The organization of events entails a series of steps to follow to make it work perfectly and achieve the desired objectives. With a good dose of creativity, organization, and supported by new technologies, the current requirements, especially with the pandemic issue, will be solved.
Whatever the type of event to be held, regardless of its size, it always implies a well-coordinated strategic organization that considers various aspects before, during and after the event.
Leaving any detail to chance could jeopardize development or success. Here we leave you a series of tips to follow that will surely help you organize your ideas and start organizing and planning your next event.
What is the organization of events?
First, let's define what event organization is. The organization of events covers the creation, management, planning, production, supervision and all the logistics of an event, from the idea to the start-up, the feedback, and the achievement of it.
An event not only requires initial planning, but also personalized monitoring of multiple aspects and in different phases by the organizer. Therefore, the work of the organizer is very broad. We will now focus on these topics to find out what a good Event Planner should have.
Features of Event Planner
The event planner is the pillar of the organization of events, around which all the procedures revolve. We know how important it is to oversee an event, so we have contemplated three fundamental characteristics that we believe are essential in a successful event planner: capacity, experience, and creativity.
Capacity: we all know that an event planner does not work alone. Therefore, the capacity we are talking about here has to do with the work team that it has and its management. It is essential to have a prepared and trained team, as well as motivated. The event planner also must know how to manage that team properly so that everything works like a gear.
*Tip: seek to train your staff as much as possible through online courses or talks that help them grow and be better every day.
A good team must have specialists in all fields involved, from the design, organization, production, and implementation of events.
An example of a complete work team for all these areas would include management personnel, creativity, and design teams (graphic and 3D), strategy managers, project managers, the executive team, production department, audio-visual services team, technical department, carpentry staff, printing and labelling managers, a finance department and warehouse and logistics managers.
Experience: Having an experienced team is very beneficial as it will help you reduce errors from the moment of planning to the implementation of the event. This will improve the times and start-up of what was planned, eliminating unnecessary costs in the budget. On the other hand, each of the professionals who oversee the different roles must not only know how to carry out their work, but also be prepared for any situation that arises along the way that entails making quick decisions at the lowest cost possible. It is essential to have, therefore, an expert team in "live" and with many tables to solve unexpected problems effectively.
*Tip: A good event planner looks for the best, surrounds himself with them. And to do this, it considers the experience of its teams, but also its resilience.
Creativity: Creativity is that spark that makes magic in events. If an event lacks creativity, it will lack value. For this reason, the event planner must have a creative background that can be applied to each one of the phases of the event, but also feed on creativity whenever possible. The event planner must be a curious person, who is steeped in many different aspects that serve to enrich his work. Creativity, although it is an inherent characteristic in each person, can be nurtured and perfected every day.
*Tip: Let's be creative organizers, think "out of the box" and take nothing for granted. Originality must guide our approaches and actions at events.
The customer
The customer is the engine from which the event arises and the inspiration to create it must come from him/her. Understanding your vision and goals is critical to planning the event.
Continuous communication with the customer throughout the creation process is of the utmost importance. Leaving a point undiscussed could lead to a myriad of misunderstandings and errors that could cost dearly and could ruin the objective sought with the event.
Know your customer
Maintaining a good relationship with the customer, knowing their needs, their desires, and the scope they want to have is vital so that everything is clear and takes the desired form. Thanks to that connection with the customer, you will surely be able to take advantage of each of their ideas and make them lead to success.
Get to know your client's company and brand
When planning an event, it is vital to capture all the information about the brand, its vision, its mission, and the objectives to be achieved with the event to be held. The goal should be to understand and identify with the brand from within. Only in this way will you be able to capture the essence and the business model, which will allow you to be aligned with the objectives and give the necessary emphasis to impact your audience.
Clear objectives
Before starting any type of planning, you must have clear objectives. Knowing these perfectly is what will allow you to make the best planning decisions. The objectives must be set from the beginning so as not to generate any type of doubt and allow the goals to be achieved more adequately.
