Now that the world is slowly returning to normal, more and more people are eager to go to events or even host their own. But hosting an event isn’t an easy task. There’s a lot of preparation necessary, and here’s a quick checklist to help you out:
What Type of Event Is It?
Before you can even organize the event, you need to know what type of event you’re doing. Of course, if it’s something like a wedding or anniversary, then the answer is pretty straightforward. But it can also be a fundraiser, or an awareness campaign, or even just a celebration.
Knowing what it is you’re trying to pull off helps in setting a realistic goal for yourself. It also points you in the right direction by laying out the things you need to acquire. It is basic advice, but it’s very useful and is important to remember as we often get lost in thought when we’re planning a big event.
Organize Your Budget and Stay Within It
Throughout the excitement, it’s easy to forget a small but crucial thing to the event: the budget. No matter how amazing or well-organized your event is, it’s easy to see all your prep go to waste if you’re not careful with your budget. You need to monitor and track your expenses to make sure you’re within the budget to still be able to fulfill other aspects of the events.
Always set aside the necessary payments such as the venue fees, payments to the staff and entertainers, and other critical aspects. Don’t forget to include even the small yet crucial expenses like your wardrobe, make-up, styling your wig or hair, or even shoes. Even the smaller details you’re going to use during the event must be accounted for.
Don’t Think You Can Do Everything Alone!
You might be the primary organizer of that event, but that shouldn’t mean you’re the only one doing anything to make it successful. Any event needs a dedicated team behind it. With you as the event manager, you need to assemble a team that will help you gather the necessary things to assemble your event. As the leader of this team, you’re most likely going to be the one reaching out to different people, but you need to be able to pass them on to the right person.
You can distribute tasks such as arranging the venue, creating graphic materials, and ushering guests into different members of your team- you don’t have to do it all! Give the members of your team their own responsibilities and hold them accountable for them.
Decide on a Theme or Brand Feel
If you want a straightforward event that simply celebrates whatever it is you’re holding the event for, that’s perfectly fine. But if you want to create a memorable and unique experience for the guests, then you need to decide on a theme. Having one can immediately dictate the atmosphere during the event, as well as get more attention and get the ones willing to go even more excited.
Having a catchy name can immediately give off the theme for your event, so you might want to consider that. A tagline or slogan that encapsulates what you want during the event can also help evoke the feeling you want, as well as a prominent logo that also reflects the color choice for your theme.
Have a Master List Of Everything You’d Need
No event organizer worth their salt will try to pull off an event without a master list. It’s where all the necessary things are indicated, and also says who in your team is responsible for it. When writing your master list, make sure to set it down in an organized manner- organized enough so that should any emergencies happen and you’re not able to be there at any point during the event, your second-in-command can simply pick it up and continue where you left off.
Needless to say, your master list includes the entire logistical aspect of your event, entertainers, presenters, or speakers (and when they’re supposed to present), as well as food information and overall schedule.
Lastly, Get Sponsors and Create Partnerships
Especially if you are organizing a pretty big event, it’s best to look for sponsors and partners to help ease the costs from your end. This is also a good opportunity to network with like-minded people and be able to increase your event’s reach. Partnerships on the other hand can be made with organizations and other companies so you can hopefully lock in a venue at a lesser cost or other benefits.
