Events can be planned eg weddings or birthday parties or unplanned eg funerals.
In one way or another a person can find themselves leading events planning .The writer would like to share some tips on how to plan an event.
When planning an event eg a wedding or a church conference take note of the following aspects :
1 .When is the event going to take place ?
2 .How much do you have for the event (budget)?
3 .What is the purpose of the event ?
4 .Is it a profit making event/fundraising event or not ?
5 .Who are your delegates ?
6 .Who is going to be part of the team you will work with ?
7. Are the roles very clear for each team member to avid frustrating one another and duplicity of roles?
8 .Who are you targeting as your audience ?
9.Any legal demands that must be met before the event takes place eg police clearance ?
10.How are you going to make use of technology to bring an awareness to the people concerning the event?
11. Have a contingent plan in place that if things go wrong you can evacuate people using ABC.
12 . Have one person who speaks on behalf of the events committee or families involved in the event if it is a wedding .
13.Check issues of security for children and cars at the venue.
14 .Clarify with the venue owner if the hiring fees include chairs and tables .Avoid surprises. No assumptions!!.
As you brain storm don’t forget to physically visit the venue .This will help you see how accessible it is to the delegates.You can also check if the venue has special facilities for people living with disabilities .
Make sure that every service provider you intend to work with has signed some sort of contract to show their commitment .Don’t assume anything ,take your time to physically check things that you intend to hire eg Public Address system .
Make sure you also have a team in place who will usher people as well as ensure there is order as the event progresses .
Get in touch with your key speakers and share the theme or themes for the event .
These are some of the things that may help you to prepare and plan an event successfully .
The writer Professor Elias Chakabwata is an event consultant and manager.He is also an organizational growth consultant.He can be contacted on 0732288687 .
