How to Thoroughly Plan and Organize your Promotional Event?
Assuming you have completed the initiation steps described in a separate article, you can now proceed with more detailed planning of your event. From this step forwards, we recommend that you use our professional services.
Venue selection – You’ve determined the geographical location of your event, hence you’ve narrowed down the list of venues available in that location. Next, you apply the following criteria to choose the venue for your event: venue size and layout, limitations and restrictions, catering options, AV equipment, included services, prices, security, insurance requirements, and of course, availability. Once you’ve selected the venue, negotiate and sign the contract.
Vendors and event staff –Regardless of the size of your event, once you know what is involved, you can secure the team that will be working at your event. The first person to engage is the event manager. He or she will create the event management plan that will turn your event into a manageable project. Based on the plan, you will know the roles and responsibilities of each team member. You will also know how much money to allocate for hiring external vendors (caterers, entertainers, speakers, decorators, etc). Next, you contact vendors, select them, negotiate, and sign contracts.
Event marketing – This is a very special and serious area of your event preparation. If your audience is limited to your existing contact list, then your marketing is relatively simple: you come up with an attractive event description and reach out to the people on your distribution list to let them know your event is coming up. If you are aiming for a bigger event, then marketing becomes more intricate. It includes work with sponsors, preparation and distribution of advertising materials, and arrangement of advertising through different marketing channels.
Event organization. At the core of your promotional event preparation is its actual organization. At this stage, your event manager and team finalize and implement all the details that were planned upon your event initiation: list of participants, volunteers, catering menu, required accessories, equipment, decoration elements, seating charts, entertainment riders.
The day of. On the day of your event, most of the organizational work will be taking place on site. Activities will include the following: coordination with the venue, catering, AV vendor, performers and speakers, sponsors, coordination of the on-site team, guest registration, guest assistance and accommodation, setup of decoration, AV equipment, stage, dinner tables, sound checks, presentations, cleaning, security, hosting, photo and video filming.
After the event. Your promotional event works for you even when it is over. Pictures, feedback, videos, memories, and promotional materials you distributed – all that lasts. You may want to develop a plan of post-event activities that will enhance the effect and the duration of your event “aftertaste,” and as such, efficiency.