Organising Events

Hendriette Knouwds

4 stage approach

•Pre-planning•Organising•Final preparation•Post event

Stage 1

Pre-planning

Objectives• Specific• Measurable• Achievable• Realistic• Time bound

Purpose of Objectives

•Focus•Prevent drift•Collaborative working•Delegation•Resource identification•Communications•Success criteria•Evaluation

Beginning with the end in mind!• What you are intending to do and why? • What is the motivating factor for doing it? • Check that your objective fits with your strategic plan

and overall aims• Does your objective fit with your skills and experience?• Is it realistic given likely time and budget constraints?• Make your objective simple and easy to understand• If you have more than one objective prioritise then into

primary and secondary objectives.• It is easy to lose sight of your objective so before making

ANY decisions come back to your objective

Audience• Who will meet your objectives?• What are their needs• What are their fears?£, status, ego, physical

• What are their expectations? • Where are they?• How far will they travel?• Secondary audiences trustees, press,

Audience

• Reasons for identifying …

• How to identify ..

• Primary and secondary audiences

Legal implications • Licence and permissions; LA, countryside

rights of way act, TENS, emergency services etc.• Equal access and equalities• Environmental impact • Health and safety• Risk assessments• DBS (CRB) checks

Legal implications • Written agreement for corporates• Participant expenses and equipment• Sponsorship; refunds, costs of trip• Legal consents in advance• Merchandise and trading• Food hygiene

• Lotteries/raffles• Travel regulations • 3 peaks

Budget• Estimate incomes – estimate on past

experience/competitors incomes

• Estimate expenditure• Work out ‘best’, ‘worst’ and ‘likely’

scenarios• Be realistic on levels of risk, time,

experience, investment required• Ensure you can cover core costs

Budget Management

• Monitor cash flow• Communicate with stakeholders• Incentivise sales to increase uplift

when final numbers/deposits paid• Cancelling your event

Choosing a date

Speaker

VenueDate

Audience

Choosing a date

Other considerations:

• The day, season and likely weather• Clashes with other events with; the same target

audience, school holidays and half terms, national events i.e. cup final, grand national, election days

• Time to open and close the event allowing for set up, travelling time and public transport links, qualifying heats, need for daylight etc

Choosing a venue

• Meet objectives• Audience fit• Travel considerations• Speaker, entertainment, guest and

sponsor requirements • Venue finder websites/contacts• Site visit/venue database• Is interesting/unique/free!

Contractual considerations

• Clarify what exactly is included .. Assume nothing!

• Equipment use – yours & there’s• Shared areas/sole use• Signage• Experience of main contact and

manager on the day• Request copies of certificates, insurance

and risk assessments• Review contract don’t just sign!

Pre-planning

1.Team/steering group2.Define objectives3.Identify audience(s) 4.Get creative5.Legal implications6.Set budget7.Identify likely date(s) and venue(s)8.Draft event outline/content

Stage 2

Organising

Organising

1.Start compiling a managers manual 2.Get quotes - venue, food, transport. Agree

terms deposit, final numbers and payment3.Liaison with officials – police, fire, 1st aid,

Licenses and permissions, first aid and insurance,

4.Equipment hire – PA, toilets, marquee, lighting, communications

5.Risk assessment; hazards & actions 6.Site plan; entrances & exits

Organising

8.Research and agree celebs, sponsors, transport

9.Deposits and contracts 10.Ticket and data processing11.Marketing and communications12.Recruit stewards/volunteers 13.Contingency plans 14.Clean up15.Evaluation

Aims of Promotion

• Make sales/get participants by …– Convey benefits– Minimise risks– Basic information

Promoting your event • Who are your target audience?

• What message(s) do you want to give them?

Communications plan

Message objective

Audience Key Messages

Method Timing Repeat/Pulse

Types of PromotionAdvertising• National and regional press • Radio and television• Journals and trade press• Direct mail• Member’s newsletters

Social media • Website• Google Ads• Facebook• Bebo, You tube etc• Blogs and review sites• Email/SMS/Text giving• Twitter• Mailchimp/Vertical response

Sales promotion• Early booking discounts• Free tickets to vendors• Shops

Public Relations• Photo calls• Stunts• Competitions• Communitynewswire.org.• Mediatrust.org

Personal sellingTrustees/word of mouth

Marketing communications • Sponsorship information• Training information• Press packs• Invitations• Information packs• Auction information

Evaluate • When you’ve done it how will you

know you did a good job?

• How can you make improvements for next time

Evaluate • Evaluate against your objectives• Don’t ask too many questions• Email surveys• Photographs• Column inches• Informal feedbak

Stage 3

Final preparations

Pre event • Confirmations with suppliers/speakers/celebs etc• Final timetable, briefings & phone numbers sent out

– Staff – Volunteers– Media– Celebs/speakers

• Info packs – press/VIPs• Special publications ready• Interviews/photos arranged

Equipment on site • Signage• Managers manual• Risk assessments• Licences and permissions• Emergency kit bag• Evaluation forms

Stage 4

Post event

Post event

1. Clean up and walk around2. Debrief3. Bank cash and secure payments 4. Invoices5. Thank yous’6. Media 7. Evaluation8. Final report

Final Report• Objective• Managers summary of successes and failures• Event size; public, stalls, attendee/runners• Summary of final accounts; income, expenditure

explanation of significant planned budget discrepancies

• Accident or emergency incidents• Contacts; local authority, emergency services, St

Johns/Red Cross, exhibitors, site services, staff• Resources; signs, notices, reflective jackets and

where they are stored• Proposal and recommendations for future events• Potential problems for future years

Project planning• Know key dates/decisions/meetings• Identify all tasks• Allocate time/resources• Cluster• Time line• Named responsibilities• Communicate