In addition, these must be specific and concrete to be able to measure them later: from obtaining 1,000 requests for more information from attendees, to reaching a certain number of purchases of a product at a fair or reaching 500 publications with the hashtag of the event, what we want to achieve must be clearly defined from the beginning. Without clear objectives, effort and money are allocated to many other resources and it is not focused on what is important, in addition, the results cannot be measured due to the lack of defined criteria to be evaluated.
Another aspect that must be considered is the clarity of those objectives. Having them always present is the way to guarantee their search and fulfilment.
Tip: always have a checklist on hand where these objectives are explained, to always have them close to be able to indicate the extent to which actions are taken at each point.
The idea
Absolutely nothing can be built if you don't have a clear idea. For this reason, after knowing the customer, the company, the brand, and the objectives of the event, it will be possible to start brainstorming about the development of the event.
One of the biggest tasks of the organizer is to discern the potential of each idea and measure it to see its viability. We have several online tools that can give us support such as bubbl.us or coggle.
We invite you not to miss any of our monthly articles to learn more about the various tools and technologies that you can use in your event organization.
Planning
Event planning is where it all starts to take shape. Planning an event correctly is vital for it to have a successful outcome. From the type of event to the place where it is going to take place, the necessary resources for it, there are many aspects that must be considered to guarantee good planning.
Tip: Create a list of the key points of the event so you can recognize what steps need to be taken at what time and ensure that nothing is left out of the planning.
The type of event according to theme
Identifying the type of event that we want to carry out is very important when planning, since each of these types uses different elements and has very different requirements and demands. For example, if the event is an award ceremony, we will need to determine the duration, the different blocks to establish for prizes, how the logistics of collecting prizes by the guests should be, etc... The type of event will set the tone to follow for what comes next. You can take a look at our list of the most common types of events and start planning yours.
Corporate events
They are all those events where a business, organizational or corporate purpose is pursued.
Congresses: this is a meeting or conference in which members of a body, association, profession, or group meet to discuss issues related to their field. You can integrate a part of talks with another of exhibition of different brands related to the theme of the congress.
Conventions: these are public or private events that bring together groups with common interests and in which a training part can be alternated with a leisure part.
Awards ceremony: in this case, we refer to decorations or events that seek to recognize the merits achieved by a person, group, or organization.
Employee events: these are institutional events that take place inside companies or organizations and that seek to bring together, for different purposes, those who are part of them.
Seminars: these are meetings generally for academic purposes. They usually summon several specialists and those interested in a subject, to promote an exchange of ideas and present topics and debates in relation to the activity.
Team Building Events: these are formats in which participants are invited to work as a team and pass various tests to promote teamwork.
Product launch: focused on making a product/service known to the community interested in it.
Street Marketing: a Street Marketing event is an advertising action that takes place on the street. It is a way of bringing a company's products or services to surprising spaces where potential customers are.
Inaugurations: as the name indicates, inaugurations are events intended to open a space. They are used to announce an expansion of facilities, to open new offices, but also to open new companies or organizations in general.
Fairs: fairs are events focused on the exchange and sale of goods and services and the generation of networking. They are usually sectoral events with representation of various brands.
Press conference: the press conference is an event developed by a company or organization in which members of the press are invited. This, with the aim of giving media coverage to the news that you want to announce.
Showrooms: finally, these are events that take place in spaces intended for the display and marketing of company products. The products are arranged in a different way from conventional marketing, inviting potential customers to get to know them in a different way.
Leisure events
All events that aim to distract through social events.
- Concerts: concerts are musical events where performances by a group take place.
- Music festivals: music festivals usually bring together more than one group, and their duration is always longer than one day. In addition, this type of event is usually accompanied not only by musical performances but also by various activities around the concerts.
- Sporting events: sporting events are usually massive events organized by a brand in the sector where professionals and non-professionals meet to enjoy sport.
Cultural events
Its purpose is to promote culture, knowledge, and education.
- Exhibitions of artistic works: Mainly related to painting, sculpture, architecture, music, or any other branch of art that is exhibited.
- Cultural festivals: those in which a cultural element is involved, such as dance or theatre festivals.
- Conferences: a conference is a meeting of people with knowledge or interest in a particular topic, to generate debates and exhibitions about it.
