Event Planning: The ultimate guide, Study notes of Management Theory

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Event

Planning

THE MEANING

What is Event Planning? Four unique perspectives from event

planning experts

Here’s a very basic, but thought provoking question that we're asked all the time - What is Event

Planning? We polled our industry experts to get their perspectives and opinions. Here are four of the

most interesting and candid responses we got:

The "Industry definition"

Event planning is the process of managing a project such as a meeting, convention, tradeshow,

ceremony, team building activity, party, or convention. Event planning includes budgeting,

establishing timelines, selecting and reserving the event sites, acquiring permits, planning food,

coordinating transportation, developing a theme, arranging for activities, selecting speakers and

keynotes, arranging for equipment and facilities, managing risk, and developing contingency plans.

The "Official definition" (US Dept of Labor)

Event Planning consists of coordinating every detail of meetings and conventions, from the speakers

and meeting location to arranging for printed materials and audio-visual equipment.

Event planning begins with determining the objective that the sponsoring organization wants to

achieve. Planners choose speakers, entertainment, and content, and arrange the program to present

the organization's information in the most effective way. Meeting planners are responsible for

selecting meeting sites, prospective attendees and how to get them to the meeting.

An optimist’s view

Event planning is the energizing art of choreographing people and activities in order to create a show

that creates memories of a lifetime. Designing and producing an event, whether it‘s a meeting,

corporate event, fund-raiser, tradeshow or any other event, is in many ways comparable to directing

a live stage performance. An added bonus, for those who love to travel, it provides an amazing

opportunity to travel to luxurious hotels, interesting new places and meet speakers and attendees

from around the world. All of this, while enjoying a high level of autonomy and independence!

Why

'Why' means, why you want to organize the event i.e. event objective.

What do you want to get from the event? For eg: do you want to organize the event to enhance your company's brand image, to increase company's sales, to promote your client's products/services or to promote a social cause etc.

Defining event objectives at the very start of event planning is very important as it gives you the direction in which you should proceed to accomplish your objectives. Organizing an event without clear objectives is a huge waste of both time and resources.

What

'What' means what you are going to do in the event i.e. what will be the:

Event Name What will be the name of the event? For eg: 'Auto Expo 2007".

Food and Beverage Menu It contains the list of food items and beverages you will serve during the event to guests and target audience. Always consult a caterer while deciding your food and beverage menu as he knows the best which wine is served with a particular course (i.e. meal).

Keep event theme, preferences and religion of target audience and guests in mind while deciding the menu. If majority of your target audience are vegetarian, then it is not a good idea to serve non-veg in the event. Similarly if majority of your guests are very health conscious then there should also be some low calories food items in your menu. You don't want them to go back with an empty stomach.

Also keep climatic conditions into account. Don't serve out of season food items and beverages. Like serving ice cream/cold drink in winter, food (like spicy food) that provides warmth during summer or food that provides coolness during winter.

Event Profile What the event is all about? For eg: This event is an International exhibition on new models of Cars and its accessories

Guests Profile Who will be your chief guest and other guests? Your guest list must include organizers, sponsors, partners, clients and specially media people. Use your imagination to create good titles to woo your guests. Like 'Guest of honor', star guest etc. Never give special treatment to one particular guest or guests' group.

Event Theme Theme means subject. An event can be based on a particular theme like : hollywood, hawaaian, egyptian, balloon,

When you are going to organize the event (i.e. date and time)? Keep following things in mind while selecting date and time for the event:

1. Select date and time according to target audience convenience and availability. For e.g.: don't organize events during work days, examination days or festival times. The best time to organize events is during weekends like Saturday or Sunday.

2. Make sure that your event's date and time, don't clash with other event's date and time specially bigger event's date and time. For e.g.: it is not a good idea to organize your music concert on a day when there is Bon Jovi concert.

3. Keep climatic conditions into mind while selecting date and time for your event. It can be disastrous to organize event outdoor on a day when the weather is stormy or heavy rain is expected. Here you can take help of your own experience if you are familiar with the climatic conditions of the region where you intend to organize the event or you can take the help of the meteorological department for the weather forecast. Find out how the weather will be on the day of your event.

Where

Where you are going to organize the event (i.e. venue)? Check out the venue selection tips.

