To most of us, a successful business event is one where things run smoothly. Attendees have fun and no one on your team has a breakdown in the process of organising the event and running it on the day/night.
There’s more that goes into a business event than meets the eye. It takes a lot of meticulous detail, thought and planning to ensure your event runs smoothly.
As event planners ourselves, we have the insights into a well-run event. We’ve gathered our top five tips to help you avoid any tears in the lead up to your next business event.
1. Plan, prepare, brainstorm, organise – whatever word works for you!
It shouldn’t be a surprise that our first tip is to prepare and plan your event. It’s an obvious point, but some important planning aspects can be missed if you aren’t a seasoned event planner, like us!
Ask yourself the following questions when preparing an event:
- What's the purpose of my event?
- What kind of event do I want to hold? (Charity? Business anniversary? Networking?)
- What do I want invitees to get out of the event?
- What is my event budget?
Answering these questions will form the foundation of your event.
From here, you can determine where you’d like to hold the event, what it will involve and the all-important guest list (which we hope we’re on!).
2. Don’t do it alone
While we joke about members of your team having a breakdown during event planning, it can be a serious problem. Event planning is stressful, with many aspects to consider.
According to Convene, event planning is one of the top five most stressful jobs in the world. And it’s no wonder when it involves long days, lots of phone calls and emails, thinking on your toes when things do go wrong, and managing multiple stakeholders.
We know everybody (and we mean everybody) hates asking for help. But if there are other team members in your business who can lend a hand or space in your budget to allow for an event planning team, it’s worthwhile considering.
Having a team behind you means more hands to delegate tasks and more minds to come up with creative ideas to make your event stand out.
It’s corny, but we can’t help it: teamwork makes the dream (event) work.
3. Every successful business event has a Plan B (and C!)
Since the COVID-19 came into our lives, we know how hard it is to plan an event. As one of the hardest hit industries during the pandemic, events are more complex to plan than ever before.
So of course, our ultimate tip is to have backup plans in place in case things go wrong.
- If your venue is affected by COVID-19, make sure you have a backup venue on standby.
- Always touch base with your suppliers a few weeks and then a few days in advance from your event. This ensures your bases are covered and you will have a better chance of implementing plan B, C or D if something does go wrong.
- Have an online event plan in place in case circumstances do force you to move away from a face-to-face event.
One of the (only) great things to come from the pandemic is people’s ability to adapt to change at the last minute. And our inclination for online events! We recommend having another plan in place in case you do need to move your event online, so you don’t waste all your hard work and can still deliver the event you promised.
4. Develop a run sheet
After you’ve planned your event, formulated your team and have worked out how you want the event to look and feel, it’s time to develop your run sheet.
A run sheet is essentially a play-by-play of your event. A run sheet breaks down into minutes or hours the different tasks that need to be completed in the immediate lead up to, during and after your event. It should include who is in charge of the task and any important notes and details they need to know about the task.
Take a look at this great event run sheet template which outlines how you should break down your event.
A successful business event needs a thorough run sheet to ensure every task will be completed, and everyone on your team knows what is happening.
Trust us when we say the run sheet will be attached to your hand at ALL times. Say hello to your newest accessory.
5. Give back to others
Giving back to the community is our final tip for your event. If you and your business are in the position to, we recommend finding a way to leverage your event as a platform to raise money for a cause you care about.
Even if your event isn’t specifically for charity or the community, find a way to incorporate a charitable element. Whether that might be a simple donation bucket, a silent auction or a raffle.
We’re big believers in supporting the local community or a cause that aligns with your values. It will not only benefit your brand and create opportunities through a new partnership, but also top off a great, feel-good event.
Bonus tip
Yes, event planning can be stressful, but it can be lots of fun as well! Don’t let small inconveniences or problems ruin your event.
The microphone isn’t working? Try the good old switch it on and off again. And if that doesn’t work, find a new one! The food isn’t what you requested? Enjoy a surprise meal.
While we mention breakdowns a few times in this blog (only five), event planning shouldn’t send you into a spin. With careful preparation, a great team and back up plans in place, you should be running your ultimate successful business event.
