems before they become an issue. Having your team of event planners do a run-through of your venue as close to the event as possible is a great way to ensure you haven’t overlooked any crucial details.
- Get social: Need more attendees? Want to get the word out about your event? Get online. Sharing news about your event on your social media channels – or vendor and partner social media platforms – can be a great way to grow your registration or event awareness. Social media is also a fantastic way to showcase your event success and show off your corporate event planning skills.
- Get feedback: Was your event a success? You might need to ask to know. Following up with attendees and planning committee members what they thought of the event and the planning process can help you host, plan, and prepare for better events down the line. What went right, what went wrong, and what can be elevated in future events? These follow-up conversations are key to being able to grow your event management process and conducting successful events from holiday parties to corporate lunches to author events to trade shows or showroom tours.
Using pro tips like this for event management can help you host bigger, more confident events that allow you to grow your engagement or brand awareness. Having an event management plan can help increase your likelihood of a successful meeting or event, protecting your business reputation and your employee’s sanity over the planning process.
