The Do’s and Don’ts of Event Planning

At Divine Schools Africa, we’re more than just concerned about your Events success. Here is some research to give you the best list of event planning do’s and don’ts we could collect.

DON’TS

Don’t assume it’s easy. Even smaller events need appropriate, dedicated time. Not only do you have to make an event that people will enjoy and buzz about, but you have to figure out what the cost of that will be.

Don’t be too cheap– you want a good balance. Being super cheap and taking too many shortcuts can damage the quality of your events.

Don’t have too much or too little seating/space. If you do not have enough of a following to host a huge event, then make it small! If your event category has thousands of possible followers and you can mass market- be ready for the title wave of people about to buy tickets.

Don’t run out of food, drinks, or samples. Use an attendee report to see exactly how many souvenirs or how much food you will need. Of course we recommend buying a little more than you need especially if you are also selling tickets at the door.

Don’t forget legalities. Make sure your event is completely covered from the alcohol permit to the proper insurance.

Don’t forget to follow up. Send a thank-you email loaded with pictured to attendees. Thank vendors and entertainers via phone, email, or personalized letter. And finally- follow up with your team and debrief.

Don’t lose or confuse your attendees. Have everything proof read, have plenty of signs/maps, and make sure your online ticket sales are obvious.

Don’t understaff! You need as many volunteers and employees as you can get on the day of the event. People should be available to provide help, information, security, and more. Don’t let your employees walk out of an event because they could not get help, information, or direction.

DO’S:

Do research. Research your market, the type if event you are putting on, the date you are hosting it, etc. Are there other events similar to yours happening within a small amount of time? Can you beat the competition?

Do budget. Have a fund for emergencies; be realistic and again- not too cheap.  Ask around so you’re not forgetting to include something. I typically start with a least expense, middle expense, and most expense budget.

Do keep records– of contacts, invoices, attendee info, sales/revenue, and payments.

Do seek opinions and help from a sample group. Reach out to the type of people you are throwing the event for and ask what they would like to see/do/experience.

Do have a Plan B or Possible Problems Solution Kit. What if it rains? Where would your attendees get that information? Have back-up batteries, pens, phone chargers, tape, cash, and more.

Do something unique, different, or special at each event. Do the research and get inspired! Make sure your attendees are not experiencing the same thing every year and that your event pops over other similar events. Make your attendees feel special, if you can afford it- give them a souvenir. For small events, provide food and coffee or notebooks, etc.

Do have signage! I have attended too many events where people do not know where to go. You should have large maps, big signs, and big lettering. Make sure your signage is correct as well as far as times and spelling.

Do promote it. Promote on social media (buy some targeted ads/posts/tweets). Promote in other areas- on the streets, radio, billboards, and more- run your marketing and sales on all cylinders.

Do share information. Everyone and anyone planning, working, and volunteering for this events need as much information as possible so they can work independently and create solutions and answers to attendees and event implementation. Make sure you entertainment and vendors also know as much as possible such as times, protocol, and what-if scenarios.

Do have a parking plan communicated.  Give suggestions on where to park, give a map of parking areas, and let the attendees know if there is a cost or not. Provide information on overflow parking as well.

Do have a help desk or designated staff area. If people have questions or need to report something, they need to have an easy place to get that information. Make sure it is included on your map too!

WOW! That was a lot. And I am sure there are more (feel free to comment and I will revise).  But hopefully this is helpful for all of our event planning friends out there.

Source Chirrpy- a little bird told me