Steps In Developing A Strategic Event Plan

Steps In Developing A Strategic Event Plan

The Purpose, Vision And Mission Statements

A clear statement of purpose and vision should be prepared. This should be based on the needs of various stakeholder groups. These stakeholders groups may include client organizations, the government at various levels, the local community, people/participants who are expected to come to the event, sponsors, and volunteers. For many events, particularly corporate events, a statement mentioning the purpose is all that is required. For events that are more complex in nature [such as large public events] and involve a number of stakeholder groups, it is beneficial to create vision/mission statements to guide their development and conduct.

A vision statement is different from the mission statement, but both may be combined. Vision statements usually describe what the event seeks to become and to achieve in the longer term. They are usually brief, precise and motivational in nature. A mission statement describes in the broadest terms the task the event organization has set for itself. In case the event has also established a vision statement, then the mission needs to be viewed in terms of fulfilling this vision. Such statements seek to define an event’s purpose, identify major beneficiaries and customer groups, indicate broad nature of the event and mention the overall operating philosophy of the organization conducting it [for example, whether to be fully or partially self-funded]. Some events have a combination of both vision and mission statements.

A mission statement, once established, becomes a basis upon which goals and objectives can be set and strategies established. It also becomes a means to provide to the staff an understanding of the event and what it wants to achieve. It is an invaluable tool used to establish a common direction for a team.

 

 

Develop Event Goals And Objectives

Event Goals and Objectives are established during the event designing process while developing the event concept. Goals are broad statements that seek to provide direction to those engaged in the organization of the event. For example goals for charity events can be to raise money, update the mission statement to the level of educating the community, motivate board members and supporters, do marketing of the organization, recruit volunteers and expand the organization’s network. Goals also need to be established when the event is complex in nature and involves a number of stakeholder groups. Objectives on the other hand are used to quantify progress towards an event’s goals and as such set performance benchmarks. Objectives allow event organizations to assess what aspects of their planning have succeeded or failed. Clearly stated and well defined objectives enable the event planner to come up with a comprehensive plan with a scope of controlling and evaluating during/after implementation phase. Though the terms ‘Goals‘ and ‘Objectives‘ are used in event management interchangeably, they are actually distinct concepts.

Dowson and Basset have recommended the five “Es” that focus on the feelings and emotions that the event attendees will experience during or immediately after an event. These “Es” if incorporated will help the event organizer to establish relevant objectives:

1. 1. Educate: Keeping training workshops in an event program to educate people who attend the event.
   2. Enlighten: Inviting a guest speaker to speak to the event attendees on relevant future issues and trends.
   3. Engage: Motivational speakers can be used to engage attendees.
   4. Energize: To energize the event attendees, icebreaker activities.
   5. Entertain: To include time for social and cultural program in the event so that the attendees can enjoy themselves.

According to Bowdin, the acronym SMART is a useful criterion that can be applied for establishment of well defined event objectives. SMART objectives should be:

• • Specific: It is necessary to clearly state what event goal has to be achieved, using action verbs to describe what has to be done, and not vague and discreet words.
  • Measurable: The objectives should mention targets that can be quantified and measured whenever required, especially at the end when the entire program is being evaluated.
  • Agreeable: The objectives indicate the expected outcomes and hence should be agreed upon by those responsible to achieve them.
  • Realistic: The objectives should be realistic taking into account the human, financial and physical resources to achieve them.
  • Time-Specific: This means that the objectives should be achieved in a stipulated time period.

Objectives which adhere to the SMART principle are very important as they are tangible by providing scope to measure, control and evaluate the activities during the implementation phase. Without these principles as benchmarks one would not be able to measure the deviations and the activities could actually lead to major irreversible and non-correctable damages.

Legacy Objectives: While Event Objectives are framed keeping in mind the immediate or short-term outcomes for an event, long-term objectives also have to be kept in mind. This is particularly so for larger events, where the term ‘Event Legacy‘ is important. Event legacy means the lasting benefits/outcomes as a result of hosting the event. For example the legacy objective of hosting a major sporting event could be to increase participation in that tournament as well as promoting the social and health benefits. Legacy objectives are a very important factor in the decision to award a particular event to a particular host city or nation, for example the Olympics, and are a critical part of the bidding process.

