Allergic to Failed Events?
What to avoid while planning events and how to properly prepare instead
Run rabbit Run (avoid last minute planning)
If there is anything the phrase events planning rotates around, it is literally the planning. And in straight forward words, planning is all about time management and then looking into the logistics’ aspects of any event.
Book your venue in advance to get the one that you desire on the date that you prefer.
Book your vendors and suppliers in advance so they do not squeeze you into their schedule and give you the priority needed to deliver their best products and services.
Book and confirm your event in advance, this will enable you to send out the invitations in a timely manner that guarantees you a maximized attendance rate.
Pre-booking is simply being one step ahead of time and last minute approaches that bring you nothing but errors and stress.
Butterflies in my stomach (literally)
Forgetting to cater a considerate menu that serves all dietary needs. Culturally and dietary considerate menus are always appreciated and talked about post events. It is crucial to please people’s taste buds with good quality & quantity, Make sure to include our Vegan friends too!
Offer lactose free coffee options, halal bites options and virgin drinks. The more your menu is inclusive the better the feedback and overall experience will be.
Claustrophobic alert (venue selection )
Make sure there is enough room for your people to breathe (literally). It is crucial to book a space that allows your attendees to move freely, walk around and sit comfortably without feeling that they are squeezed into a small space & stressed about leaving or walking in again without being stared at.
A huge PLUS is having a nice warm corner for them to stand and mingle together. People tend to vent and chatter on the side wherever they go.
Mic Drop – Literally (tech check)
No matter the nature of your event, be it virtual or live, rehearsal and tech-checking details is crucial to avoid any glitches. Trusting technology blindly is a risk we can take but better to avoid during an event. Check your wifi connection, a day in advance, connect all the devices you will need to the local wifi. Test the electrical plugs’ locations, their functionality and connect your devices via cables and bluetooth the night before to avoid any last minute inconveniences. If you will play any background music, make us a favor and subscribe to -ad free- platforms to avoid having makeup ads play on full volume. Or, just play a downloaded list (phew)
Not a man on a deserted island situation
Check for events taking place around the same date you are willing to hold your event on. Are any competitors’ events / announcements taking place on the desired date ? Are there any public / summer holidays that might contribute to a lack of desired attendance around the date you are willing to book your event for? The above should be taken into consideration to maximize attendance & ensure an impactful event.
Play it by the rules
Be attentive to the local rules and regulations when carrying and event. Avoid violations and fines all together by checking if you need a specific license to cater food or serve drinks. Check the noise permit / law around the cut off time of of loud noise (entertainment) in case you are planning an event in a residential area.
Engine off, what’s next ?
The majority of attendees will use their cars to arrive to your event’s location unlike the people that will use public transport, so? It means sorting out valet parking services / ensuring the venue has a practical parking space is a must not even a plus. A MUST. You do not want people arriving with hints of frustration due to getting lost in circles looking for a parking spot. (mind the heat if the parking spot is outdoors or underground)
Forget Me Not!
Since you will be booking the venue and all the details in advance, it automatically means that your invites were sent in advance too. So what’s the big deal you may wonder? Well, there is one downside (that is controllable) in case of sending out early invites: people forgetting about your event altogether. Unless it is in their reminders / calendar. Make sure to schedule reminders and notifications that can either be manually or automatically sent out to your invitees to remind them of the up-coming event. It is a huge PLUS if you customize the reminder with a cool headline that says for example :