- Forums: It is an event where a group discusses a topic, fact, or problem, led by a coordinator
- Seminars: Specialized event whose objective is to carry out an in-depth study of a certain subject and have the participation of specialists.
Types of events according to the medium
Another way of classifying events is according to the medium in which they take place. In this sense, today, we can find face-to-face events, digital events, and hybrid events.
Face-to-face events are those that take place on a given day in a particular space. A physical space is chosen and all those attending the event approach it to be part of it.
For their part, digital events are an alternative that has been growing considerably over the years. These are events carried out through a web platform. These can be live, or they can be canned.
Finally, hybrid events are events that feed on both modalities. This name refers to events that take place simultaneously in a physical place with part of the guests present and through a digital or web medium, with attendees connected remotely.
Venue and spaces for events
Identifying the specific space that meets the needs of the event and brings together all the essential characteristics for its development is one of the most complicated points in planning an event.
Space is one of the elements that is increasingly valued by attendees. Attendees not only value aspects such as easy accessibility but also the surprise effect of attending an event in an unusual space.
In the case of public spaces, it is essential to consider the municipal permits and regulations of the space in which the event will take place, since these are procedures that can cause delays in planning and have some difficulty.
Tip: take into account other problems that may compromise the continuity or the proper development of the event, for example, if the event will be held in an open space, it is important to have a weather forecast, in case it is necessary to plan a plan B for issues related to rain, cold, excess heat, among other things.
When it comes to spaces and places, time is very important. Fine-tuning site details well in advance will help move things forward on the to-do list and can make progress on other issues.
Some common spaces for holding events are hotels, venues, farms, rooms, auditoriums, cinemas, theatres, and unique spaces. Due to the pandemic, we have been experiencing, the use of outdoor spaces has increased, solving the issue of social distancing, among others.
Providers and resources
Having a list of regular suppliers with whom we already have a relationship of trust is essential to relieve the stress inherent in organizing any event. If you have a list of your suppliers and a prior agreement with them, you can save time and even money, if special prices have been agreed together.
Due to the number of events, closing any deals quickly with our vendors often saves a lot of headaches.
Tip: always have a list of reservation providers that have a fast turnaround time. This will allow you to find a fast and effective solution in case of problems or unforeseen events with the initial provider.
Logistics in event organization
An important point in planning an event is logistics. This is the one that will allow everything to arrive in a timely manner.
In logistics, it is important to identify the means of transport that are going to be needed to make a good forecast, although it is also important to have the transport times of each part of the organization chain, from the times of the suppliers to those of the montage.
Tip: manage the logistics by always planning different alternatives and options in case of encountering inconveniences on the day of the event.
Event budget
Determining a budget with the client adjusted to their possibilities and managing it consciously from the beginning will allow carrying out everything agreed without surprises in the invoice.
Cost estimation with each supplier is essential for controlled planning. However, it is always appropriate to have a bag for possible unforeseen events that may arise.
Tip: have an additional budget from suppliers other than the contracted one, this will help to have clear information on hand regarding the cost linked to that replacement, to maintain the integrity of the event.
Sponsors
Sponsors are usually a very suitable alternative to complete the budget of an event. It is good to make a list of possible sponsors who will surely be willing to collaborate in some part of the event in exchange for publicity or promotion of your brand. Sponsors represent a return on investment and increase the value of the brand, so it is important that sponsors not only contribute financially, but also add value to the brand by strengthening ties for future and better events.
Some things to keep in mind with sponsors:
- That the sponsors share certain values with the brand to maintain consistency throughout the event.
- That the sponsorship packages are adapted to both your needs and ours.
- Generate good relationships that promote sponsorship opportunities for future events.
- That the sponsors strengthen the brand and the objectives pursued by the company through the event
The event
In general, it is thought that planning is something linked only to the stages prior to the event. However, on the day of this it is necessary to ensure that everything works properly. Therefore, what is recommended is to hold a control meeting with the entire team. There, the adequate coordination of all those involved in the realization of the event must be guaranteed and responsible for each area must be appointed to carry out better control. At this point it is also important to remember the alternatives and processes to carry out in case of unforeseen events.