Economic Objectives: These objectives relate to the percentage return of monies invested or overall gross net profit sought; financial value of sponsorship attracted; percentage income that can be earned from fundraising activities; and percentage increase in market share [In case the event is competing directly with other similar events].

Human Resource Objectives: The number of staff members or volunteer turnover is spelled out in these objectives. This can also include percentage of volunteers retained from previous year.

Objectives Related To Participation: These are objectives related to total attendance/attendance by special categories or groups such as people of certain age group or region or professionals or cultural groups or community groups; size of the event in terms of exhibitors, stallholders, performers, and attendees; and number of local versus outside artists.

Objectives Pertaining To Quality: These relate to percentage of attendee/sponsor/exhibitor/volunteer satisfaction; participants/speakers/entertainers with international reputation; and number of complaints from participants, exhibitors and volunteers.

Objectives That Bring About Changes In Awareness\Knowledge\Attitudes: Certain objectives relate to percentage of attendees whose awareness levels or knowledge levels or attitudes change after getting exposed to the event.

 

 

Analysis Of Internal And External Environment

Factors present in our internal and external environment which influence the event’s success need to be scrutinized. This process is sometimes called ‘Situational Analysis.’ Internal environment consists of all those factors which are present as resources and the planner or the manager has a control over it. External environment consists of factors present outside our control. However, external environment needs to be scanned by the event planner for working out alternative measures in anticipation of any threats.

The scanning of internal environment gives us an insight of strengths and weakness and the scanning of external environmental factors gives us an understanding of threat and opportunities present in the external environment. This process is referred to as SWOT analysis. SWOT analysis is required to identify factors having adverse impact and factors that could be conducive and accordingly plan out a strategy to minimize the adverse impact and maximize the positive impact. The SWOT analysis involves referring to a range of existing information sources, data collected previously on the event, census data and general reports on relevant matters, deeper understanding of needs, wants, motives and perceptions of current or potential customer groups which could be necessary to bring out the desired modifications in the event in an effort to increase attendance. Scanning of environment is essential to reassess the objectives.

Thorough scanning of the external environment will help the event manager in making decisions on matters such as target market selection, promotional messages, programming, ticket pricing and when to conduct the event. The external environment consists of Economic, Social, Cultural, Political/Legal, Technological, Demographic, Meteorological and Competitive factors.

Economic: Economic factors such as inflation, wages, occupation, unemployment, cost of living, distribution of wealth, import, export, taxes and tariffs impact the demand for a particular event. For example, as an event manager you might have to reduce ticket prices and look for alternative sources of revenue such as grants or sponsorship to subsidize the event costs, if a particular region has poor living standards.

Social: A society has its own lifestyle, behavior, family pattern, beliefs and attitude. Changes in a population’s ethnic/religious make-up or leisure behavior can affect demand for an event. Attitudes have a big influence; for example, love of sport shown by many British people, was used as a factor for the successful London 2012 Olympic bid. The event planner will need to take these social factors into account so as to appeal the audience with the event product. Not taking social factors into consideration could lead to a costly mistake.

Cultural: A society has its own tradition, customs, ceremonies, festivals, method of cultivations and so on. The culture of a particular place can be an important resource for organizing an event; such as the architecture, traditions, cuisine and folklore of Rajasthan are used largely for organizing events. The planning of any event must also address the cultural factors of the society with the intention of having complete acceptance of the event.

Political/Legal: The government and the law and order system govern the society. The rules and regulations affect the way the people behave in the society and the way the event managers are expected to behave. For instance, the event planner should be aware of the laws regulating the noise levels in public spaces, and consumption of food and alcoholic beverages in a particular State or region.

Technological: Development in technology, inventions of new equipment and machines have revolutionized the way people undertake the task and set expectations. A good example of technological factor is the online selling of tickets which creates a comfort zone not only for the customers but also for the organizers by giving them clear idea on customer size and the required logistics thereafter. Also, the internet reduces issues like human error, required manpower, and load on administration. Internet is largely used today for promoting festivals, exhibitions and other events, and as a vehicle for conducting events like conferences, by providing information, directories and resources online.

Demographic: Demographic characteristics means the composition of a society in terms of age, educational level, occupation pattern, gender, density, growth, movement, distribution and structure of population. For example, the increasing youth population getting into entrepreneurial activities in India will be a large market for event managers in the future years to come. Demographic factors determine the event theme and the overall event designing and planning.

