Event planning made easy! - South Australia's History Festival
Transcript of Event planning made easy! - South Australia's History Festival
![Page 1: Event planning made easy! - South Australia's History Festival](https://reader031.fdocuments.in/reader031/viewer/2022020701/61f86770c903ae0e65749d34/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Event planning made easy!
![Page 2: Event planning made easy! - South Australia's History Festival](https://reader031.fdocuments.in/reader031/viewer/2022020701/61f86770c903ae0e65749d34/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
So you’ve had an idea for the History Festival…• Why are you organising this event, and what do
you want to achieve?• Who is your audience? Why should they care?• Think like a visitor. What makes a good event?
What doesn’t?• What makes your event stand out?
• Could it be pet friendly?
• Is there an opportunity for attendees to share their experiences, thoughts and opinions?
![Page 3: Event planning made easy! - South Australia's History Festival](https://reader031.fdocuments.in/reader031/viewer/2022020701/61f86770c903ae0e65749d34/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Rally the troops!• Organise an event planning team or committee
Assign everyone a role. Make sure everyone can and is happy to commit.
• Discuss the budget (honestly!). Allocate sensibly and don’t estimate – get quotes beforehand and always allow for contingencies.
*Think about costs like: venue hire, speakers fees, liquor licences, road closures, catering, entertainment, contractors, security, marketing and staff time.
![Page 4: Event planning made easy! - South Australia's History Festival](https://reader031.fdocuments.in/reader031/viewer/2022020701/61f86770c903ae0e65749d34/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Rally the troops!• Can you partner with someone? A community organisation? A local
school? A local business? Council? It can help keep costs down plus it always helps to have more people to spread the word!
• Lock in the details. Lock in a venue, date, time and entry prices. Make sure your event team, key speakers and venue are available on that day!
• Think about timing. What time of day would work best for your audience? Is early evening best for people coming straight from work? Perhaps consider a weekend and invite young families. Or a lunchtime floor talk to entice local business people.
*Don’t forget public and other celebratory holidays (Mother’s Day), local and national sporting matches and other History Festival events.
![Page 5: Event planning made easy! - South Australia's History Festival](https://reader031.fdocuments.in/reader031/viewer/2022020701/61f86770c903ae0e65749d34/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Location, Location, Location. Accessibility: Comfort is key!
• Does the venue have accessible entrances and elevators?
• Are there all-gender bathrooms available or can they be converted?
• Are there enough toilets?
• Do you have space for an interpreter on stage?
• Is there enough space for wheelchairs, walkers, prams and gophers to easily navigate through the area?
• Disabled parking nearby or accessible public transport?
• What is the surrounding terrain like? Think about small steps or paving vs gravel paths, grass and mud
• Is there enough seating?
• Think about the height of displays – can both children, adults or those with wheelchairs/walkers easily see it?
• What about people with sensory issues? Light, noise, crowded rooms, temperature
• You can’t be everything to everyone but you can provide as much information as possible to visitors so they can make an informed choice about attending you event.
![Page 6: Event planning made easy! - South Australia's History Festival](https://reader031.fdocuments.in/reader031/viewer/2022020701/61f86770c903ae0e65749d34/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Better to be safe than sorry!• Do you have WHS procedures, a Risk Management plan and Public Liability insurance?
• What happens if there is a medical emergency during your event?
• Does anyone have first aid training and is it up to date?
• If you are serving alcohol, does someone have an RSA? (Responsible Sales of Alcohol certificate)
• Does everyone have access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)? *High vis vests, safety glasses, hard hats, gloves, sun protection?
• Are important contact numbers easily accessible?
• Make sure emergency exits and signs are clearlyvisible and are not blocked
• Slip, trips and falls – look for hazards, tape down loose cables and cords
![Page 7: Event planning made easy! - South Australia's History Festival](https://reader031.fdocuments.in/reader031/viewer/2022020701/61f86770c903ae0e65749d34/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
#PromotePromotePromote• Social media. Create a short and simple hashtag #lookatmoi• Website• Newletters (yours, school or council)• Mail outs (hard copy or email)• Media releases• Printed materials (posters, flyers, postcards, letter box drop)• Radio and television • Be creative – speak at a school assembly!• Keep going! Promote continuously until the day of the event
*Remember to include everyone involved on your marketing material and use high resolution logos if possible
![Page 8: Event planning made easy! - South Australia's History Festival](https://reader031.fdocuments.in/reader031/viewer/2022020701/61f86770c903ae0e65749d34/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
In the lead up…- Create a calendar, timeline or use sticky notes to
remember important tasks- Give yourself plenty of time for the time consuming
jobs (think name tags!)- Do you have all necessary paperwork?
