Events, both online and physical, have a lot of moving parts and can be a pain to organise and run smoothly. Think of event professionals as marionettists — pulling strings to make sure the event comes together as one. From building the event website, deciding which software to use, designing the event branding to sending out invitations, event planners have a million things to think about.
Events require impeccable planning, but they also need to be executed effectively, to ensure all information is accurately documented, and everyone involved leaves the event feeling satisfied. As an event planner, an event strategy is an essential part of executing an effective event.
What is an Event Strategy?
An event strategy is a high-level plan of the event, from conception to execution. It’s the What, When, How, Why and Who of event planning. Event strategy includes key milestones to aim towards as well as detailed plans and breakdowns of how to achieve them. There are many ways to plan your event strategy. Some prefer to work backwards by imagining what their event will look like on the day, and then deciding how they can fit that to their set parameters. Others like to set their parameters and then plan their event around those. Either way, your event strategy needs to be well thought out as it’s the plan you will be returning to time and again during the planning process of your event.
Flock Eventing Platform provides some tips on how to get started with an event strategy.
Tips for Creating Your Event Strategy
- What is the vision?The first step to planning any event is deciding what you want to achieve with your event. Your vision needs to be clear so that it is always at the forefront of your, and your employee’s mind. Establishing what you want to achieve will make the next steps a lot easier. You will be able to better the Who, How and When of your event, because you understand what you are trying to achieve.
- When will it happen?Events are very complicated to get right due to all the moving parts involved. The only way to make sure yours goes smoothly is to work on a strict time schedule, from start to finish. Everyone involved should be aware of the main deadlines and be mindful of the importance of scheduling.
- How much money will you need?A budget is a fundamental part of an event strategy, because once the budget is set, you have parameters within which you can achieve your vision. It’s not an easy step, as you will have to compromise, find loopholes and sacrifice some things, but once it’s done, you’ll be able to start bringing your event to life.
- Who is your event aimed at?The success of any event depends on how much your guests enjoyed their experience. Therefore, establishing who you will be creating an event for is a very important step in the strategy. Establishing your target audience will allow you to make the more concrete decisions about your event, such as when it will take place and where. It will also help your marketing team plan their strategy and reach potential attendees.
Now start brainstorming!
Once you’ve established the What, When, How and Who of your event, you can start brainstorming your concept. What is going to set your event apart from the others? You have to understand the logistics of your event before your start planning your concept because you need to know how much money you can spend, who you’ll be targeting and when your event will take place.
Event strategists need to be able to be both flexible and assertive when it comes to setting up event strategies. Flock provides some useful tips for strategists looking to improve their process:
- Communication is Key
The best way to ensure your event runs smoothly is to ensure everyone involved is on the same page and understands what needs to be done to execute a successful event.
- Be Flexible
Everything that can change, will change! Be flexible enough with your concept and, to a certain extent, your budget so that you can accommodate external changes that are out of your control.
- Listen!
Be open to your team’s suggestions. Everyone who has worked in the event industry has valuable experience that can help you create the best event possible.
- Make Everything Measurable and Quantifiable
Measure everything so that you can show you’ve reached your goal. Set KPIs and quantifiable objectives so that your sponsors can consult the numbers and see a return on their investment.
- Automate Wherever Possible
Project management tools are widely available online and these will help you run a tight ship. Centralising your communication will help you keep track of everything and set deadlines for your staff. Slack or Proofhub are two examples of project management software that are tried and tested.
Events are as important as ever and that’s why planning them effectively to make them stand out from the crowd is imperative. Flock Eventing Platform provides expert advice, event planning and management services for any type of event. Visit Flock Eventing Platform today and book a demo to start planning