Meteorological: Meteorological factor pertains to the weather pattern of a particular area. This factor is very important to be considered by an event planner as it would affect the way decisions would be taken for venue, location and the time of the year pertaining to the season.

Competitive: Competitive factors include the study of all those organizations or companies which operate in the same sector and have the same market to cater to [that is, attract a similar audience]. The event planner must have complete awareness of the existing competitors and their action.

Physical/Environmental: The concept of ‘Green‘ events is increasingly gaining importance in the event industry. Concern over matters such as pollution, waste generation and impact of greenhouse gases [particularly when they are conducted outdoors] due to the changing weather patterns are affecting the way in which events are conducted. Many councils and sustainable environmental groups in countries are actively encouraging event companies and organizers to ‘Green‘ their events.

Detailed scanning of the full range of factors as discussed will reveal the event’s target markets, its range of activities, and opportunities for promotion, fundraising and sponsorship. Those factors that can pose as threats to the event also get identified. For example a change in the population characteristic/ethnicity of a certain regain can result in a loss of demand for festivals celebrating that culture, which could be a major threat. Or a reduction in government funding of cultural events would be a threat to an event organization that is dependent on such funding for most of its revenue. Therefore, every time the event is organized, the event planner is advised to do environmental scanning. This is because the environmental factors may change over a period of time.

Once the event planner is done with the analysis of external environmental factors, scanning of internal environmental factors is the next step. Internal environmental factors consist of physical, financial, informational and human resources. A SWOT analysis while scanning the internal environmental factors will enable us to identify strengths and weaknesses. For example, strengths could be adequate staff, in-house auditorium, quality of supplier relationships, access to appropriate technology such as ticketing systems, ownership or access to appropriate venues and facilities like sound systems, access to finance, level of sophistication of the event management software systems, good networking and relations with government body, good brand name, position in the market and event reputation. The weaknesses could be opposite of what is mentioned in strengths. However, the good side of weaknesses is that these factors are controllable and efforts could be directed to overcome these weaknesses without compromising on the event performance.

 

 

Planning The Program Activities, Site Layout And Logistics Planning

Having already developed a clear idea of ‘Who‘ will be attending the event, the next step would be to create a plan of activities that are meant for the target audience. The program schedule also depends on the type of event and the chosen location meant for it. For example, a team-building event is likely to include activities such as rafting, trekking or mountaineering, whereas for a music festival the festival organizer will book artists who will perform as per the musical tastes of people who will attend such a festival, or at a New Year Party, activities such as singing, dancing and performing could be included. The event program is likely to include either a combination of formal and informal activities. Formal activities could be speakers talking in a conference, or cutting of a ribbon at a shop launch. Informal activities could be day trips and visits, music and entertainment, dinner, dancing and other social activities. But make sure that you do not cram in lots of activities while planning the Event Program.

While selecting the event location [whether it is a country, city or town], the target audience is one factor that should be considered primarily. Questions about a lot of people or a few people who will want to attend, their accommodation, how many will be willing to travel, how accessible the location is by car or public transport, and the cost of travel to and from the event will have to be considered. Once the location has been decided there may be a number of venues to choose from such a hotels, purpose-built convention centers, sports stadiums, banquet halls, community centers, universities, museums, concert halls, athletic grounds and so on. The availability, price and capacity of the venue are important. Proximity to accommodation, car parking, free wi-fi, reputation of the venue and venue staff are other important considerations. To research on a venue which you are totally not familiar about but would like to know if it is reputed, a very good starting point is to contact the local Destination Marketing Organization [DMO], also sometimes called the Convention and Visitor Bureau. DMOs can liaise with venues, secure permits, organize site visits and can even help source local suppliers – all free of charge. Destination Management Companies [DMCs] and Venue Finding Agencies also help event organizers to put on an event in a new city or region in return for a fee or commission.