*Permits, licences, contracts, parking permits?- Confirm with your key speakers (early!)- Keep track of your guest list and any VIPs
![Page 9: Event planning made easy! - South Australia's History Festival](https://reader031.fdocuments.in/reader031/viewer/2022020701/61f86770c903ae0e65749d34/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
In the lead up…- Create and share run sheet. Print off a few spare copies just in case.
*Don’t forget welcome to country, acknowledgments, house keeping reminders, closing remarks and thank you’s.
- Finalise the catering and check for any dietary requirements.*Leave labels next to food so people know what they are consuming.
- ALWAYS test the technology beforehand*Especially powerpoints from guest speakers!
- Have one final run through with your team. - Do they all have name badges or uniforms? They need to be easy to identify if someone has a question.- Does everyone feel confident responding to complaints/issues?- Do they have any questions about the event?
![Page 10: Event planning made easy! - South Australia's History Festival](https://reader031.fdocuments.in/reader031/viewer/2022020701/61f86770c903ae0e65749d34/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Give me a sign!- Where is the entrance?- Where are the toilets?- Where can people & VIPs park? - Where are the emergency exits?
*Make sure they aren’t blocked!
- Where are the bins?*Do you have enough bins?
- Where are the scones?
![Page 11: Event planning made easy! - South Australia's History Festival](https://reader031.fdocuments.in/reader031/viewer/2022020701/61f86770c903ae0e65749d34/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
The big day arrives• Allocate specific jobs to specific people
*Ask separate people to: greet guests & VIPs, serve refreshments, take photographs and do social media.
• Test the tech AGAIN
• Do you have an emergency spill/cleaning station to easily grab a mop or paper towel?
• Be ready to greet the early birds and to find the late comers a chair
• NEVER start your event before the advertised time*Unless everyone has arrived and they are ok with starting early!)
![Page 12: Event planning made easy! - South Australia's History Festival](https://reader031.fdocuments.in/reader031/viewer/2022020701/61f86770c903ae0e65749d34/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
But wait, there’s more!• Don’t forget to debrief. What worked? What didn’t?
• Create a short report or summary to share.
• Save and share your photographs from the event.
• Send thank you’s!
• Gather all receipts and pay invoices.
• Send out a feedback survey to attendees.
• Congratulate and celebrate!
![Page 13: Event planning made easy! - South Australia's History Festival](https://reader031.fdocuments.in/reader031/viewer/2022020701/61f86770c903ae0e65749d34/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Document everything as you go!• Review old documentation and update it
• Save all your ideas and processes – it will come in handy next time!
• Take as many photographs as possible –especially of people enjoying themselves!*Don’t forget to tell people you will be taking photos!
• Write down quotes and feedback
![Page 14: Event planning made easy! - South Australia's History Festival](https://reader031.fdocuments.in/reader031/viewer/2022020701/61f86770c903ae0e65749d34/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
What’s in MacGyver's event kit?• Cleaning supplies• Extension cords and power boards• Duct tape• Serviettes and toothpicks• Cheese knives• Toilet paper• ‘Out of Order’ signage• Paper towel• Stationary (pens/scissors/blu tack)
• Blank paper• Camera and charger• Non-alcoholic options• Spare chairs• Cable ties• Phone charger• Spare batteries• Tissues• Hydrolytes• Comfortable shoes!• Pockets!
![Page 15: Event planning made easy! - South Australia's History Festival](https://reader031.fdocuments.in/reader031/viewer/2022020701/61f86770c903ae0e65749d34/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Final top tips• Think ahead. Make a list and check it twice
(with someone else!)• Ask for help! There is no ‘i’ in team. • Communicate. Write it down. Save a copy. Tell others where it is!
Tell ALL staff and volunteers about the event. Go through the plan with everyone a few days before. Tell your attendees ASAP if anything changes!
• Be realistic. Big ideas are inspiring but is it doable and will it still be a good quality event?
• Learn to let go. Expect the unexpected. Trust your team and be prepared.
![Page 16: Event planning made easy! - South Australia's History Festival](https://reader031.fdocuments.in/reader031/viewer/2022020701/61f86770c903ae0e65749d34/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Final top tips• Look after your volunteers, your staff and yourself.
Stay hydrated, make sure everyone eats and gets a break – including you! Its important to step away for 5 minutes and recharge.
• Don’t take it personally. Feedback can be interpreted in many ways. Cut yourself some slack and read it all a few days after your event.
• Never assume anything! Never assume the public will read your signage or interpret the information in the same way as you.
• Remember Murphy. Do you have a Plan B? If it can go wrong, it will. Plan for worse case scenarios: staff/volunteers unable to attend, poor weather, safety, venue or catering issues, power outages, cancellation of speakers or event.
![Page 17: Event planning made easy! - South Australia's History Festival](https://reader031.fdocuments.in/reader031/viewer/2022020701/61f86770c903ae0e65749d34/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
And remember to enjoy it!