How To Organise Any Event : 7 Steps

Organising an Event?

Blog Entry by Sarah Brown

 

It's no secret that events are an unpredictable, stressful and time consuming part of jobs such as PR, corporate/business meetings, stakeholder events, product launches or even the occasional party.

There is no perfect solution or magical 'how to do' template that will guarantee a flawless event each time, however, after completing a number of events in my experience I can offer a few top tips on how to make your event planning as seamless and productive as possible.

1# Set Your Basics

Before anything else, ask yourself : 

•  Why are you holding the event? 
•  What is its purpose.
•  How many people are expected to attend.
•  What is your budget?
  

2# Pick Your Venue

Now that you know your basics, it's time to pick an appropriate location to host your event. Will it be inside or outdoors? How many people will it need to hold and how is it going to be paid for? 

It would be inappropriate to hold a product launch in a cafe- unless you are launching on behalf of the cafe itself. It would also be inappropriate to have a business meeting outdoors when you live in a busy/noisy city or experience unpredictable weather patterns. Make sure the venue reflects the needs of your event. However, an outdoor event may perfectly suit a large crowd attending a party or a light-hearted function. Be selective.

3# Pick a Theme

This is the fun part- pick a theme that will become the overarching message or scheme of your event. This can be as simple as a colour such as pink, e.g. the national breast cancer events are usually pink themed, or as complex as a topic e.g. environmental, where you can use bio-degradable cutlery, exhibit plants and relevant images.

4# Choose Your Entertainment 

An event just isn't the same without entertainment of some sort. Again, this is highly reflective of your theme and budget. Take into consideration what your event is for, you may decide on some of the following;

• Live music e.g a professional band or a friend with an acoustic guitar.
•  Music in the background. e.g ipod or through speakers
• Guests speakers, hosts or MC's
• Games and activities 

5# Food 

Food, need I say more? Food is the key to the sociability and enjoyment of your guests. From finger food on a table to a full catered 3 course meal, food will generate conversation points and keep guests spirits high. Nothing sends a guests running faster to the front door then an empty stomach

 

6# Seating

Often something not thought about enough, seating should be considered strongly when planning for the event. Will your guests have enough seating options so that they endure the event throughout its duration? Most importantly, your seating arrangement will reflect the purpose of your event. You wouldn't set up a business meeting by scattering a few mixed and matched chairs on a lawn, however this could be perfect for a birthday celebration. Make sure seating is plentiful and comfortable so that guests have the option of being social and can move around with ease- no one wants to be cramped in a room with no seats.

7# Final Touches

After all the above have been catered to its time to sit back and add any finishing touches to your event plan. A few last minute things I always like to check are;

• Appropriate lighting
• Noise constraints
• Availablilty of equipment and resources such as notepads, power outlets, toilets etc.  
• Knowledge that each guest can get to the event with ease (provide directions)
• Knowledge that each guest knows the time and place e.g send invitations or generate a facebook event page.
• Double check your bookings and supplies.
• Be prepared for last minute additions or subtractions to guests. 
• Always have a back-up venue in mind in case of unforeseen circumstances.  
• Be a hospitable host and enjoy yourself, it will rub off on your guests.