words Al Woods
Some people have the knack for hosting events and some struggle. The reason is that hosting an event, and a successful one at that, is an incredibly tough gig. There is so much you need to plan for and even more that you need to be ready to handle at a moment’s notice.
Being a good event planner means having certain sets of skills that allow them to adapt on the fly, but a lot of it has to do with the preparation as well. Here are some of the ways that you can learn to be a better planner to make your event successful.
1. Improve Your Socialization Skills
The biggest skill you need when hosting an event is good socialization skills. People tend to gravitate towards those with high charisma, and as an event host, this can be your greatest asset. Meeting and greeting each person individually, working the room, and checking up on guests to see how they are doing goes a long, long way in how well you and the event are received. Be outgoing, be witty, tell some jokes, prepare a speech, and keep yourself occupied but alert and your event will flourish.
2. Never Forget the Entertainment
An event without entertainment can be an awkward affair. The chatter will fill the room for the most part, but people will notice when there is no filler or background noise to make the place feel lively. The best choices are hiring a band or DJ for your event; they provide music and give guests entertainment value for a dance floor. No matter how big or small an event is, entertainment is key and music is one of the must-haves for a great time.
3. Choose the Right Venue
You are going to need a place to host your event so you need to figure out a venue well-ahead of schedule. Picking the right venue comes down to a few key areas of focus and they are the size of the guest list, the event in question, cost, and aesthetic value.
If you have a large guest list and the event is huge with 50+ people, a public hall can work, or a public convention-style center floor. The event matters too, you want it to reflect the values of you or your group and what you are hosting so a fundraiser for cancer research can be held in a formal setting or somewhere relevant like a hospital event pace. Cost is an obvious one as you need to plan the budget so you keep it reasonable for your expectations plus return on investment (if you are selling tickets/cash bar) and lastly it needs to look good as well, which ties back into finding a relevant venue to the event so it matches the theme along with the decoration and design. Do they have in-house sound and lights or do you need to hire in? With decades of expertise in corporate convention and staging events, GSE AV is a trusted supplier of AV equipment.
4. Be Prepared for Mishaps
What a good event planner must be ready for is an unforeseen issue. This sounds paradoxical but being ready to fix problems on the fly will improve the chances of the success of an event tenfold. If a microphone or sound system goes out then have one on standby, if a guest is getting unruly from intoxication then have someone be able to escort them out in a calm fashion and if there are guests with particular food needs then accommodate the menu for them. There is so much that can go right that people forget how much can go wrong with an event so planning for these issues will save you from embarrassment.
5. Add Incentives for Guests
The exclusivity of an event, along with incentives like prizes, can make an event more successful because it draws in a better crowd. Giving people something they want is a simple but effective way to get them in the door. The fewer people that can come, the more intriguing it is, but sometimes a good old fashion ticket raffle to win a spa retreat or a new TV can do the trick.
6. Market the Event Properly
You also need to make sure that people know about your event. Big or small, getting the word out is key. You can market on social media, which is mostly free, or pay for ad space in a local paper/radio station. Just like getting the word out, you need the marketing material to be professionally recorded to sound legitimate, and you need the graphics of posters or online videos/posts to look well done as well.
7. Make Your Event Safe
Security can make or break the success of your event, so it is critical to make your event as safe as possible for the best results. For starters, you can invest in an event security management software to ensure efficient security measures. Additionally, be vigilant about access control to restrict attendance and determine who can enter private, staff only, or VIP areas. Video surveillance equipment like CCTV cameras can also help you monitor large areas, making them a cost-effective security solution worth your investment. Finally, hire static and mobile security teams to keep intruders away, prevent crime, and control the crowd.
Hosting a successful event is exhausting, difficult, and takes plenty of skill but it is all worth it in the end to hear rave reviews from guests. If you want to hear those same words of encouragement, then use those tips provided to help you make your next event a successful one.
