Before getting into event planning mode and making list upon list of what needs to be done for your event, make sure you set a clear brief on the specific aims and goals of the event. Be clear about what the event is for. Why is it happening? What do you want to achieve? Make sure the end goal is always kept clearly in sight, so that any decisions you make along the way align with your goals and keep in with the overall vision of the event. Don’t get distracted by the small stuff or you’ll lose your focus for the event especially when the event is rolling. Ensure you put the preparation in beforehand for smooth running on the day, or night.
Make sure you have a clear order of the day for suppliers, events guests and anyone working on the event, so that everyone knows what their role is and more importantly, so that everyone is on the same page! We’ve got a selection of preferred suppliers at Congress Centre, saving you time in searching for someone reputable as well as peace of mind from already ensuring they’re reliable. Start the day of the event with a clear schedule and a precise, detailed plan of what needs doing and at what time. Leave no stone left unturned! Keep a list of key team members and make doubly sure they have the same plan of action and that you all liaise clearly and efficiently. Also, make sure to check and double check phone numbers and set up a group WhatsApp for quick and easy communication on the day.
“The benefit of WhatsApp over radio at an event is you can read and write in silence and private, the voice notes mean you can send audio messages on the go to individual team members of the entire team group and you can still call to speak as you would on a traditional radio”
During an event, you really do need to eat, sleep and breathe deadlines and put a deadline on everything, otherwise you’ll end up with an endless ‘to do’ list that, unsurprisingly, never gets done. Keep it all in order and set your deadlines appropriately, then smile with glee as you meet your deadlines and start achieving all you need to achieve in great time with the help and support of your team members and your event running like clockwork!
When you’re juggling 10 different things at once, attention to detail will invariably suffer and nothing will get your clear and full attention. Make sure to delegate some of your tasks and duties at the event to others as much as you can and try to focus on one clear task at a time to give it your all and to avoid half committing to several tasks at once. If you’re running short on team members, the expert team of event managers at Congress Centre are there to help – just ask!
Studies show multi-tasking doesn’t always mean you’re more productive. According to Gloria Mark, Professor in the Department of Informatics at The University of California: “When people are interrupted, it takes typically around 23 minutes and 15 seconds to return to their work and people will often do two intervening tasks before going back to their original project which can lead to the build-up of stress.” Try to stop juggling tasks and spreading yourself too thin and you’ll get way more done at your event in the long run.
Event planning can be exhausting and stressful and the last thing you may want to do when you’re in the thick of planning a mega event is to take a break and recharge. The truth is though that your productivity and creativity will be at an all-time low if you don’t, which will end up impacting your focus and your work. Make sure you take some time out to decompress and recharge, then be ready to hit the ground running when you are recharged.
In events, what can go wrong will go wrong… It’s the key project leader or show manager coming down with a bug three hours before the event, the good old unreliable British weather going awry, or decorations going mysteriously missing off the transit van. All of these things can derail an event.
In all instances, make sure you have a contingency plan so you have backup in all circumstances. Be tactical and organised and have a plan in place for anything that might go wrong, and definitely have insurance in place! At Congress Centre we’ve seen it all when it comes to events; if something does go wrong, we’ve probably got a solution already!