Hands down, the first step to planning any successful event is knowing exactly what the event is about (it’s "mission", in corporate speak). Every other decision that needs to be made and every other detail decided upon follows from that basic starting point. If the event’s "mission" has been appropriately communicated to whomever is actually making the planning decisions, then the details will all fall pretty naturally into place. If not, you could find yourself having a serious business "meet-up" in a loud bar (as in "can’t hear yourself think…") or find that your company’s "Family Fun Day" has been planned with little thought to children’s activities or needs.
Event Planning Checklist
- Where will the event be held?
- What will be served in the way of food and drink?
- Are there décor considerations – if so, what will they be, and who will be responsible for executing them?
- What will the program consist of – speakers, entertainment, activities etc – and what will each of these things cost? (Time to check to make sure you haven’t gone off-course and everything you are planning is completely in keeping with the event’s overall "mission." For example, if you’re planning a "Women’s Networking Event," it might be a good idea not to book an all-male panel of "experts" as the keynote activity!
- Have you planned for all necessary AV equipment – and coordinated this with your speakers, entertainers, etc?
- Have you coordinated any other special needs with your event participants? Handouts, for example.
- Will there be any ancillary activities set for the event (formalized time for networking, for example). If so, how will that be handled?
- Who will be attending this event – your "target market?"
- How will this event be marketed – if this is a compulsory company meeting, has everyone "gotten the memo?" If the public is invited, have you planned for a marketing budget? If you haven’t, how do you plan to get the word out about the event – and is it truly a realistic plan?
Final Details Count
The day of, day before and day after any corporate event are especially crucial times in the life of the person responsible for the event.
Day Before
- Good time to double check everything ….venue details, speakers, equipment, entertainment…Remember, there’s still time to fix problems.
Event Day
- Make sure that anyone who needs your cell phone number has your cell phone number, and be prepared to stay "flexible" in every situation that might arise.
Day After
- Make sure that all equipment is returned. Venue has been left in a satisfactory state, and everyone who needs to be formally thanked for their participation, has been.
Make sure you’re clear in what this event will be about (its "mission"). What goals does your company wants to achieve with this event and who will be invited/expected to attend?
- With a "mission" firmly under control, develop the event’s "theme" and set an action plan that allows you to accomplish your goal within a workable time frame – and allow extra planning time for the "Murphy Law Syndrome"..in other words, if something can go wrong, make sure you’ve planned for it to go wrong!
- With the action plan set, develop a realistic budget that includes an acceptable price range for every single item the action plan requires – and make sure it jibes with your company’s allowable budget.
- With budget and plan in hand, start to go down this list – keeping a steady eye on issues like its appropriateness to mission, and date/time availability:
