You need to focus on The Basics of Event Planning:Event Planning tips. Without identifying the basics you may not be able to have a successful event planning business.

 

Stay Organised

Whatever the event, be it a simple party or a conference for the visiting African delegates, you need to organize yourself with a short check list, calendar or a daily reminder. Diarize all meeting dates and deadlines. Have a detailed checklist with program, communication, agenda, contracts, to dos, completed tasks, protocol, arrival and departures, accommodation, transportation, décor/food/invitations and budget, press articles and campaigns and feedback. You can have these checklist incorporated into a bound folder or file. Prepare one for each of your events. This is easy to store as well.

 

Identify the purpose of the event

Identify the purpose of the event and in order to give your best prioritize the sequence of events according to their importance. At first you can give the event top priority until you get it off the ground. Check all factors such as how many people will be invited?, what is the event trying to achieve and who the event is for?.

 

Contract

Sign a contract with the client so that you have a clear idea of what to give the client and what the client can expect from you. It is best to have a contract signed to protect the flow of information and confidential information. A non-disclosure agreement or a service contract should be signed between the parties.

 

Budget

Prior to launching the event, try to give the client and yourself a budget to work with. You can negotiate on the price as there maybe a few variations form the original plan half way through the planning stage.

Look into the minor details

This could be the dress code, the location, the weather, or whether the event coincides with another major event and the time. You need to focus on the little things such as these to make the big event a talk of the town.

 

Confirmations and communication

Make sure all suppliers and service providers have been confirmed days before the event. Request for written confirmation from the service providers and suppliers. You can also get confirmation from guests at least a week prior to the event. This will help you decide on the number of people to expect and to cater for.

 

Have meetings with the client to ‘tie up loose end’ and finalize and confirm any outstanding matters. Check and stick to what the client wants included in the event.

 

Publicity

Depending on the nature of the event you can choose any method of publicity either written or electronic. You can decide if you will use the media as well. Generally, big event should be advertised and publicized through the media.

 

Feedback

Request feedback from your client on how well you organized the event. Ask the client for their honest opinion and highlight your mistakes, and where you should improve. This constructive criticism will help you when organizing your next event