Who

Who will be your organizers, sponsors, partners, clients and target audience? How many target audience you are expecting to visit the event and why? You must have very good reason to this 'Why' as you will have to convince your prospective organizers and sponsors that why particular number of people will attend the event.

How

How exactly are you going to market and produce the event.

Conference Planning

Monday, 30 April 2007 Tuesday, 1 May 2007 Wednesday, 2 May 2007

8:00 Registration

8:30 Chair: M. Eisenhut; Heidelberg, Germany R Haubner; Innsbruck, Austria Session 4: Amino acids, peptides and proteins

9:10 Session 7: Angiogenesis

9:00 Chair: H.H. Coenen Opening and welcome addresses 10:00 Coffee break^ 10:00 Coffee break

10:00 Coffee break

10:30 Chair: K.Suzuki, Chiba, Japan Session 5: Interdisciplinary

10:30 Chair: J. Fowler; Brookhaven, USA Session 8: PET-nuclides II

10:30 Chair: A. Luxen; Liège, Belgium Session 1: PET-nuclides I RADIOCHEMICAL YIELD DEPENDENCE OF 3’-DEOXY-3’

12:00 Lunch and Posters 12 :00 Lunch

12:00 Lunch and Posters

13:30 Ann Arbor, USA Session 6: Click labelling methods

13:30 Chair: S. McQuarrie, Edmonton, Canada Session 9: Radiopharmacology

13:30 Chair: S. S. Jurisson; Missouri, USA Session 2: Radiometals

16:30 Adjourn 16:30 Closing & Farewell

15:00 Coffee break

16:30 Adjourn

Event Venue Selection

you will have to do less amount of work in making the venue suitable for the event. If venue has noise ordinace problems in the past like neigbours calling the cops to shut down the event, then it is not a good idea to organize event there especially outdoor event.

6. Venue Services

Before hiring a venue check out the number of services provided by the venue like:

Parking facility Make sure venue has its own parking space. It should be big enough to accommodate your target audience's vehicles conveniently. If parking space is not adequate then look for other venue. Never compromise on parking space especially if you are organizing event on a large scale.

Security Arrangements Security of guests, service providers and target audience is a very important issue which should never be neglected or compromised at any cost. Make sure that your venue has adequate number of fire extinguishers, fire alarms, emergency escape routes, sprinkler system (a system consist of overhead pipes designed to control or extinguish fires), security personals, handicap ramps, security cameras, first aid kits and power backup (like generator, inverter, UPS). Your venue must have separate entrance and exit gates and it should not be more than 30 minutes away from the nearest hospital. If your venue is at a remote location then presence of doctor and ambulance is a must. Also make sure your mobile phone properly works there. If your mobile phone network area is weak there or doesn't exist then you must have some other modes of communication like satellite phone. For large scale events presence of fire fighters, fire engine, police, paramedical team with ambulance is a must.

Venue Staff Your venue must have adequate number of staff to serve your guests. Find out the ratio of servers to guests. The venue staff must be friendly, helpful and courteous. It should be decently dressed. Give special attention to there personal hygiene. Nobody likes to be served by someone who is stinking and looks like a pirate of the 13th century. Ask you venue manager whether or not the staff is able and willing to work overtime.

Restrictions Every venue has some unsaid restrictions like photography and videography restrictions, alcohol restrictions, music restrictions, dress code, decoration related restrictions (like you can not install your own structure and lights for decoration or paste/paint anything on the venue's wall), advertising restrictions (like you can not put a banner on the main gate of the venue) and other restrictions like outside caterer is not allowed or outside security service is not allowed etc. Find out all these restrictions before hiring a venue.

Additional Services Some venue provides additional services like catering, floral decoration, fireworks, audio- visual aids; Staging, Lighting, props, decor for event production; ticketing, reservation, transportation and sight seeing tours for the guests; DJs, anchors, performers etc for event programs.

7. Venue Fees

Ask following questions from venue manager before hiring a venue:

Q1) What is the venue fee? Does it include all other taxes? (Negotiate rental fee to ensure the best deal.)

Q2) What is included in the venue fee? Is dance floor included in venue fee? Are table, chairs and linens included in the venue fee? Is security and liability coverage included in the venue fees?

Q3) What is not included in the venue fee?

