Event planning is one of my biggest passions and over the years I've planned, coordinated and assisted many live events, picking up a few tips on the way.
For a break down of where to start when planning events, please read my blog post HERE which includes a step by step guide on establishing goals to creating a plan of action.
But if you are planning your very first event, then I have collated 5 tips to bare in mind.
1. Start small
Make sure your event is local, preferably in a small venue which is signposted well.
For good measure choose somewhere with good transport links, perhaps on a bus route depending on the type of event. But generally near an interchange or station of some sort.
This will give your attendees no excuse to pass up the invite, as they will have the benefit of getting to and from the event easily.
2. Be Realistic
It's your first event and so you probably have visions that hundreds of people will attend and those big goals are great to have. However the likely hood is that 75 - 100 people might turn up and if they do, that's still a fantastic amount of guests. Don't be disheartened if there aren't as many people in the room as you'd hoped, because if they enjoy the event you will see them again and next time they are bound to bring others along too.
3. Rally round
Your family and friends will be the biggest source of help when setting up and shutting down your event. If you're planning a corporate event, then talk a few colleagues into giving you a hand. Not only will this keep costs down but knowing that you have others supporting you, will keep your stress levels low and you'll feel more confident knowing that someone you trust is looking after a specific element of the event.
4. Ensure it is affordable
Make sure that at your first event doesn't cost you a penny.
It is so easy to just pick up the cost of the flyers or table centre pieces but then your expenses pile up and you end up being out of pocket. Instead, try to factor in actual costs into your ticket price or offer the supplier something in return for a freebee. With a great team of volunteers on board (as explained in tip 3), they might even have the skills or connections which you can benefit from.
5. Be Social
Use social media to promote your event, during and after the event to create a buzz and receive that all important feedback that can be used for future events.
Share as much as you can about the itinerary, catering and entertainment (if applicable) to increase ticket sales, whilst allowing your guests to gain a sneak peak at what to expect. This will build up the anticipation and if done well, your guests will continue to talk about the event afterwards.
A bonus tip
Think about the little things
Your attendees want to be wowed someway or another, no matter what type of event they are attending. Therefore once everything is planned and in place, I would recommended thinking about extra ways to make sure that attendees have a great time. This could be through adding entertainment and catering or arranging an early finish to their usual working day. Those little gestures will impact on their enjoyment and will hopefully encourage them to attend your next event.
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Good Luck with your first event and let me know if you have any questions in the comments box below. Alternatively, please feel free to tweet me using @Krissie_Akrill
Krissie
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