Top Event Planning Tips And Tricks You Need To Make Your Event Successful

One of the stressful and hectic tasks is to host an event successfully. Planning an event requires a lot of hard work, time, team management, execution of plans, etc. If you are not having much experience and expertise in this field then hosting an event can be challenging for you especially when there are more than 1000 plus attendees. Hosting such events without having proper planning can lead to a mess.

Though hosting an event is a challenging job yet it is quite rewarding too. All you need to do is just to do the basic things right and then you are halfway there. Then you can relax and take control of the other aspects of the event very easily. As there will be different clients with different expectations of the event so you need to take care of these things very skillfully while chalking out the plan for the event.

And to fine-tune the art of planning a successful event you can go through some of the effective tips which can drastically lessen your burden from your shoulder and you can deliver a successful event without any hiccups. Which will eventually drive growth in your business.  

Event Planning Tips That You Must Implement to Make Your Event Successful

Some of the most important tips that you must take into your account to host a successful event are mentioned below:

1. Be an Early Bird

If you are eying to host a successful event then the first and foremost rule of hosting an event is to start as early as possible. If you are planning to host an event (e.g. Social Event, Corporate Retreat, or fundraiser) with more than 1000 plus attendees then it is advisable to start planning the event at least four-six months. So that you can take control of the event and have a clearer picture as well. There are very high chances of being an event successful when it is well-planned. 

As there are so many things involved in event planning checklist like selecting the venue, vendors, sponsors, and speakers, marketing options, etc. should be aligned and sorted. And also planning the event four to six months prior also allows for having your backup plan in place.

In case of any mishappening, potential obstacles, any vendor issue, etc. takes place you will be able to counter that as well. However, if you are planning for a relatively small event i.e. 200 attendees then you can start your preparation one month ago.

2. Set Specific Goal for the Event

The very next thing that should take place is to set a specific goal for your event. It is very essential before hosting your event. A few questions could pop up in your mind like “what will be the purpose of this event?” or “Why do you need to host this event?”

Based on the purpose of the vent you will have a clearer picture in your mind that what is the topic of the vent and what is going to happen. So according to the need of the event, you can start planning for the event a few months back. Though in some of the events there will be some specific targets that need to be fulfilled on or before the event takes place. Like if the event is about fundraising then the objectives can be

• Raising a Specific amount of the funds from advertising.
• Getting funds from social media engagements.
• The amount of fundraising on the day of the event, etc.

Similarly, other events may have pre-event objectives that should be met on or before the event takes place. Here you can track the objectives with the help of your team to achieve this and make the event successful.

3.Choose a Specific Venue

If you are planning an in-person event then choosing the right venue can be the deal maker for your event and business. If you are planning to host the event for the very first then make sure you choose 

• A specific date when there are no national holidays or religious holidays.
• Make sure key speakers, VIPs, and other important speakers are available on that specific date and in that venue.
• If your event is going to be big then make sure you book the venue 5 to 6 months ago.
• Depending upon your attendees you can select the size of the venue so that comfortably the event can go on. You can also take separate rooms for VIPs, Special Speakers as well.
• The location of the venue should be in a prime place so that the targeted attendees can attend the event very easily.
• The venue should have a good parking space and should be adjacent to a highway or expressway.
• Make sure that you have thorough knowledge about pricing or hidden charges and also charges that will be imposed in case of cancellation of the venue. 

 Following such key points while selecting the venue can be helpful for your event. 

4. Set Your Budget

This is the main part where you should put extra attention and it should not be overlooked. Budgeting is the key factor for the overall success of your event. Proper budgeting should take into place and you should strictly stick to your budget at any cost. Make sure you share your budget with your team so that they can also strictly stick to the proposed budget plan. Various elements of the budget like venue, decoration, marketing, labor costs, entertainment, etc. expenses should match with the proposed allocated budget for each of the elements. In this way, you and your team can have greater control over the expenses and this will allow you and your team to focus & evaluate other aspects of the event. 

5. Pen down Your Plan 

After planning the object of the event, budget, venue, etc it is the time to pen down your successful event planning tips and tricks. It will work as a roadmap to your event and it will allow you and your team to track down the progress of the plan. 