The event site may be indoors or outdoors, but wherever the event is taking place a proper plan of the layout of the event site needs to be prepared. A well-planned site will mean the risk of crowd congestion and crowd crush is reduced. The layout of an event draws up a site plan with certain fundamentals applicable to every event: ensure that the attendees can easily enter and exit the site, ensure that the central point [such as registration or help desk] can be easily found, and also facilities such as toilets or the nearest bar are visible and not too far to walk to. The organizing team will use the site map to get everybody to set up and in the right place, while the suppliers, vendors and contractors will refer to the site map to ensure power supply and water.

One of the biggest challenges faced by the event organizer is logistics planning, which is very crucial in ensuring the smooth flow and movement of the people on to an event site, around it and out of it. Logistics planning is also important to ensure that suppliers, contractors and support services are all in the right place, before the event. For example, a conference organizer may try to get four hundred people from around the world, which could involve hundreds of bookings, transport and accommodation, arranging for hotel check-ins and conference registration. A good logistics plan should also consist of communication protocol for staff and key personnel. For example in a folk-dance festival, the plan should contain contact details of performers and artists, in case there are delays in the event or change in plan.

 

 

Organize A Team

We have seen in the article Importance And Elements Of The Strategic Event Planning Process about Establishment Of An Organizational Structure As An Element Of The Strategic Event Planning Process. This is done after a bid gets accepted. This sub-section may hence be learnt with reference to that sub-section. The effectiveness of the organizing team can have a significant bearing on the success of an event. Organizing a team depends on the size of the event being organized. In case of large events an organizing team is already there as the role of team or organization structures becomes complex. Hence such work load requires team effort. In small events, the event organizer may be single handedly capable of taking care of all the aspects.

In order to create functional departments to achieve event objectives, we may first need to gain an understanding on various domains of an event. The different domains of an event which are created to allow the team members or employees to perform with efficiency. To facilitate smooth work under each function, the event planner would need to create functional departmental heads. This is also referred to as Functional Structure.

A team created based on their intended output and the role to which they are best suited, departmentalizes employees by their function. The event planner [head] is required to hold regular meetings to coordinate different functional activities, expenditure and budget position, reinforce event goal and objectives. Undoubtedly, this functional structure gives more comfort, efficiency, specialization and expertise to the team members of the organization carrying out the event.

However, nowadays many organizations believe in the concept of outsourcing. Perhaps, this new way of thinking is conceived to be a more economical way of managing an event. Here different aspects of the event such as catering; site management; risk and compliance; finance and accounting; and venue management are given to a third party to be managed. This structure is called Multi-Organizational or Network Structure. Network structure provides more proficiency, more accurate estimation of budgeting, less manpower and makes the process quicker.

Irrespective of the structure adopted by the organization whether it is functional or network, the event planner should have a fair idea about the activities to be included under each function. This would require the event planner to sit with the team members or functional heads and list down the activities under different domains of the event. Meeting at this point ensures that no element goes missing when the final event is executed.

The event design, which we discussed in Development Of Event Design, at this point serves as a base to provide information on the aspects which need planning. Brainstorming and quality efforts given at the time of the development of event design pay during event planning. This is so because during event designing, the entire structure or framework is laid, upon which further event planning is done.

Activities Under Event Domains

• • Catering: Menu Selection, Service Style, Catering Operation.
  • Venue Management: Décor, Furnishings, Venue Layout, Way Finding, Lighting, Sound, Special Effects, Visual Presentations, Attractions, Ceremonial Requirements.
  • Finance And Accounting: Budget, Costing And Pricing, Cash Flow Management And Accounting.
  • Content/Program/Entertainment: Speaker Identification, Agenda, Core Event Activities, Entertainers Selection.
  • Site Management: Transportation, Parking, Site Map, Waste Management, Sanitation Services, Registration, Ticketing, Traffic Flow, Contractor Coordination, Utilities, Site Planning And Maintenance.
  • Marketing: Promotions, Brand Management, Sponsors, Donors Media Coverage.
  • Risk And Compliance: Emergency Management, Health And Safety, Statutes And Regulations, Property Rights, Insurance, First Aid.

