Step 1 - define the basics
Where to start with event planning
Start with the ‘why’, then tick off the what and who - and that’ll lead you to the how (and where and when!).
- Why are you hosting the event? What’s its purpose? (Celebration? Education? Connection?)
- What are you trying to achieve? (New business opportunities? Brand awareness? Team bonding?)
- Who is your target audience? (Stakeholders? Industry peers? Clients?)
These objectives are the base on which your entire event is built and identifying them will help you shape all other elements.
Event planning essentials for beginners
If you don’t understand your audience - their demographic, interests, dislikes, etc - how can you plan your event’s format? Its content? Its tone? And ensure these meet your audience’s needs?
Once your objectives have been established, map out the essentials: your budget, the approximate number of guests or delegates, and your preferred dates.
Top tip: When it comes to budget, realism and transparency are key to securing buy-in from management.
Budget planning for an event
So, remember to include costs for:
- Venue hire
- Catering
- Audio-visual (AV) and production support
- Marketing and design
- Speaker fees, if applicable
- A contingency of 10-15% to accommodate any unexpected costs (read our ‘five questions every first-time planner should ask a venue’ to find out more about this.)
Finding an appropriate date for your event
As anyone who has tried to plan anything knows, finding a date that works for everyone is never straightforward, but there are things you can do to make it easier.
Before finalising a date, check both internal factors (calendar conflicts and industry events, for example) and external factors (national holidays and planned road/train maintenance, for instance), and avoid these.
Consider how long planning and promotional activities will take, too, and make sure you give yourself enough time to do this comfortably and, therefore, effectively.
