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The truth is, if you’ve ever been given the task of planning and managing an event, you’ll know it is no mean feat! In fact, producing a cohesive event that takes into account the brand, target audience, theme, logistics and technicalities can be highly complex, but is also crucial to its success.
It is in this, that event management comes in. But what exactly is event management? Well, to help you understand the ins and outs of events and events management, we’ve put together this helpful article, which will explore event management in its entirety and give you an idea how it (and its principles) can help you plan your next conference or meeting.
Events happen every single day across the world. From awards nights to VIP events, conventions to conferences, even festivals and charity events. By and large, events make up a large part of the fabric of society. Most likely because, as human beings, we are social and find it inspiring, fun and enjoyable to come together in such ways.
Event management is what makes all these things happen. And there are many elements to it, as you will find out through the course of this article. As you can imagine an event like The Oscars does not happen spontaneously. In fact, planning for this kind of event usually starts just after the last one has ended to ensure it runs like clockwork!
Event management is a process that encompasses the planning and execution of an event, and what happens after. The size and scope of an event will depend on how much planning is necessary, however as a general rule almost all of the same things need to be considered. Such as…
The Event Objective
Why are you holding your event? What is the end goal or result?
Before any planning takes place, it is crucial to understand an event’s purpose. For example, the purpose of The Oscars is to reward and recognise excellence in cinematic achievements. When you understand what your event objective is, the planning process will centre around it, with every action feeding into that end goal.
Timelines and Itineraries
What will happen throughout the course of your event? When will it happen? How will you move one group of people from one place to another safely and effectively?
Your timeline, or the itinerary, of your event is the framework or foundation to any successful conference, meeting, or party. Take getting married as an example. Weddings generally have a very rigid timeline, and in the planning process it is made clear how this timeline will be communicated to guests throughout the day.
A timeline or itinerary will help with the structure and planning of an event to ensure delegates arrive at the right place, at the right time, they know what is coming up next, venues and rooms are prepared in advance and essential aspects (such as lunch or refreshments) are provided in a timely, undisruptive manner.
Equipment and Suppliers
There is no doubt that, through the course of most events, you will need some external help. This could be in the form of caterers, motivational speakers, entertainers, waiting staff or decorations. It is vital to be conscious of what you need and then move through the process of sourcing them, contacting them for quotes, negotiating, short-listing and finalising contracts.
Even after that your job is by no means finished, as once a supplier has been appointed it is important to manage them, ensuring they arrive on time and fulfil their services to the agreed standard.
Budgets
Unless you have an endless pot of cash (and congratulations if you do) you’ll be working to a budget as you plan an event. Keeping sight of this budget as you wade through all the planning and preparations can be one of the hardest parts of event management, as it’s easy to lose track, get confused, or even accidentally overspend!
If you’re not au fait with negotiation either, or don’t have the contacts for the suppliers you are looking for, you may find it difficult to get the best price and max out your budget before all bases are covered…
Marketing Your Event
When all the planning is done, or even while you’re still in the planning and organisation stages, you need to market and promote your event. This is done in a variety of ways depending on the event. For example, for a wedding, invitations are sent out to guests that detail the date, time, venue and any other pertinent information. For larger events it may be necessary to use a range of marketing techniques ranging from digital marketing, social media and print advertising to direct mail to do this. However, in both cases, getting the word out about your event will ensure you’re not spending your time and money for nothing.
Risk Assessments
No matter where your event is happening, the scale of it, or who is in attendance, understanding and managing risks is crucial to event management. If we take our wedding example again, you might perhaps ask your guests to RSVP with any dietary requirements or allergies so you can avoid putting them at risk.
On a larger scale, risk assessments consider contingency plans in the case of a wide range of emergency situations and problems to ensure the safety of delegates.
As you can imagine, the list of event management elements above are by no means exhaustive. There are a huge number of aspects to consider when it comes to successful event management. With that in mind, it takes a wide range of skills and flexibility to get event management right from organisational skills down to an impeccable eye for detail, creativity, people skills, and financial know-how.
Are looking for support, help and advice in event management? We can help!
An award-winning event provider, our professional team has the knowledge, experience and skills to support you in planning an exciting event that is entertaining and engaging for guests. No matter the size, scale or scope of your event, our Event Managers will work alongside you to understand your needs. What’s more, we will step in when you need us, and step back when it’s time for you to take all the glory.
For more information and an informal chat about event management, contact us today!