It’s no secret that planning an event can be extremely hard work. Whether you’re throwing a surprise birthday party for your Great Aunt Iris or putting together a huge international business networking event, there are lots of different elements to think about. Naturally, some details will depend entirely on the type of event you are throwing, but generally speaking, there are a few fundamental things to consider for any event.

So when it comes to event management strategy & planning, what factors should be at the top of your list?

1) Your goals

Before you can start planning your event, you need to really think about what it is you want to achieve. Is it to raise your company’s profile? Is it to persuade investors to commit to your latest venture? Is it to launch a specific product? Whatever your goals are, you need to have a clear idea before you start planning anything else.

2) A planning & preparation schedule

High-quality business event planning takes time. Even the most experienced corporate event organisers in Sydney need plenty of time to plan and prepare. This doesn’t just mean giving yourself enough weeks or months to prepare. It also means putting together a strategy to allow you to designate specific time-slots every day or week to work on your event. Chances are, planning this event isn’t the only thing you have on your to-do list, so in order to make sure you have plenty of time and energy to get everything done, you need to create a specific schedule and stick to it. Break everything down into smaller tasks and allow yourself plenty of time to do them properly. If possible, allow yourself more time than you think is necessary so that you are not rushed and have plenty of room for unforeseen hick-ups.

3) Budget

Whether you outsource the work to corporate event organisers in Sydney or try to do it all yourself, you’ll need to know exactly what your budget is before you get started. Begin with the overall sum you’re willing to spend and then start breaking it down into categories such as venue hire, catering, entertainment and a contingency fund.

Whilst putting your budget together, remember to do your research. There’s no point designating a certain amount for a venue for example if it’s completely unrealistic and unachievable. And of course, make sure you keep an eye on your budget and update it as you start spending. After all, there’s no point making a budget if you just ignore it and spend extra money left, right and centre.

4) Crisis management plan

You can plan and plan until you are blue in the face, but sometimes disasters and last-minute crisis are just inevitable. So, even though you hope you’ll never need it, you need to have a crisis management strategy in place. From setting a little bit of your budget aside for emergencies to having a back-up plan for bad weather, you should always have a strategy in place to deal with the worst-case scenario. This will help ensure that all your hard work isn’t derailed at the last minute.

Conclusion

Event planning is a tough business, but with plenty of planning and preparation, you can make the process a little easier. Remember to give yourself enough time to do everything and allow yourself a little bit of extra time and money for all those inevitable hick-ups and crises that you’ll encounter along the way. And of course, if you need assistance with your event preparation, we’re always here to help!