Crucial Tips for Large Group Event Planning
So you’re in charge of planning a massive event. Congratulations!Whether you’re planning it for your company, a school, a charity, a professional group or any number of other entities, you’ve been entrusted with an important job: Plan an event that people will actually go to and enjoy, and do so ensuring that everything goes off without a hitch.
Why Are Large Events and Small Ones So Different?
At the most basic level, large events differ because of the size of the guest list. Duh! But that’s only the beginning. Let’s explore some of the key differences between planning small events and large events.
Large events require more effort and planning
If you’re planning on inviting over 100 guests to an event, you should be ready to put in a proportional amount of effort when it comes to promoting the event.
Large events often require more roles
Let’s say you run a real estate brokerage hosting a large corporate party in Minneapolis, and you want to invite every realtor from every branch in the state. That number could easily be in the hundreds!
Large events take longer to set up
More people means more chairs, more utensils, and more steps that need to be taken on event day to ensure that the event goes smoothly. It’s helpful to choose an event venue that takes care of setup for you, but if this is not the case, you will need to give yourself extra time to prepare.
Party Planning Tips
Getting ready to throw a party? Nerves racked from all the preparation stress? If that is the case, you are not alone. Venturing into the world of party planning can be quite daunting. What should you prepare? Should it be a sit-down affair or a buffet mixer? What kind of snacks should you serve? What should be in the goodie bags? Should there be goodie bags and what do you do if your boss brings along his diabetic 9-year old? Never fear! With a little forethought and preparation you will wow your guests!
Snack Mix Tips
Whether you are having a cocktail party or a sit-down dinner party, great snacks and appetizers are always integral to a great party and they are easier to make than you think!
Party Planning Tips
The keys to good party planning are a clear understanding of what you want to accomplish, organization and a solid time-table to help you get everything done so that you can enjoy your own party as much as your guests will.
How to Make Goodie Bags
A staple at children’s parties, the goodie bag is now popular with adults as well. It is a great way to thank your guests for coming and to send them away with a special remembrance of your event
Holiday Entertaining Tips
The holidays can be stressful enough but taking on the job of holiday party planner brings a whole new level of meaning to stress. Don’t worry, with a few simple tricks you can alleviate that stress.
Event Planning Tips: The Best Ways to Get Organized
Planners have to be organized. It’s a non-negotiable. There are vendors to juggle, payments to make, stakeholders to answer to. With nonstop schedules, it’s easy to lose control of organization and do what you have to do to get everything done. There’s no better time to hit the reset button and get organized. But how do you get organized? There are some amazing tricks and tools out there that can help you get organized and stay organized
Put Everything in Your Calendar and Block of Time to Work
Your calendar is your lifeline. It not only tells you when you’re busy but others in the office. Put everything on your calendar. Color coding meetings based on event or topic can help. If it’s normal for you to be in meetings all day, every day, block some time off on your calendar to get work done. Even setting thirty minutes aside to send emails can help you stay on top of your task list.
Take All Notes in One Place
It’s easy to bounce from computer to notebook to phone, but if you want to ensure that you never lose the notes you take, then take them in one place. The best place for notes is somewhere that accessible wherever you are. If that’s a notes file on your phone or a doc that lives in the cloud, choose a place and stick to it. If you love handwritten notes, carry your notebook with you wherever you go.
Organize All of Your Folders – Email and Files
When you run multiple events throughout the year, file organization is key. Set up folders at the start of every event. By taking the time to set up a file structure, you’ll be able to find documents more quickly later on. As the event unfolds, don’t get lazy. Always, sort everything into the correct folders.
Set Reminders to Check-In on and Start Projects
Email is wonderful, even more so because it’s trackable, but it’s easy to lose track of a conversation when someone doesn’t reply. When you send out emails, always set a deadline for a response. Then, set a reminder for yourself to check-in on that date. That way, if the person you reached out to forgets to respond, you won’t realize too late that you never got a response.
Tips For Planning A Corporate Event
Identify your goals and set your budget.
Ask yourself what the company is trying to accomplish with this event. Are you trying to raise funds? Launch a new product? Educate employees? Setting goals for your event will help you decide how to allocate your budget. If you do not already have a budget in place, now is the time to put together a proposal. Once a budget is established, you can start planning
Make a plan.
Once you have locked in your vendors I recommend scheduling an on-site walk through with your team. Walk through every aspect of the event from set up to break down. Take notes, make a list, delegate tasks, and assign deadlines. Divide and conquer!
Make a Plan B.
Murphy’s Law: anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. This is not always the case, but with the many details that go into events, there is always a chance for a hiccup or two. Be prepared for the unexpected and have contingency plans in place for the things that may go wrong. For example, if your event is outdoors, have a solid plan in place in case the weather is not cooperating
Make it social.
Events are a great way to harness your company’s social media presence before, during, and after the event.
Be creative.
Corporate events do not always have to be so corporate. Think outside the box to create a fun and engaging event. Do your research on event trends and ask your vendors for suggestions. Whatever it is, your attendees will get more out of the event when creative measures are taken
How to Start an Event Planning Service
The special events industry has grown enormously in the past decade. According to recent research conducted by Dr. Joe Goldblatt, CSEP (Certified Special Events Professional), spending for special events worldwide is $500 billion annually. Goldblatt is the founder of International Special Events Society (ISES), the founding director of the Event Management Program at George Washington University, and co-author of The International Dictionary of Event Management. “Suffice it to say, the marketplace is large enough to support and sustain your endeavor,” says Goldblatt. “If you’re working in one special events area, there are many directions in which you can expand. If you’re just entering the profession of special events, there’s a lucrative market awaiting you on many fronts.”
According to Goldblatt’s research, profits in this industry continue to rise. Just a few years ago, Goldblatt says, the average profit margin for an event planning entrepreneur was around 15 percent. His most recent studies, however, show profit margins can be as much as 40 percent. He attributes the industry’s good health to several factors, including the improved economy and the trend of corporate America to outsource their meeting-planning functions. Since you’re not some tech startup bidding for programmers, you can get started without a lot of money.
What Is Event Planning?
This question actually breaks down into two questions: What kinds of events are we talking about? And, what is event planning?
This list isn’t an exhaustive one, but as the examples illustrate, special events may be business related, purely social or somewhere in between. Now we move to the second question: What is event planning? Planners of an event may handle any or all of the following tasks related to that event
Why Do People Hire Event Planners?
This question has a simple answer: Individuals often find they lack the expertise and time to plan events themselves. Independent planners can step in and give these special events the attention they deserve.