Q4) Is there any cost for parking? Generally parking space is provided free of the cost by the venue but some venues may charge separately for parking facility.

Q5) What is the price range for a seated/buffet lunch and dinner?

Q6) What are the Corkage fees? i.e. fees to server liquor. Make sure that venue has the license to serve alcohol. Check the license for expiration date.

Q7) What is the cost of sleeping rooms?

Q8) What is your cost per person and per food item?

Q9) What are your bartending and bar set up fees?

Q10) What are your fees and how do you charge for providing additional services? Such as floral decoration, fireworks, audio-visual aids; staging, lighting, props, decor for event production etc.

Q11) What modes of payments are available?

Q12) What are your payment, refund and cancellation policies?

8. Venue Inspection

If you will go as an event manager to a venue for inspection you will be shown the venue as an ideal venue for organizing your event. So best way of inspecting a venue is to check-in there as an anonymous guest, stay there for 2-3 days and deliberately use all the services provided by the venue.

Make sure Air Conditioners, fans, water tabs work properly, elevators are operational. There is adequate lighting and ventilation. Check out for sanitation and infestation.

What is a Contract?

It is an agreement that is enforceable by law.

What is an Agreement?

An agreement is a promise or set of promises.

When a contract is considered to be valid?

A Contract is considered to be valid when:

1.) The agreement has been made between two or more parties who are legally competent and authorized to enter into a contract. For e.g. you can not enter into a contract with a minor.

2.) The agreement has been made on the free will of the parties. Free will means, the agreement has been made:

• Without giving threats or use of physical force.
• Without any undue influence i.e. party in the dominating position didn't take advantage of its position or authority to get consent from the other party.
• Without fraud. Fraud means deceiving or misleading someone intentionally.
• Without misrepresentation of facts.
• Not by mistake. You can declare a contract as Null and Void if your are able to prove in the court of law that the agreement has not been made on the free will or the other party is not authorized or legally competent to enter into a contract.

3.) The contract contains consideration (i.e. benefits and detriments). A contract without detriments (i.e. damages and harms) is legally insignificant.For e.g. if your contract doesn’t contain the penalty/compensation if a certain clause is violated, then it has no significance.

4.) The objects and consideration in the contract are not lawful either wholly or in parts. For e.g. the following contract is considered to be void: 'After getting payment of US $ 1.22 million from Black Rose Corporation you will kill person 'A' or you will do a robbery on our behalf.'

Important points to remember while contracting Event Venue

1. Whatever you negotiate, whatever that is offered to/by you or mutually agreed upon (including venue services, fees, items' cost, rules and restrictions), should be specified in a written format on a stamp paper duly signed by the parties who are entering into the contract and who are legally competent and authorized to enter into a contract.

Never negotiate anything verbally. If the other party refuses to accept your proposal or there own promises in a written format, then don't do business with them.

2. Decide the compensation in case your event is forced to shut down or cancelled because of: noise ordinance, venue staff strike, change in the management staff, change in the ownership of the venue, buy outs, bankruptcies or other guests housed by the venue who are not associated with your event.

3. Make sure that the contract guarantees:

• The booked dates, time, venue space, return of deposits.
• Exact, itemized list of all the services promised and the fees associated with those promised services including maximum cost (i.e. the cost will not go over this amount)
• Promises and commitments discussed and agreed upon.

4. Never sign a contract immediately after the venue inspection. Take a copy of the contract agreement home/office. Read it thoroughly several times and discuss it with your team members and attorney. Compare the contract with contracts of other venues and then accept/reject it.

5. Always Consult your personal attorney to review the contract for you and make sure that the contract protects your interests against forceful shutdown of the event, venue staff's strike/shortage, change in the management staff or ownership of the venue, buy outs, bankruptcies or violation of any agreement or clause.

 sponsors;

 volunteer management

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3. 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 (depending on the

nature of your event)

 Be aware of statutory and religious holidays

 Avoid school holiday time periods (e.g., winter, spring and summer holidays)

 Check dates with key participants – e.g., speakers, presenters, VIP guests, etc.

4. 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: When you are brainstorming the event name, think about:

o how is your event different from other events in your sector?

o what are you hoping to convey through this event?

 Create a Tagline: Once you’ve come up with a name, also try to craft a tagline – a short,

memorable branding slogan that describes the event.

