- Develop Event
Goal and Objectives
- Organize a
Team
- venue management;
- speakers;
- entertainment;
- publicity;
- sponsors;
- volunteers
- Set a Date
The
date might already be pre-set for a reoccurring event, but if this is a new
event, be sure to consider the following before firming up your date:
- Give yourself enough time! Ideally,
you should have 4-6 months to plan
- Brand Your Event
If
you want your event to stand out, you need to choose a timely and compelling
theme that sets you apart from your competition. This means that you need to
come up with a dynamic overall theme and you need to take great care with the
actual name – since it can be a key attention-getter, especially in online
media.
- Brainstorm names:
- how is your event different from other
events in your sector?
- what are you hoping to convey through
this event?
- Create a Tagline:
- Design a Logo:
- Create a Master
Plan:
This
plan should encompass all aspects of the event, including:
- Venue, logistics & catering
management (contracts, permits, insurance, etc.)
- Speakers/presenters (identifying,
confirming, logistics & management)
- Activities/entertainment
- Publicity/promotion (online &
off-line, e.g.,: web page & online promotion; events calendars;
printed programs; media relations; signage; social media, etc.)
- Registration (online sign-up, payment
and tracking; on-site sign-in, etc.)
- Sponsor/partner management
- Volunteer management
- Determine
Administrative Processes
In
other words, how are you going to keep track of your planning, registration,
budget, guest and speakers lists, etc.?
- Identify and
Establish Partnerships & Sponsors
Are
there organizations that you could partner with or call on for sponsorships to
defray the costs and increase potential participation? When you involve
other people or groups in your event, they have a stake in helping spread the
word and making the event a success.
- Create a
Publicity Plan
Even
with the most amazing speaker or entertainment line-up, you need publicity to
get people in the door. Event promotion starts with the initial notice or
page on your website, note in your newsletter or email to save the date, and
then builds to include online and off-line publicity, media relations and
on-going outreach to encourage registration. And no plan is complete without
the post-event thank-you’s, sponsor acknowledgements and articles about the
event’s key messages or fundraising success.
- Establish a
Budget
Your
budget should incorporate estimates for all of the key items identified on your
Event Master Plan. Don’t forget to include any travel or accommodation costs
for speakers, presenters, etc.
- Determine
Evaluation Process
How
will you determine if your event is a success?
