Organizing an event is no easy feat. You are bound to encounter hiccups along the way. But you can keep mishaps in check and ensure the event’s success if you make the right preparations. Every event planner knows that there's a process to ensuring that an event runs smoothly. From finding the perfect venue to planning your budget, we'll help make sure that your special events will get off without any major hitch. Below, we've outlined the steps you need to take to make sure your next event is a success!
Keep your purpose in mind
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For your event to be successful, you must have clear goals in place. So the first thing you must do is to define your event’s purpose and format. Beyond just defining the event’s genre, make sure you are aware of its essence. Is it meant to express gratitude to certain people, share knowledge to the audience, offer leisurely experience to the guests, or raise funds for a social cause? With a clear purpose steering you in the right direction, everything else will be easier to execute, from designing the concept and assigning roles to choosing the music and catering services.
Put prime importance to planning
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The success of your event will depend on your ability to do effective planning. Make sure your plan has the content, logistics, and promotion of the event covered. Create a blueprint that details the tasks everyone must complete. Make sure it is presented in a big-picture format, so everyone can understand the flow of tasks with just one look.
Get started by preparing a list of the main tasks, after which you can spread them out in more details that are itemized in a step-by-step order. Add a timeframe or the duration required to complete each task. Present this in a way that makes scanning easy. Voila! Your plan is all set! Tedious, but a recipe for hassle-free event planning!
Prepare a budget
Take a close look at the tasks you’ve itemized on your plan, and isolate every task that needs funding. This will help you prepare your budget. Make sure you add in a cushion in case you stumble into unexpected circumstances. When planning an event, you must not expect everything to go as planned. Encountering hiccups along the way is unavoidable, so always be ready with contingency plans, especially in terms of your budget. It never hurts to have a plan B.
Make sure you’re detail-oriented
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To ensure a delightful experience for everyone attending the event, consider everything the event requires, down to the most minute detail. Picture the flow of the event from start to end. How will the guests register? Who will greet the attendees as they arrive at the door? What music will be playing in the background? What photos or decors will be at every visible corner? How will the event chaperones be dressed? What ice breakers will you offer during breaks? Have everything in order and aim to create a wow effect. Make the event memorable by exceeding people’s expectations.
Delegate tasks and responsibilities
Divide tasks into groups and create committees that will handle them. Assign someone to take responsibility for each committee so you can talk to a limited number of people when checking for the progress of all the tasks. Delegating responsibilities will help ensure that each task will be completed. Assign a key person to lead each one of the various groups that will take charge of the equipment, communication, catering, decors, registration, among others. Put everything in writing, so you can ensure results. Prepare a document for each team that details the assigned responsibilities. This will also help ensure that people know who to contact should any issue arise.
Make sure your team is service-oriented
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It’s important that your team understands the value of service, and that they treat the guests with warmth and courtesy. Remind them to be friendly to the guests and event participants. Teach them the best ways to handle any possible issues or concerns. Also, help them realize that not everything will go as planned but they need to get a handle of things all the same. Your guests are more likely to remember the atmosphere of the event and how they were treated than any grand gimmick you may have planned.
Pick the right location
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Location, location, location! One can’t stress the importance of location enough. Make sure it has the essentials, such as an air-conditioning system, lighting, comfort room, and parking slots. It’s best to pick a spacious space so you can be flexible with your theme and decors. You’ll find event venues like The Tent by DMCI Homes, which can accommodate between 300 and 1,000 people, depending on the hall you’d choose. They also have an electrician, and security, and maintenance staff to assist you during the event. Choosing an event place that has proven to be reliable is important, so you don’t have to deal with unnecessary mishaps like landlords backing out at the last minute. It pays to deal only with professionals.
Here are some (of the many) event venues you can rent at DMCI Homes Leasing:
- Heliconia Function Room at Tivoli Gardens Residences, Mandaluyong City
- The Tent at Acacia Estates, Taguig City
- Iris Observatory at Tivoli Gardens Residences, Mandaluyong City
- Sagada Hall at Outlook Ridge Residences, Baguio Baguio City
Get the word out
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Promoting your event is just as important as preparing it and making it happen. What’s the use of having the perfect event if no one is there to experience it? One can never underestimate the importance of marketing. No matter how small or simple your event is, you have to be marketing savvy. With social media channels making promotions not only effective but practically free, there is simply no excuse for failing at marketing. Plus, it’s fun to have your creative juice flowing. Focus on what tickles your target audience, and invite media partners if necessary. This way, you not only get to reach more people but also get access to a wider range of resourcesthat can help make your event a success.
Make a final check on the day before the event
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Make sure everything is in place 24 hours before the event. You should already have informed your participants of how to reach the venue, sent invitations to all the guests, and prepared the audio, video, and printed materials. Check with the people you’ve assigned to lead the committees. They should have completed the necessary preparations. Just to be extra safe, create an updated checklist, and make sure everything is ticked off. You should also print out copies of the event program, and distribute it to your team. It should include the necessary contact numbers to facilitate communication on the day of the event itself.
Learn from the experience
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One of the best things about organizing an event is the learning experience that you’ll get. So make sure you ask the participants and guests for feedback. This will help you learn from both your wins and your failures. You’ll be a pro organizer in no time!
Event planning is no walk in the park, but that’s exactly why it’s fun to do. The challenge that goes with the planning makes it a worthwhile experience. It’s a meaningful learning experience too!
Key Takeaways
It's no secret that there's a lot to think about when it comes to event planning. The trick is to focus on the details that will really make a difference to your guests.
- Get organized early to avoid last-minute stress. So many things are happening and it can get hard to keep track of everything. When you get organized, it'll help you keep your head above water and make the event planning process a lot smoother.
- Know your audience and cater to their needs. The key thing to remember is that your event is for them, not you. So make sure you take their needs and wants into consideration when planning.
- Plan for contingencies and be prepared for the unexpected. A lot can happen during the event planning process and the actual event itself. So it's important to be prepared for anything that might come up.
To learn more about DMCI Homes pre-selling and ready for occupancy projects, units for lease, and special promos, log on to www.dmcihomes.com or call (632) 5324-8888. You can also check out https://leasing.dmcihomes.com/ for currently available condos for rent.
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