 Design a Logo: The final step will be having a logo created to represent your event. A logo can

be an effective branding tool – offering immediate recognition of your event in all of your

publicity and promo items (e.g., Tshirts, water bottles, bags, etc.)

5. 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

Also see Event Checklist - see link below.

6. Determine Administrative Processes

In other words, how are you going to keep track of your planning, registration, budget, guest and speakers lists, etc.?

If you are a Wild Apricot Membership Management client, you can quickly and easily create an event and manage your registration through our online event management system.

If your website or membership database is not powered by Wild Apricot, you may want to determine how to best organize and track all of your event information. You could review event management software tools through a directory, such as Capterra (http://www.capterra.com/event-management-software).

7. 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.

Event Planning: Requirements to Be an Event

Planner

Event planners coordinate and manage conferences, meetings and parties. Some planners exclusively

organize a specific type of event, such as those who specialize in wedding planning. Others may work

with large corporate clients or smaller private groups. Many planners run their own businesses, while

others may work for event planning agencies. Due to the nature of the work, many planners work long

and irregular hours.

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Education Requirements

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that there are no universal educational requirements needed to

start a career as an event planner ( www.bls.gov ). Nevertheless, event planners need a certain set of skills, and one

way they may be developed is by completing a bachelor's degree program in hospitality, communications or public

relations. Some hospitality degree programs offer concentrations in event planning. In these programs, students

can expect to complete courses in topics that include special events marketing, facilities operations, media

relations and cost control strategies.

Professionals who have bachelor's degrees in other fields might want to consider completing an event planning

and management certificate program. Common core classes in these programs include risk management, event

coordination and professional ethics. Some programs allow students to specialize their education through courses

specifically intended for wedding planning, while other programs may feature courses for students interested in

careers organizing sports and entertainment events.

Career Requirements

Above almost all else, event planners must have phenomenal communication skills. They consult with clients to

determine an event's purpose, estimated size and budget. Since event planners often communicate with clients and

vendors through e-mail, they must be able to clearly express themselves in writing. An understanding of

contractual language may also prove useful since planners frequently use contracts to protect both themselves and

their clients.

Event planners must also have excellent organizational skills. Planners regularly work with multiple clients

simultaneously, so they must be able to keep the details of each individual client's needs separate and well-

managed. The ability to work as a member of a team is also vital for success in this field. For example, event

planners who work on large events may choose to hire trusted staff and delegate duties as needed.

Event Planning Associations

1. International Special Events Society (ISES) The International Special Events Society (ISES) was founded in 1987 to foster enlightened

performance through education while promoting ethical conduct. ISES works to join professionals to focus on the "event as a whole" rather than its individual parts.

It is comprised of over 4,000 professionals in over 35 countries representing special event producers (from festivals to trade shows), caterers, decorators, florists, destination management companies, rental companies, special effects experts, tent suppliers, audio- visual technicians, party and convention coordinators, balloon artists, educators, journalists, hotel sales managers, specialty entertainers, convention center managers etc.

The solid peer network ISES provides helps special events professionals produce outstanding results for clients while establishing positive working relationships with other event colleagues.

2. International Festival and Events Association (IFEA) The International Festivals & Events Association ("IFEA") is a voluntary association of events, event producers, event suppliers, and related professionals and organizations whose common purpose is the production and presentation of festivals, events, and civic and private celebrations. IFEA officially represents members in 38 countries on 5 continents, under the umbrellas of IFEA North America; IFEA Europe; IFEA Asia; IFEA Australia; and IFEA Africa/Middle East.

3. Indian Association of Amusement Parks and Industries (IAAPI) Enhance its membership so that all the players in the entertainment industry come under one umbrella for mutual benefits. Being a representative body, to present members views in proper perspective. Act as a Platform with the government for formulation of progressive policies. Publishing of "Thriller" Magazine & Industry Directory. Organize trade shows to bring the industry face to face with end-users.

4. Events Industry Alliance (EIA) The EIA is focussed on promoting the events industry and to driving industry wide issues to its five target audiences of: Press, Clients, Agencies/Media Planners, Government and Academia.

5. The Association of Event Organisers Ltd (AEO) It is the UK trade body representing companies which conceive, create, develop or manage trade and consumer events.