Event planning has significantly evolved in the wake of the pandemic. Whether you're planning an online webinar, a large in-person corporate tradeshow, or an internal employee workshop, the rules around planning an event have changed.
Attendee needs and expectations differ substantially based on their location, age, and industry, as well as many other elements. For example, the needs of a Gen Z attendee in London will be completely different from a baby boomer in the US.
The importance of good event management becomes critical in a digital environment where delegates demand personalized and mobile-first experiences.
In this detailed guide, find out how to plan an event, event planning steps, and best practices to deliver delightful experiences for all attendees.
An event plan is a roadmap that outlines how an event will be executed. Every event plan has some common components that include:
Event management and event planning may sound similar, but they have many differences. Let’s break them down:
Every event starts with a plan, whether an online training session, executive workshop, sales webinar, offline charity gala, or destination wedding.
Planning for the event starts when it's just an idea and includes:
Simply put, everything that goes into planning an event comes under the term 'event planning.'
Event management is a comprehensive function that includes creating, coordinating, and managing all the different components of an event.
It encompasses the planning, designing, and managing of all aspects of an event. It brings all event components together from the pre-launch phase to post-event follow-up activities. Event management responsibilities include:
As the event planner concentrates on executing the client goals for the event, the event manager ensures everything around the event goes as planned.
According to an IBIS World report, the event management industry is valued at $3.2 billion in 2022. After shrinking by 9% in 2021, it is now growing by 4% per annum.
The events industry has demonstrated remarkable resilience in pivoting to the new normal. In the uncertain post-pandemic business environment, events have gone hybrid. Online events are on the rise, with people gradually warming up to in-person events again. 95% of marketers believe in-person events are critical for business success, as per Bizzabo’s research.
60% of leaders still rely on events as one of their top marketing channels to achieve business goals. Conducting an online webinar or a large in-person conference allows companies to reach a wider audience, promote their offerings, and form new relationships.
Here are the main reasons why event management is important:
Before you book the event venue or finalize the virtual speaker line-up, it is essential to outline the process and event planning steps to be followed.
Identify the purpose of the event. There should be a solid 'why' that led you to organize it, such as:
To achieve these aims, event management teams need goals that align closely with business performance. Clear goals and supporting objectives help frame the event's scope and get leadership buy-in. Keep the goals specific, actionable, measurable, realistic, and time-bound (SMART). Here are a few examples:
Research by Eventbrite found that 83% of event managers use event management tools.
If you are a data-driven marketer, here's another statistic supporting the benefits of event management software: Bizzabo's 2022 study states that 89% of businesses use event technology to save around 200 hours annually.
Use software to organize attendee registrations, streamline vendor payments, and create delightful event experiences. Event management tools can help in:
A well-trained and knowledgeable team is key to event success. Outline all responsibilities and assign them to team members based on their strengths and competencies.
Most people in event management teams wear multiple hats. Around 45% of event teams have 2-5 members, while only 12% have 10 members or more. Most event planning teams contain these common roles:
Creating the event budget is the most critical of all event planning steps.
Getting the budget in place helps the team operate more efficiently and complete tasks with the prescribed resources. A well-financed team can avoid running out of money for critical marketing initiatives or payment of speaker fees.
Eventbrite's standard industry budget allocations can be a good indicator when planning and allocating the budget for an event.
Event marketing is a completely new ballgame in a digitized and social media-driven world.
To attract event attendees, it is important to cut through the noise to execute a winning event marketing strategy. Before finalizing any marketing or promotion tactic, understand your ideal audience by brainstorming these points:
It’s critical to deliver safe events for your attendees as the world gradually moves back to in-person events. Follow the latest COVID-19 regulations and local guidelines and use online check-ins to maintain social distancing during events.
This is an integral event planning step that needs to be followed as the world isn’t free of COVID-19.
Attendee engagement is essential before, during, and after the event. Forget five-star experiences — it’s time to give your event attendees a 10-star experience. Curate the event around your attendees’ personalities, preferences, and habits.
For example, Statista research says that an average person spends around five hours daily on their phone. Gain your attendees’ attention by sending push notifications, interactive quizzes, feedback surveys, and more to their smartphones.
Digital swag, gamification, and social media feedback are also ways to boost the event's engagement.
Measure event success by mapping it against the established goals and objectives.
For example, a goal for brand awareness can be to reach an audience of 10,000 in New York. In this case, you'll need to benchmark and gather all social media mentions, likes, comments, and follower counts across the brand channels during the event. Offline publicity will also be considered and evaluated to see if the targets have been met.
Remember to collect and review qualitative feedback, such as attendee comments, speaker suggestions, and sponsor feedback.
Assess individual marketing initiative ROI. Find out which marketing tactic brought in more attendees — for example, a press release in the print media, an Instagram Live, or an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session on TikTok.
There's a lot to plan and coordinate in every event. That's why using Wrike's event planning template can be a game-changer. It allows you to be more productive and spend less time on administrative tasks.
Event management teams can use the template to:
Get a free Wrike trial to visualize event progress, organize work, and execute your next event successfully.
Yuvika is a freelance writer who specializes in recruitment and resume writing.
