9 THREATS TO YOUR EVENTS

(AND HOW TO OVERCOME THEM)

UNCLEAR BUDGETBUDGET? WHAT BUDGET??

OVERCOMING UNCLEAR BUDGET(S)

Event budgets today are shrinking and event planners have to get creative and do more, withmuch less. It would be great if we were all able to plan and host an event without a budget -the possibilities would be endless.

This is still the case though, of course, (the endless possibilities part) if you stay on top of yourfinances. Always be sure to set a threshold for your event so that you don't end up paying foryour mistakes after (literally).

So:1- Set a clear budget limit for your event2- Track your expenses as you go3- Get creative and come up with unique ideas (e.g. decor, etc) that are also budget-friendly

POOR TIME MANAGEMENTSO MUCH TO DO, SO LITTLE TIME..

OVERCOMING TIME MANAGEMENT ISSUES

It's vital that you invest the right resources in the right place, at the right time. We all have a"oh, I could have this done in no time" moment at some point. Often though, we tend to regretprocrastinating and wish that we could go back in time to begin planning sooner.

So, how can we stay on top of our planning game?

1- Set short and long-term targets to make sure things are done when they need to be2- Start off with the info essentials: event venue, event size and which are events going on atthe same time

Hope Guyer has some great event planning 101 tips too, check them out!

MURPHY'S LAWANYTHING THAT CAN GO WRONG,

WILL GO WRONG

OVERCOMING MURPHY'S LAW

The first item that springs to mind here is last minute changes that, when they occur, seemlike the end of the world (and your event).

So, how to we challenge Murphy?

1- Complete a risk assessment of your event and identify where changes are most likely tooccur or areas where event success could be jeopardised

2- Based on your risk assessment be sure to have a back up plan and cover all your bases

3- Take a breath. We cannot predict the future - but plan for the worst and hope for the best!

TOO FEW TEAM MEMBERSNOT ENOUGH HANDS TO GET

THE JOB DONE

OVERCOMING INSUFFICIENT (HU)MAN POWER

Not all organisations have an event team dedicated to planning their events. Sometimes it's aone-person army tackling the annual conference and other times it's a team of ten devotedsouls working towards an exhibition.

Above all though, it's important (and sometimes necessary) to just reach out and ask for help -you'd be amazed which of your colleagues would be interested in lending a hand!

So:1- Ask for help when you need it2- Be a team player

3- Buy coffee and muffins to say thanks! :-)

PURPOSELESS EVENTSO JUST A PARTY, REALLY..

OVERCOMING THE EVENT WITHOUT A PURPOSE

Let's be honest.. An event without a 'real' purpose is just a party. Also, it is quite a waste ofeffort and time.

How does one determine the purpose of an event?

1- Why are those particular guests being invited to your event?2- What should your event mean to them? What will it bring them?

3- Don't over complicate things. Just make sure your guests know why they are attendingyour event and that their attendance is valued and appreciated.

CARELESS MISTAKESSOME MISTAKES

SIMPLY ARE AVOIDABLE

OVERCOMING SIMPLE MISTAKES

Things sometimes slip through the cracks and are forgotten, only to be remembered at thevery last possible minute. The secret to mitigating simple mistakes in your event planning is towell, have a solid plan.

SO:

1- Create an in-depth event plan that describes what needs to be done, when and by whom(in detail)

2- Make sure you and your team all understand the plan and are ready to commit to it

3- Simple mistakes can happen, we're only human - so dust yourself off and keep going!

NOT ENOUGH XPINSUFFICIENTLY

EXPERIENCEDPLANNERS

OVERCOMING A LACK OF EXPERIENCE

Things can get out of control pretty quickly without a captain steering the ship - or in the caseof event planning, leading the event team. Not having the right people in the right place is arecipe for disaster.

An event team leader (or manager, depending) needs to have an overview of the workloadsand schedules of their team and coordinate activities therein. Once your event team manager(leader) understands each team members' capabilities it will be much easier to get task donein the most efficient and effective way possible.

As a team manager:1- LEAD your team - (almost) anyone can manage2- Positive reinforcement goes a long way

As a team member:1- There is no 'I' in team2- Work to your strengths - this is the best approach when there's not enough time and muchto do

TOO MANY TOOLSTOOLS, TOOLS EVERYWHERE..

DOWNSIZING YOUR TOOL COUNT

It's always nice to have a tool for everything. A tool to manage your budget, a tool to trackyour event tasks, a tool for emailing, a tool for registrations, and of course some mobile appsto keep you organised on-the-move.

How does one then sift out the useful from the useless tools?

1- If you still have to 'figure out' a tool but you're "sure it will help" - don't bother wasting yourtime picking and testing tools when you don't have the time

2- Less is more. One or two integrated tools can go a long way - if you often find yourselfplanning events, look into online software that can be customised to meet your needs.

CHANGE MANAGEMENTNOT TRACKING EVENT CHANGES

OVERCOMING 'MISSED' EVENT CHANGES

As with most things, it is unlikely that your event plans will remain constant - change isinevitable. A lot of the times though failing to keep track of event changes are as a result of abudget or task management issue.

So, how can you prepare and avoid this?

1- Make sure your budget is airtight and thoroughly thought-out

2- Set a realistic and detailed event timeline and pre-plan as much as possible

3- Gather details on any changes, e.g: the reasons for the change, who is responsible, etc -this way you can consider these insights for your next event

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