Tip: always have close contact with all those responsible for the event, this will help us to react quickly to solve any incident that occurs, normally on that day due to tensions it can be more difficult to carry out trivial actions
The post-event
The post-event starts once the event is over and the way we have decided to do it should not take more than 48 hours to reach attendees, suppliers, sponsors, and the work team. Messages of thanks, gifts, acknowledgments, and satisfaction surveys should not be long in coming to reinforce the objectives achieved during the event.
Let's remember that planning the post-event is as important as the event itself. If there is no adequate follow-up, all the work done previously will be lost.
A mistake that is often made is to think that the event ends once the activities have closed. But, for the event to be successful, it is important to give it continuity. One way to do it is by writing, in the post-event, a thank you email to the attendees. You can also give them a gift that reminds them of their participation and builds a positive image of the company. But what is very useful, especially for future editions, is to carry out a satisfaction questionnaire to see to what degree the objective pursued has been achieved and, if not, to be able to take adjustment measures for future editions.
Tip: Take advantage of including gifts for your attendees that have a positive impact on the environment and society. It values including proposals developed in ecological materials and developed by organizations or groups at risk of exclusion.
ROI as an information tool
The event would not be a success if it does not meet the objectives and requirements that were raised from the beginning. To know if the event produced met the criteria established in the planning, they need to be measured and quantified. If this part has not been planned, there is a very important gap that must be filled.
In the post-event, where real numbers are required to make decisions or reach goals set by the company, some examples can be taken into consideration:
- Establishes the method of quantification of results. This can be software, a customer survey, an application that collects information or feedback from attendees, or some other way that is easy, friendly, and intuitive and makes attendees want to provide this information.
- Use some facial recognition software or include people counting cameras that provide clear statistics of the attendees.
- Seeks to match with the attendees, through the various social networks.
- The importance of properly implementing the ROI, that is, the Return on Investment. If all the data we have collected is complete and true, we will have a well-established ROI. Gathering information is very important to know if the investment we made when planning the event has had the expected results or not.
The future of event organization
The global pandemic has been a key element in changing the course of events. Factors such as the need for social distancing and health security protocols have affected and will continue to affect the organization of this type of event, which has had to adapt to the new reality.
Together with these factors, sustainable awareness has gained weight in the sector. Sustainability is no longer a matter exclusive to some industries, such as automobiles or the energy sector, and has become an issue in which we must all be aware of our responsibility and act accordingly. The events sector is no stranger to this and that is why more and more companies are considering this fundamental pillar in the management of their events.
Understood as not only an environmental element, but also a social and economic one, sustainable intervention in an event affects many variables: the choice of environmentally friendly materials, the hiring of personnel at risk of social exclusion, the hiring of a zero-kilometre catering or the use of efficient and low carbon footprint transport for the guests, among many other actions.
Challenges for organizers
The technological area has also been a great challenge. Topics such as biosafety, the metaverse, the internet and the use of applications and new technologies give organizers a range of possibilities that are ahead of any other time in the event organization sector.
Experiential events, the use of holographic technologies, facial recognition, 3D elements and diagrams, the metaverse, applications and social networks, 8k and many other technologies that today are revolutionizing the subject of telecommunications, without a doubt, come to establish a new and different panorama for the organization of events in these times of pandemic and globalization.
But for the implementation of this technology, it is necessary to train personnel, update the technological equipment and know how to integrate creativity within these developments.
Conclusion
As we have seen, events are part of the lives of people, companies, and organizations, having great relevance. An event is an instance that allows opening new doors and opportunities according to the objectives of each case.
In this sense, each stage of an event is essential to make it successful. From the planning, which must be exhaustive and careful to control the keys of the event and offer a solution to possible unforeseen events, to the actions taken in the event and the post-event. Each party has its own strategies and plays a vitally important role. In addition, technological advances have been changing the way of planning and managing events, for which trained personnel will be needed to use them. However, these advances promise a revolution in the events of the future, greatly expanding its possibilities.