As mentioned in the article Importance And Elements Of The Strategic Event Planning Process which explained The Elements Of A Strategic Planning Process, we learnt about the various types of organizational structures like simple structures, functional structures, project-based matrix structure and multi-organizational or network structures, through which the event can be delivered. When a functional structure is created, it is important that the event planner or the concerned manager describes each position in terms of responsibility, accountability and relationships with other positions. An organization structure without job descriptions of the positions does not serve any purpose. Therefore, to get efforts of the employees in the desired direction, it is very essential that we describe the positions. The elements that prominently become part of job description are as follows:

• • Role: Role is position in the organization structure. An employee might have more than one role to play. In a functional structure created, an employee might be an event director but at the same time could also be in the role of a site manager. In a different scenario, an employee being in the position of manager might play the role of motivator, leader and co-worker.
  • Responsibilities: Responsibilities refer to functions defined with the position that the job needs to accomplish.
  • Authority: Authority means the power to take decision independently. There could be an authority to use resources, hire people, to finalize deals etc.
  • Relationships: This means the relationships among positions. How is one position connected to the other position? Who will report to whom?
  • Accountability: Accountability means becoming answerable to your actions and performances. These usually become parameters of judging a person’s effort.
  • Specification: These are the list of qualities required for a person to perform in a particular position.

Depending on the number of activities under each functional domain of an event, the team could be further created under each functional heads.

 

 

Set A Date

Though, in many cases the date for the event is already set, the event planner should still reassess the date by evaluating the time span required in pre-event activities. Also, the event planner should assess the date for any religious holidays, events of other competitors during that time period and the availability of speakers, entertainers, sponsors and vendors. After evaluation, if the event planner finds the already set date unsuitable, it must be changed.

 

 

Brand Your Event

Development of the event concept and event theme during event designing process provides unique elements that would make the event to stand out. The entire focus of event designing is to create an event environment which is distinctive, appealing and creates experience amongst the audience. Since designers are more creative, the event planner along with the designer could work out an event title, tag line or a logo or all the three elements to brand their event. In fact, to keep the event memories alive after an event, the event planner could get the logos printed on folders, bags, T-shirts and other such products as an effective branding tool.

 

 

Create A Master Plan

Master plan is a comprehensive plan that takes all aspects and activities under each domain into consideration. The activities under event domains that serve as a guiding tool and controlling measure to ensure that all the parameters are taken care of in chalking out the course of action with a desired expectation. The master plan contains fine details of all the activities including who is responsible for what, when and where the task needs to accomplished, the methods and requisites to complete the task.

For example, if you consider the functional domain – Venue Management, the master plan will contain complete details of Décor, Furnishings, Venue Layout, Way Finding, Lighting, Sound, Special Effects, Visual Presentations, Attractions, Ceremonial Requirements with reference to what is to be done, when, where, how and by whom it is to be done.

 

 

Identify And Establish Partnerships And Sponsors

Sponsorships and Partnerships help to defray the costs and increase potential participation. The domain heads created as part of the functional organizational structure will be able to establish partnerships and sponsors owing to their network developed in their specialized field. However, identifying and establishing partnerships/sponsors becomes the prime responsibility of the event planner or manager.

Company’s brand is a big factor in inviting partnerships and sponsors. For known and established brands such as Wizcraft, Fountainhead, and many more, it is easy to get partners and sponsors. Event is an investment for both event organizers and partnerships/sponsors. Event planner therefore, must be able to showcase the expected benefits to investors [Partners/Sponsors] as an outcome of event. Marketing, promotions and publicity also help to invite sponsors and partnerships. When we involve other people or groups in the event, they have a stake in making the event a success.

 

 

Create A Promotion And Publicity Plan

Even with the most amazing speaker or entertainment line-up, you need publicity to get people in the door. The methods used to promote an event will depend primarily on the target audience. Event promotion starts with the initial notice or page on your website, note in your newsletter or email to save the date, and then builds to include online and off-line publicity, media relations and on-going outreach to encourage registration. Creating promotional tools can be very costly. Hence it is essential to ensure that the quality of advertising material is up to the standard. Sometimes one can take advantage of free publicity through newspapers, magazines, radio and television. And lastly, no plan is complete without the post-event thank-you, sponsor acknowledgements and articles about the event’s key messages or fundraising success.

 

 

Determining Budget And Financial Planning

The event manager or event organizer should know how much money the client is prepared to spend for the event. It costs money to hire venues, book rooms, feed guests and entertain people at an event. If the event organizer does not know this, a lot of time will get wasted in doing effort and resource planning that is unrealistic. For example, there is no point in visiting locations and venues only to discover that just these will exhaust all the budget of the client. A budget may include costs such as travel and accommodation costs for speakers and presenters, may include costs of an open bar at a wedding function, and so on. Hence it is vital for the event manager to find out what is, and what not is included in the budget.

