We are all used to having the agenda full of events, for work or for fun, they are part of many people’s lives. Sometimes the experience is pleasant and engaging and at other times we wished to have stayed home, however, this doesn’t necessarily always comes down to bad luck or timing.     The success or failure of an event is the tip of an iceberg of a job that often starts months earlier and involves a team of people who collaborate with a common goal in mind with a lot of decision making to take along the way.

Here, we tried to outline the fundamentals in organizing an event in some specific phases:

1 DEFINING OBJECTIVES AND TARGETS

Unless the event is a wedding or baptism where the outcome is clear to everyone, defining objectives and targets is a fundamental step for the team to know which way and how to start their work from the beginning so as the result to be homogeneous and successful. For example, a corporate event could focus on sales or perhaps target new customers, and these intentions totally influence many of the necessary choices to be made in the latter stages. Having established this first fundamental element will make it easier to decide on a more appropriate location, the type of event, whether or not to provide a specific theme or just simply choosing the most appropriate date. For that matter, an example could be the launch of a new fashion brand during a fashion week.

2. BUDGET and PLANNING

The second phase concerns the allocation of a budget. A clear picture of the available budget provides a much better understanding of what will actually be feasible in carrying out the event, to which elements more resources should be allocated and which ones should become of secondary importance or even eliminated, all depending on the objectives set. It is a phase of research, estimates and bargaining in order to optimize the use of resources and reach the best possible solution. However there are some essential aspects which require special focus:                                     The location, which must be fully adapted to the type of event to be held, should be chosen strategically. For example, If we are expecting a delegation from Japan, it would either be better to have a location which is easily accessible from the main airport or to provide a shuttle service for the guests!

The catering service must be chosen very carefully as it should be able to propose appropriate solutions of excellent quality and presented with elegance even when catering to an informal event. People tend to keep the memory of having had excellent food for a long time.

3. EVENT PROMOTION

Once the event is packaged, it must be promoted!

Here, it is good to remember what the initial target is and focus on the ways leading up to it. This is the only way to achieve the best possible result within a framework requiring optimal use of the available financial resources. A practical example would be that if the event aims at the under 30 age group,  you could easily eliminate the printed version of the invitation and opt exclusively for the digital one, thus perhaps investing more in higher forms of promotion. On the other hand, if the invitation is meant  to be very formal and aimed at a wider age group, it will only be appropriate to put in serious effort to produce a good graphic project for the invitation which will reflect the atmosphere and purpose of the event.

4. COURSE

The course and development of any event that respects itself will always be subject to the unknown! A musician stuck in traffic, lights that don’t work, the weather. As far as the weather is concerned, unfortunately there are not too many strategies to implement if not to, where possible, think of a plan B,  as almost all the locations have an internal infrastructure available which is good to have readily standby, even if the event is held in the middle of summer. For everything else, a suggestion is to keep a logbook of the event comprising every single detail. Check and doublecheck every aspect 1-2 days in advance. This way, unforeseen events that could compromise the success of the project are significantly reduced.

5. POST EVENT

The event does not end when the last guest leaves the party, but often continues for days or, sometimes, even months. Especially if it has been a business event, it is essential to maintain a post-event relationship. Whether they are long-time customers or new clients, an excellent strategy is to ride the waves of enthusiasm derived from the event and thus invite your contacts to get to know you better. An example in doing so is by inviting them to a festivity especially created for them or presenting them with a small token of appreciation that can positively reflect the time spent with you.