Top 10 things that event planners often overlook

Your event — and attendees — will benefit from these organizing tips

It’s December, which means attending (and planning!) a lot of parties and events. After reading Priya Parker‘s book, “The Art of Gathering,” I thought of the conferences and fundraising events we’ve worked on over the years, and came up with my own guide to organizing. Here are 10 tips for keeping your event on track.

1. Don’t lose focus.

   Remind yourself what the purpose of the event is, so that all the activities relate back to the main reason for having it. Even if a sponsor wants to give you money to do an unrelated activity or a coworker wants to add a game, it is ok to say no. Packing too much in won’t make the event as memorable, because people will be rushed and not have the time to form strong connections with the subject matter or other attendees. Tell them you can try that activity next time, and make sure to follow up and include them in the planning.
   

2. Keep branding consistent across all platforms and in every communication.

   Use the same tagline, color palette, fonts, and logo throughout all your imaging and marketing materials. Some variety within your brand’s style guide is ok, but you want people to be able to recognize your event materials, even if your logo isn’t on them.

3. Document logistics and share them.

   Being able to delegate tasks is key! Don’t be a barrier to allowing others to help you in the organizing process. Prepare a list of and contact info for all volunteers and staff, just in case you (or others) need to check up on someone handling a task.

4. Share accessibility info in advance.

   Have a section on your site (for example in the About, FAQ, or Venue sections) that lists info about locations of entrances and exits with ramps, elevators, single-stall restrooms, doors with a push-button opening, and, if possible, the width of door jambs. Users of mobility aids will want to know if they can easily get around your event. Including this info in a prominent place on your site will let them know that they aren’t an afterthought, and that you care about their needs.

5. Ask about AV needs, plus prepare for anything.

   Ideally, you’d ask for slides to be sent at least 24 hours before the event so everything is ready for them when they arrive. Inevitably, something will happen, and the presentation laptop you bring will run out of batteries or you lose the power cord, or it’s a newer model that doesn’t have USB ports, or you spot a typo in the slides and need to update it, but the slides were made on software you don’t have installed. Always ask a presenter to bring their laptop, too, just in case. Keep on hand Apple and PC compatible dongles to connect every possible model to a projector and house sound system. If a presenter can’t immediately use the AV, things can get bad fast. Be sure someone knowledgeable is standing by to help. And even better if you can test everything in advance so there aren’t any issues before the presenter is about to start.

6. Be sure there are a variety of food and drink options.

   Have vegan and gluten-free options. Clearly label any allergens, like soy, wheat, dairy, and nuts. Label spiciness level, so it doesn’t come as a surprise if a salsa or curry is hot. Have a printout of ingredients in different dishes so people don’t have to ask. Provide alcohol-free drink options that include sparkling water, sodas and juice, and make sure people are able to customize what they want to drink. Having pub-height tables, couches, chairs, and other places to congregate during this time is preferable to everyone sitting down at large tables. There’s less scrutiny of what people are choosing, allows for more mingling, leaves open some quiet spots, and makes it more casual.

7. Diversify presenters and attendees.

   Reach out to more people, especially people of color and nonbinary presenters. Ask for recommendations, send invites to user groups, post info on forums, ask members of the community to do outreach to new-to-you groups, and check out similar events for ideas and inspiration to see who is speaking and attending.

8. Have a backup plan.

   Something is bound to go wrong, so try to anticipate and plan for it. Ask someone to be a speaker stand-in, just in case. Make sure you know another photographer who has the date available. Talk to a rental company about how much tents cost and how long they need for set up. Verify with all vendors 5 days in advance to be sure they know the address they’re delivering things to and what time you need them by.

9. Attend other events at your venue for ideas and things to avoid.

   See where they put their registration tables, whether they brought in different furniture, or how they set up their signage. Is the flow of attendees working, or are there groups of people blocking access to doors or food? Learn from their successes and mistakes.

10. Plan for post-event marketing.

    Have a wrap-up statement ready to go before the event even starts. Make sure it thanks every speaker and sponsor. Post-event, update that draft by adding curated photos and some event highlights. Send it out in a newsletter and post it as a blog entry on your website. Add a post-event teaser to the homepage as soon as you can, and link to the blog post, and update all your social media platforms to link the post, too.

Event planning can overwhelm even the most experienced organizer. Keep these tips handy to help you stay focused and keep you motivated.

This post is part of a series on Event Organizing. Read the other posts on choosing a venue, making events more inclusive, and welcoming volunteers to your event team.