The budget should incorporate estimates for all of the key items identified on the Event Master Plan. The basic principle of good cash flow management is to make sure that there is more money coming into the events business than going out of it. While one has to see that money comes in on time, it could become problematic too at times. For example at a ‘Pay at the door‘ ticketed concert, most of the money will come in through ticket sales only on the day the concert is. If the event organizer has lots to pay beforehand by making payments, such as, during booking of artists and advertising the concert, then that could be a lot of money going out before any money comes in from ticket sales. Hence Good Financial Planning involves anticipating any shortfalls in money, which allows the event organizer to make contingency plans for cash flow [Example Extending Credit And Payment Terms]. Sometimes for certain events, though money is there to put on the event, additional funds are required. Sometimes events are successful in attracting sponsors. Contra deals are also becoming common in the event industry, where unlike a sponsorship deal, no money is exchanged, but there is a mutual agreement for beneficial goods and services. Contingency planning is also important, as sometimes the event can be cancelled or postponed, and one needs to ask then:

• • How will this impact finances?
  • Does the organizer have appropriate insurance to cover the event costs?

 

 

Operational Plans

Once the strategic planning of the event has been accomplished, the implementation of the plan can start. This process can happen through operational plans that apply project management practices. Operational plans are useful for the achievement of the event objectives and the implementation of its strategy. Areas for operational planning vary across events. It would be common, however, for plans to be developed in areas such as budgeting, marketing, staging, research and evaluation, administration, sponsorship, risk management, transportation, programming, environmental waste management, and staffing [Paid And Volunteer]. Each area that develops operational plans will make a set of objectives as discussed earlier, that contribute and progress the overall event strategy; action plans and schedules; details of individuals responsible for carrying out various aspects of the plan; budget detailing; monitoring and control systems; and the allocation of resources [Financial, Human and Supporting Equipment/Services]. Policies should be considered as guidelines for decision making. An event may, for example, have a policy of only engaging caterers, who meet particular criteria. These criteria may be based on licensing and insurance.

 

 

Control Systems, Evaluation, Debrief And Follow-Up

Once the operational plans are implemented, mechanisms are needed to see if actions are happening on the basis of plans. These mechanisms are in the form of systems that allow performance to be constantly compared to objectives. Performance benchmarks [such as ticket sales over a given period] are very useful in this regard. Meetings, reports and budgets [budgets allow actual costs and expenditure to be compared with those projected for various operational areas] are generally a major part of the control process.

How will you determine if your event is a success? When you set your initial event goals and objectives, you should also consider how you will evaluate the event to determine your success. Evaluation is mostly a neglected area of event planning. A proper event evaluation will help the event manager to assess what worked well and what didn’t, and provides useful lessons in the planning of future events, making it easier. Evaluation can also be a good way of showing others [Example Clients, Sponsors and Partners] that the event was a success, which can help in justifying future events. For example with the help of membership management software packages, one can easily track registration numbers and fees. Similarly evaluation processes can be used to identify goods offered in kind and funds raised at the event. Likewise if the objective of an event is to raise awareness, data will have to be benchmarked and gathered on online social media activity and offline publicity – again based on your initial goals.

Post-event evaluation can be extremely complex but can also be fairly simple; for instance planning a post-event debrief with key members of the event organizing team, key suppliers and partnering organizations and distributing a simple survey to find out opinions of the event attendees. A debrief immediately at the end of the event while everyone is still on-site is referred to as a ‘Hot Debrief,’ and scheduling such debrief will prove useful. This is because immediately after an event, majority of the members in the event organizing team as well as the suppliers, vendors and contractors supporting the event company, will start working for their next event.

It is also important to plan follow-up activities that can be completed post event, such as sending a personal communication to thank guests for attending the event. Follow-up can also be done by sending promotional materials such as a heavy brochure to an interested client, and sending invitations for upcoming events.

 

 

Related Posts

The Demand And Scope Of Events
Characteristics Of Events
Meaning And Principles Of Event Design
Development Of Event Design
Importance And Elements Of The Strategic Event Planning Process