When planning format and content for your event, to get the most value and to deliver an exceptional experience, try following our top six planning tips:

Tip #1 – Getting the vision right

This is the most crucial part as it will drive every decision that you will make throughout the process. Consider and map everything so you have a clear vision, top-down from the CEO and right through the chain. This will mean you don’t waste emotional energy along the journey draining you for every decision because the ‘objectives and frameworks’ are already in place.

Tip #2 – Team selection

According to Will Glendinning, author of ‘The Facts of Live’, there are four key roles that need to be filled to deliver any event:

Project leader – Content creation – Technical Delivery – Logistics & operations

These can be undertaken by the same person or by up to four different people, but those who fill the roles need to be solely responsible, empowered and accountable for their areas.

Tip #3 – Creativity

When you’re holding your creative planning session, think wisely about who you invite into the session to deliver the best result – internal stakeholders, external agency creative head, a facilitator, a note-taker. Clearly communicate your objectives and think broadly about the outcome. What information will you need to share with everyone before the session to give everyone the opportunity to have a think beforehand. Host the session somewhere interesting off-site. Think BIG picture.

Tip #4 – Partner/supplier selection

Your brief will help to determine who your partners/suppliers should be. Many agencies employ a hybrid event model now-a-days and engage a range of suppliers that form part of the project team. From creative, logistics, production,delivery, through to apps, measurement and beyond, your challenge is selecting partners/people you believe you will work well with, have a proven history of delivering and will thus add value to your event.

Tip #5 – Delivery

The event itself is what you’ve all been working towards. Ensure that every internal stakeholder involved in the event on the day are all clear on the vision, the required outcome and fully engage the narrative with plenty of energy and enthusiasm.

Tip #6 – Measurement

However you decide to measure the project, outlining your KPI’s from the outset and selecting your evaluation methods will aid your understanding, learnings and outputs from the project. Data considerations pre, during and post event will all prove effective when assessing the success of the project ready for future recommendations.