And it is proven that 30 to 45 percent time if you write your plan and execute the plans one by one for the event it has led to a successful event. So write down all the elements like the date of the event, key speakers, sponsors, venue, vendors, etc., and do share this with your team as well so that they can execute the plans properly.

6. Create an Event Team

It is always a wise plan to work as a team when you are about to host a mega event. Designating each of the members of the team allows us to track the progress easily and effortlessly. If you are the project manager or the supervisor then you can assign different responsibilities to different members which will eventually reduce the stress and responsibilities a bit but you take accountability for each member to track their performance, productivity, etc. 

Also, you will be able to create a backup plan as well with the help of the team members. So that, if any obstacles or problem takes place on the day of the event you and your team will be able to handle the problem without much issue.

7. Invite Photographers

To commemorate the entire event you should capture the entire event through the lens of a photographer. As a picture can express a thousand words and posting the pictures of the event is a great way to showcase your success. Therefore these clicked photographs will be a key factor for your social media advertising campaign to drive the sales number of your business. 

Hiring a professional photographer will also be a key factor for the event, sponsors as well as from the business’s perspective. As the photographer will capture some of the important pictures of the event including the pictures of the sponsors. 

8. Go Online

You can also host your virtual events with the help of the internet and reach millions of targeted audiences. As there are so many virtual events ideas available in recent days. But in the case of offline event hosting you can take advantage of the internet and broadcast the event through various social media. 

You can also allow the user to watch the entire event live through a virtual events software. Also to promote your event ahead of the day you can seek help from influencers, content marketing teams, PR, etc by allowing the guests to attend the event using various giveaways, and post pictures of the event using the hashtag to create brand awareness. So do not overlook the power of the internet to get massive responses for your event. 

9. Have a Backup Plan

It is always good to have a backup plan for the smooth operation of an event. Different types of challenges you can face during planning or while the event is running on. So it becomes very much important for you to create a backup plan in place. List down the potential challenges that can impact the event is

• As a backup make sure you have already arranged an alternate venue in case of bad weather.
• Make sure you have additional vendors as a backup in case any vendor did not show up on the day of the event. So make arrangements for the vendor handy.
• In case you are willing to broadcast the event online on different platforms then make sure the venue is high-speed Wi-Fi enabled so that there should not be any issues. You should also arrange alternate internet connections as well as backup.
•  Prepare your team for the worst-case scenario. And they should also be aware and part of the backup plan as well. So in the meantime, if any mishappening takes place team will do their part.

And also before the main event takes place just run through the mock event so that you and your team can easily identify the complications and obstacles. Therefore you will get ample time to rectify the obstacles right before the event.

10. Selecting Sponsors Early 

If you are hosting a big event then it is advisable to sort a list of targeted sponsors for your event as early as possible. You should conduct thorough research on the sponsorship companies as to how the sponsors can be relevant to the event. Then sponsorship will be a win-win situation for both you and the sponsorship companies. 

You should also keep in mind how to make the most out of the sponsors and get the benefit not only for you but also for the sponsorship companies. Make sure your sponsors of the events meet these criteria before finalizing their names

• Sponsorship companies should match the theme of the event and have a similar targeted audience just like yours.
• Should have experience of sponsoring an event before. So that you do not have to invest a lot of time explaining what to do? And how to do it?
• Offering complimentary services to the attendees of your event can be beneficial for both.

Apart from these if sponsors provide services like personalized bathrooms for men and women, drinks, a comfortable lounge for speakers, etc. can be the cherry on the top for selecting your preferred sponsorship. So double-check whether your sponsors are meeting these criteria or not before finalizing your list of sponsors. 

You can follow these tips to successfully organize your event without any hassles. But if you find it difficult and confused in organizing an event then you can seek help from event organization companies as a backup plan. As there are so many companies out there who can ease up the pressure of hosting an event. They will successfully organize the event as per your requirement.

But the biggest secret of successful event hosting is delivering what exactly attendees were expecting from your event. Providing value through the event can be a real treat for attendees and it will increase the chances of successful event manifolds. And this leads to great business benefits for both you and the sponsors of the event.