After planning and producing elaborate events week in and week out, year after year, there may be a slight possibility that from time to time you may overlook the obvious and bypass the most essential elements of event planning. No worries. It can happen to anyone, and that's the time to revisit the fundamentals that helped you when you first went into business. Whether you have been in the business for 20 years or 20 days, these truths will help you to continuously create super events without missing a detail.
Know your attendees. Knowing who your attendees are requires knowing who they are at every stage of the event. Who are they when they get the invitation? Who are they during the programmed portion of the event? Who are they during the social portion of the event?
Dig deeper to find out background information on the group. If you are able to poll the attendees, create a brief questionnaire asking about their likes and dislikes. Ask about their favorite television show, radio station format, car, rock and roll artist or movie star. This information is a powerful tool in adding the personal touch needed to create the best events possible.
Protect the objective. The objective is the guiding force behind the event and is the easiest part to lose track of. A core set of objectives needs to be set, and all parties must live within those objectives. Then begin to build from there. As long as the objectives resonate through all parts of the event, those parts can be tweaked to suit specific needs. Be sure not to let your objective get derailed by the hidden agendas of others. Your objectives must be carried with you at all times. If you eat, breathe, sleep, and eat them, you will succeed in meeting their expectations. Remember, allow only the elements that are in harmony with the objective to be incorporated into the event!
Get inspired. In today's world of shrinking timelines and inflated expectations, it is crucial that you as a designer stay inspired at all levels. For the sake of this article let's break it down to its simplest form and divide the inspirational input into two fields: Interpersonal inspiration and intrapersonal inspiration. The interpersonal inspiration comes from the man-made world around you. Intrapersonal inspiration comes from within you, nature, and other spiritual forces.
Build the core. Define the things that you must have in the event. These items are the essential elements necessary to communicate the objectives. Create a list of objectives. Anything that conflicts with those objectives can interfere with creating a super event. Double- and triple-check your objectives to make sure that they do not conflict with one another. Create a collage featuring your objectives. Use photos, words, drawings, and diagrams of how the event should look and feel.
Be fearless. Do not be afraid to do something new. Design with reckless abandon. As long as the objectives are being met, have fun! This is how the greatest events come to life without concern for diminishing budgets. As long as you are not committed to any one element and are working within your core, there are many ways to make the event the best it can possibly be. Again, saturate your event with your objectives. For example, if you are branding, it is ineffective to offer one banner with the name of a company or product. Put that name on napkins, cups, murals, T-shirts, giveaways, banners, and anything else applicable. Spread the impact points-food stations, bars, interactive entertainment-throughout your event. You can be guaranteed that not every attendee will receive the message the same way and at the same time! Each person perceives things differently, so cover all the bases.
Communicate the vision. Don't hold anything back when working with creative partners. Your partners are in this for all of the same reasons you are. Often, your partners will add new perspectives you may not have seen or thought about. Listen to all ideas-from no matter whom they stem. You may be surprised who has the next brilliant idea. Taking a collaborative posture in creating events will take you to the next level!
Take fun seriously. You have one shot to make event unforgettable. When it's over, there will be a judgment and you will either be a hero or not. Take this opportunity seriously. You are the person entrusted to create the best possible experience for numerous guests—and it is your awesome responsibility to surpass expectations. With that being said, have fun. At the end of the day, nobody's life is at stake and a bruised ego never killed anyone. If you take all of the above into consideration-think about it and execute it and have fun doing it—you will most assuredly create super events.
By Mark Wells
Wells is the creative director for the Orlando-based Hello Florida, full-service a destination management and event planning company.
Know your attendees. Knowing who your attendees are requires knowing who they are at every stage of the event. Who are they when they get the invitation? Who are they during the programmed portion of the event? Who are they during the social portion of the event?
Dig deeper to find out background information on the group. If you are able to poll the attendees, create a brief questionnaire asking about their likes and dislikes. Ask about their favorite television show, radio station format, car, rock and roll artist or movie star. This information is a powerful tool in adding the personal touch needed to create the best events possible.
Protect the objective. The objective is the guiding force behind the event and is the easiest part to lose track of. A core set of objectives needs to be set, and all parties must live within those objectives. Then begin to build from there. As long as the objectives resonate through all parts of the event, those parts can be tweaked to suit specific needs. Be sure not to let your objective get derailed by the hidden agendas of others. Your objectives must be carried with you at all times. If you eat, breathe, sleep, and eat them, you will succeed in meeting their expectations. Remember, allow only the elements that are in harmony with the objective to be incorporated into the event!
Get inspired. In today's world of shrinking timelines and inflated expectations, it is crucial that you as a designer stay inspired at all levels. For the sake of this article let's break it down to its simplest form and divide the inspirational input into two fields: Interpersonal inspiration and intrapersonal inspiration. The interpersonal inspiration comes from the man-made world around you. Intrapersonal inspiration comes from within you, nature, and other spiritual forces.
Build the core. Define the things that you must have in the event. These items are the essential elements necessary to communicate the objectives. Create a list of objectives. Anything that conflicts with those objectives can interfere with creating a super event. Double- and triple-check your objectives to make sure that they do not conflict with one another. Create a collage featuring your objectives. Use photos, words, drawings, and diagrams of how the event should look and feel.
Be fearless. Do not be afraid to do something new. Design with reckless abandon. As long as the objectives are being met, have fun! This is how the greatest events come to life without concern for diminishing budgets. As long as you are not committed to any one element and are working within your core, there are many ways to make the event the best it can possibly be. Again, saturate your event with your objectives. For example, if you are branding, it is ineffective to offer one banner with the name of a company or product. Put that name on napkins, cups, murals, T-shirts, giveaways, banners, and anything else applicable. Spread the impact points-food stations, bars, interactive entertainment-throughout your event. You can be guaranteed that not every attendee will receive the message the same way and at the same time! Each person perceives things differently, so cover all the bases.
Communicate the vision. Don't hold anything back when working with creative partners. Your partners are in this for all of the same reasons you are. Often, your partners will add new perspectives you may not have seen or thought about. Listen to all ideas-from no matter whom they stem. You may be surprised who has the next brilliant idea. Taking a collaborative posture in creating events will take you to the next level!
Take fun seriously. You have one shot to make event unforgettable. When it's over, there will be a judgment and you will either be a hero or not. Take this opportunity seriously. You are the person entrusted to create the best possible experience for numerous guests—and it is your awesome responsibility to surpass expectations. With that being said, have fun. At the end of the day, nobody's life is at stake and a bruised ego never killed anyone. If you take all of the above into consideration-think about it and execute it and have fun doing it—you will most assuredly create super events.
By Mark Wells
Wells is the creative director for the Orlando-based Hello Florida, full-service a destination management and event planning company.
