Organizing a successful event is never without its challenges. Lucky for you, part of being a group leader means pulling it off without breaking a sweat. Whether you’re creating more membership value, recruiting new members, or hosting a meeting to communicate your agenda, use an event as a time to showcase your organization at its best. Event planning doesn’t have to be stressful. Following a few key steps (and taking a few deep breaths) can make the whole process more enjoyable.
1. Commit to a committee
Planning an event is much easier if you have a team to support you. If your group doesn’t already have an event committee, consider asking at least one or two people to volunteer. It will allow you to delegate tasks and benefit from the input and expertise of others. Establish a committee in the early stages of planning your event. This way, everyone can be on the same page from day one.
2. Plan ahead
Depending on the type of event you’re hosting, start planning at least four to six months in advance. If you already know you’ll be doing an annual event, put it on your event committee’s calendar. This will give you time to lock down a venue, a caterer, a keynote speaker, or any details that are critical for your event. Give yourself an adequate buffer between planning and execution. Don’t be afraid to multitask, but anticipate event overlap, so separate committees can work in tandem.
4. Make a checklist
Once you know why you’re hosting an event, you can start planning everything else. Organization is crucial to making sure the event runs smoothly, so create a checklist before carrying out your plan, and make sure you stick with it. A discussion board can be a valuable tool because it will keep your event committee on track and informed of how plans are progressing. Here are some basic items to help you start your list:
Creating an event page allows you to post updates and pictures as well as answer questions that guests may have. Increasing communication and member interaction is a great way to build anticipation and boost attendance.
6. Stay organized
This is the most important thing you can do to avoid mistakes and limit the stress of event planning. Keeping track of RSVPs, their plus-ones, meal selections, food allergies, and add-ons like raffle tickets and more can be a daunting task. Member management software streamlines this by allowing guests to RSVP and purchase tickets online. Event organizers benefit by having all of the necessary information in one location that they can access from virtually anywhere. A month before your event, plan a weekly check-in with your event committee. Increase it to daily check-ins the week before the event to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
7. Have fun!
You’ve worked hard to create the perfect event, and now it’s time to profit from a job well done. Remember to make a plan, set a goal, and stay organized. Most importantly, have fun! The hallmark of a successful event is being able to enjoy yourself alongside your guests. Our event functionality, donation and email campaign features, discussion boards, and online payment forms make it easy to plan for your entire year. Ready to get going?
Updated since original publication on 5/05/2017.
7 Comments
9/19/2018 06:46:51 pm
My husband and I are planning a big party for our family and want everyone to enjoy it. Thank you for suggesting that we should make sure and set a budget and stick to it. I'll have to talk to him and find a company that will help us get everything for our budget.
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10/30/2018 05:18:13 am
Thank you for sharing such a great tips, I really like it.
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4/2/2019 07:27:18 pm
I was checking continuously this blog and I'm impressed! Very useful information particularly the last part, I care for such info a lot.
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2/11/2020 03:19:06 pm
I've been tasked by my uncle to create an event for my whole clan, and I wanted to thank you for these tips! It really helped me when you mentioned that I should send invites to those guests that we intend to invite. I've been planning to hire a pop-up opera instead of a live band to change the mood of the event.
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8/11/2020 03:57:54 am
My dad and I are currently looking for a dry ice delivery, which will be used for our awards night. I agree with you that it would be best to have enough time for planning and execution. We'd also keep in mind to create an agenda that will help elevate our organization's exposure.
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