Events – Yes or Never Again?
8 Steps for Smooth Events Organization
We are all struggling with our day to day business tasks. But when it comes to events organization, the challenge increases! Unless we have a structured and well-managed approach.
Is it really that complex?
Could be, but it is also creative and fun. There is hardly a theatre role that opens so many opportunities for a person as the event organizer does. He/she is a screenwriter, an analyst, a coordinator, an animator, a mediator, a designer, a waiter, a porter…
It’s important to follow certain steps, so you can be well-prepared for all unexpected surprises which inevitably happen at the most unexpected time during your event. The key also is to rely on experienced team and proved venues.
Step 1: What is the event theme?
The theme defines the event’s concept and all the creative work around it. Which turns it into a unique one. Regardless of its format – a business breakfast, conference, cocktail reception, team building, corporate party or other. The theme should be aligned with your business goals and target audiences..
Step 2: What are your goals?
What do you want to achieve, demonstrate, to whom and how? For example, if you present a product the speaker should be appealing and confident when it comes to technical details. You’ll need to bring along a customer to present his business case and share with the audience what were the challenges and the advantages. In the case of an annual management or team meeting, you might consider having a motivational speaker. Corporate parties are a third event type where the guests (employees, clients or partners) should be put together in a less formal and relaxed space. Regardless of the event format, the key factor is to consider who our target audience is, channels to reach it, and the expected outcome.
Step 3: Team
You can be the main engine behind the event. But you also need a team with defined roles to support the whole process. For example, who will be responsible for the invitations list? Drafting, formatting, track changes, keeping deadlines, invitations distribution, telemarketing; content providers and speakers’ roles. Furthermore, logistics and event support – branding, moderation, and technical assistance, managing the event schedule. It’s also important to have the emergency numbers at hand. As well as take some security measures at the day of your event. If you work with an external agency, roles are defined in a similar way. In both cases, whether you rely on internal team or an external agency, you need to have dedicated and experienced professionals in them. For example, at hotel Downtown pre- event rehearsals with the client are a must in order to guarantee the smooth event process.
Step 4: Budget
You need to have the budget framework fixed in order to be effective and efficient in organizing your event. It determines the venue choice, including technical equipment and catering, guest speakers, hostesses, printed and branded materials, and many others.
Step 5: Venue
We select our venue depending on the event theme, goals, budget and audiences. Striking a balance between our creativity, our goals and available budgets is what we should aim for. For example, holding an event at an unusual place like a production hall or warehouse could be quite original and give you a lot of space for creativity. However, you will need to spend additional budget for external suppliers for almost everything: technical equipment, catering, support.
Restaurants, clubs and bars are often more exclusive and suitable for smaller audiences. But again technical equipment or other suppliers should be provided externally. Hotels offer you an end-to-end solution. Venue, technical equipment, catering, onsite service and dedicated event manager will guarantee you a smooth and successful event. Hotel Downtown usually tailors its offers to the customer needs in order to best meet the communicated goals within the available budget.
Step 6: Logistics
Who, what and when should provide all the related aspects? The hall – setting it according to the event program and audience needs. Technical equipment test is obligatory in order to avoid last minute fail overs. A careful food selection is required! Suitable for the occasion, of good quality, enough quantity, vegetarian or other special food requests. Venue settings should be compliant with your brand positioning. If required have some dedicated partner space, signboards, meeting rooms, catering locations to avoid long queues and provide a comfortable experience to the attendees.
Step 7: Marketing and advertising
Event promotion and publicity could be achieved through various offline and online channels. As long as your communication through the different media channels is consistent, clear and business-oriented it will bring you long-term benefits, improve your brand quality and win brand advocates. The event promotion should be a common goal for all parties involved. You, as an organizer, the partners and the speakers should advertise it through websites, social media profiles, blogs, etc. For example, sharing a moment or two of the event’s preparation could warm up the audience and to build on it. You can make a live video from the event’s keynote session and tag all relevant participants.
Step 8: Events organization
The key to a successful event is in its organization. Yours and within the teams involved. Hotel Downtown’s practice is to ask for the client’s feedback after each event in order to constantly improve the quality of services and team organization.
In summary – choose the best venue within your event’s topic, goals, budget and audiences. Dedicate the right teams and enough lead time for organization. Hire experienced professionals and test everything in advance!
And in case you are looking for a venue for your next event, see whether Hotel Downtown’s offers and services meet your requirements at
