Event Planning - Part 3 - Tools

So far, we have looked at the questions to ask, some of the process of planning an event, and now it is the tools, those administrative reports that become the building blocks of your event plan. Do you always need every one of these? Not necessarily, as it is event dependant but these are a good base.

1. Cover Sheet / Title page - the basics
1. Location
2. Date
3. Sponsoring Organization
4. Name of the event
2. Organizational Chart - "who's who in the zoo"
3. Mission statement / goals
1. Why, the benefits of attending
4. Evaluation - what is measured, how, when, who, expectations of ROI
5. Program overview grid - outlining all activities, events, locations
6. Creative brief / participant experience overview
7. Budget
8. Critical path
9. Reporting plan - what is needed / expected when
10. Your team
1. who supports this internally at client organization
2. who supports which functions within your organization
3. vendors who will provide the necessary supporting elements (florals to production and everything in between)
4. communication with team
11. Marketing plan
1. sponsors (recruitment)
2. exhibitors (recruitment / sales)
3. donors (recruitment)
4. speakers / abstract / poster presenters (paying vs. paid)
5. registration / ticket sales
6. media / PR / press releases
7. website / print or other collateral
8. social media strategy
12. Production schedule
1. floor plans
2. time schedules - literally minute-by-minute from load in to strike
3. vendors and team members

Is this just the beginning? If you are producing an event of any size, from a wedding to a multiple day conference or anything inbetween, you need to have an understanding of many, many components and their inter-relations and then can get on to the "fun" - creating the experience. Then developing the budgets to go with this. and so it goes...