The event planning tips you really need to know

Is your event set for success? Do you know how to make it the best one yet? It’s not always easy to organize an event, but there are a few steps that can help. Read on and find out nine tips for planning a successful event like a pro.

Step One: Pinpoint Your Target Audience

This is essential in order to create an experience tailored to them. Who do they work for? What interests do they have? What will keep them talking about your event? What would really wow them? What is most important to this group? What is the best method to get their attention?

Step Two: Set Goals For Your Event

Now that you know the “who” for your event, set some goals to help measure your success. How many people do you want to show up? How much revenue will be needed to make a profit? There are also more creative goals to consider that don’t necessarily have a defined number to achieve. What do you want your guests to walk away with? Brand recognition? A new sense of purpose or pride? Or even a memorable or sharable experience?

Step Three: Decide on a Date that Makes Sense

Crucial to the success, is to make sure your event date and time is not competing with anything majorly important to your target audience. Are there specific holidays to avoid? What other events are already scheduled that is also targeting your audience? Don’t make your audience choose.

Step Four: Find a Venue that Holds Enough People

You don’t want your event to be the next Fyre Festival disaster. Find venues/locations that can hold the number of people you want at the event. Then visit those locations to get a real sense if it will appeal to your target audience. Make sure you ask questions about sound and lights capabilities, any restrictions they may have, and if you will need any special permits for your event.

Step Five: Create a Unique Experience

At each of your events, try something new and different. Offer attendees something they won’t get anywhere else-a chance to meet face-to-face with someone from their industry who inspires them or a preview of a highly anticipated show or even a sampling of a new craft beer company. Don’t forget to consider all the senses when creating a unique experience and cater to what your target audience would appreciate most.

Step Six: Get the Word Out Early

Whether you are selling tickets or doing an “invite only” event, start getting the word out as soon as you know the date and time. Create an FB event page and a few graphics on Canva to really start pushing your event early. Remember, it takes an average person 7 times to remember an ad. Think of multiple ways of getting message out through social channels, emails, and personal calendar invites. Get on their list, and get on it early.

Step Seven: Create Event Assets to Share

When people commit to an event, they will want to know the details right away. Create all the marketing assets as soon as possible, but don’t forget things like entertainment schedules, maps that include parking locations, bathrooms, food options, and/or vendor locations. Having these assets ready to circulate prior to the event will ease your guest’s anxieties and prevent you from fielding all the these questions individually.

Step Eight: Keep a Detailed Timeline

Your timeline will be your new best friend. It will be crucial to keep updated throughout the planning process, and to keep yourself organized the day of the event. You will want to know what time vendors will be setting up, what time entertainers will be arriving, what time staff will be arriving, and so on and so forth. Another key detail you will want to keep on your timeline is contact info for important vendors. Keeping it all in one place will save you time and a headache searching when someone is late or a question pops up unexpectedly.

Step Nine: Understand Your Staffing Requirements

Easiest way to kill your event is for guests to be standing in lines waiting. Whether that is for food or for entry tickets. Make sure you have enough staff to handle the volume of people you expect. One person may be able to get 100 people through the check-in line in an hour but will not be able to make individual orders of food in the same time period. Know how many people (staff or volunteers) will be needed to prevent long lines and agitated guests.

Get my exact goal setting check-list to help you with the pre-planning for any event!!