Almost every business has to hold an occasional event. Even the smallest businesses will need to hold meet-and-greet events or fundraising parties. In fact, 41% of marketers believe that events are the best way to advertise. Events of any size require quite a lot of planning. There are invitations to be sent, budgets to be made, and decorations to be designed. If you’ve been tasked with planning your company’s small event, and you don’t know where to get started, this step-by-step guide will see you through the entire event planning process.
Step One: Budget
The first step in any planning of any event is to settle on a realistic and strict budgetary plan. Make a list of everything that will cost money and decide how much money you’re willing to spend on each item. By breaking down the budget in this way, you’ll begin to have a better idea of what things are realistic for your event and which ideas may not be possible. Some ideas of essential items to include in any budget are signs, marketing, food, venue, and staff. Of course, each event will have different requirements, so make as detailed a list as you can to account for everything that might come up.
Step Two: Location, catering, and planning
Once you know how much you plan to spend on everything, it’s time to start finding options and booking them. Look for your venue, your caterers, and your event staff. Make sure to book these things as early as possible to avoid last-minute disasters.
Step Three: Marketing and invites
Once you have a venue booked, you can begin marketing the event. Create a cohesive marketing strategy and event logo to help the event feel professional. Send out electronic invitations to important guests and follow up with them about their attendance. If you’re selling tickets to the event, send out marketing emails to your company’s database. Highlight all of the positive aspects of the event to encourage a good turnout.
Step Four: Decorations and design
The next step is to make detailed preparations for the design of the event itself. Most professional company events have slick signage dotted around the venue to give it a personal feel. If you’re planning on printing some large banners for the event, PrintMoz is a great place to find affordable custom banners. Place one outside the venue and several inside to give the event a touch of class.
Step Five: Create a plan for the big day.
Finally, you’ll need to create a detailed plan of action for the big day. Start the plan in the morning. Allocate tasks to others. Make sure everything is ready to go. Plan the moving van, the setup, and the staff brief before the event. Leave yourself some time to eat and to get ready to enjoy the night ahead. Once you have your plan in place, you can take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy the fabulous evening you’ve worked so hard to put together.