Event Management

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Event Management

• Australian Meals on Wheels Conference 2005

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Program

• Introduction
• Background
• Planning the Event
• Marketing the Event
• Evaluating and Wrapping up the Event
• Questions

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Introduction

• Your Presenter
• Sue Corlette
• Experience in coordinating events for Royal
  Blind Society NSW and Dalai Lama Tour 2002,
  National MOW Day
• Teacher Events Management and Public Relations
  TAFE NSW
• Media and Communications Officer NSW Meals on
  Wheels Association

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Background

• Current Event Environment
• What is an Event?
• What is Event Management?
• Why do we Need Events?
• What are the Characteristics of Successful and
  Unsuccessful Events?

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Current Event Environment

• Huge growth in events since early 1990s
• Increased consumer choice and expectations

• Unprecedented interest on international level
• Image of a product, destination or service
  enhanced or damaged by success or failure

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What is an Event?

• A special event is that which is different from
  a normal day of living. Robert Jani 1955
• The defining characteristic is its transience.
  Gilbert an Lizotte 1998
• Public relations and events are inseparable.
  Prof. Carol Hills

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What is an Event?

• Meetings e.g. Volunteer Consultation
• Conferences - e.g. AMOWA NC
• Special Events e.g. Christmas Party, National
  Meals on Wheels Day, Volunteer Week
• Corporate Events e.g. Award Dinner
• Fundraisers e.g. Trivia nights

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What is Event Management?

• Managing the event and The passion for helping
  people celebrate. Yeoman et al 2004

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Why do we Need Events?

• Macro View
• Tourism
• Community
• Political
• Entrepreneurial
• Cultural

• Micro View
• Promote and raise awareness about an issue
  product or serviceand more..

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Why do we Need Events?

• Volunteer Consultation to gain compliance
• Conference to share information and educate, to
  network
• Special Events (National Meals on Wheels Day,
  Xmas Party) to raise awareness and attract more
  volunteers to acknowledge individual and
  collective contributions
• Award Dinner to encourage best practice
• Fundraisers to raise funds

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What are the Characteristics of Successful and
Unsuccessful Events?

• The level of quality service received relates to
  the enjoyment of the experience

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What are the Characteristics of Successful
Events?(Rob Tong 1999)

• Preparation of a business and marketing plan
• Effective promotion
• Preparation of a sponsorship plan and a
  professional approach to gaining sponsorship
• Good sponsor support and credibility in the eyes
  of the sponsor
• Adequate and enthusiastic volunteer resources
• Attention to detail
• Regular review of risk management issues
• Constant monitoring of progress in the action
  plan, and of the event itself
• Comprehensive post event evaluation
• Comprehensive, regular and post event feedback to
  sponsors
• Effective communication between stakeholder
  organisations throughout the entire project

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What are the Characteristics of Successful
Events?(Rob Tong 1999)

• Full commitment by all members of the organising
  body
• Clear objectives and priorities
• Strong leadership, An efficient event committee,
  Effective sub committees with clearly defined
  responsibilities
• Adequate event planning time
• A detailed week by week or month my month plan of
  action setting time targets and responsibilities
• Adherence to target deadlines for each task
• Adequate budget and financial control
• Paid secretarial assistance (full time or part
  time for large events)
• Market research and identification of target
  markets

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What are the Characteristics of Unsuccessful
Events?(Rob Tong 1999)

• Failure to allow sufficient planning time
• Inadequate planning
• Problems with the organising committee (power
  struggles, infighting, lack of skills)
• Inadequate market research
• Clashing of event dates
• An ad-hoc approach to marketing
• Lack of sponsorship plan
• Inadequate budget or poor financial control
• Failure to meet spectator and/or competitor
  expectations
• Failure to make adequate provision for inclement
  weather conditions

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Planning the Event

• Determine Feasibility
• Determine the Aim
• Conduct Research
• Draw up a preliminary budget
• Choose Your People
• Make Operational Decisions

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Planning the Event

• 1. Determine Feasibility
• Can you afford this event?
• Do you have adequate time to prepare for this
  event?
• Are there any other conflicting events?
• Do you have the manpower to assist you?

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Planning the Event

• 2. Determine the Aim
• Aims should include outcomes, and outputs
  (measureable)
• Output minimum attendance of 90 guests
• Outcome 20 new volunteers, 10 new clients

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Planning the Event

• 3. Conduct Research
• Are there any possible sponsors or government
  grants that may assist your event?
• Who are your stakeholders?
• Who will your target audiences be?

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Planning the Event

• 4. Draw up a preliminary budget
• How much will food, drinks, invitations,
  entertainment, postage, décor, venue and
  insurance cost?
• Add 10 for contingencies

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Planning the Event

• 5. Choose Your People
• Volunteers are great, make sure you have a mix of
  all the skills you may need
• Administration mailing and data base,
  correspondence
• photography
• Meet and greet, crowd control
• Cooking and serving
• Budget control
• Bump in and bump out
• Sponsorship management

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Planning the Event

• 6. Make Operational Decisions
• Venue
• Food, drinks
• Invitation
• Décor
• Entertainment
• AV and Lighting
• Legal Contracts, Permits, Licences, trademark,
  copy write
• Correspondence and record keeping
• Timelines/Gant Charts/Critical Path/Run
  Sheets/bumping in/bumping out
• Contingencies
• Special Effects (dry ice, fire works, balloons,
  sound)
• Registration and seating plans

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Marketing the Event

• Use marketing and public
• relations to get your event well
• known, well attended and well
• regarded
• Control your Image
• Use online and offline communications effectively
  
• Generate media coverage

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Marketing the Event

• Control your Image
• Controlling your image is about how your
  organisation looks and behaves
• Keep the look of your flyers and invitations
  consistent with other communications material
• Use plain English
• Ensure telephone and email responses are prompt
  and courteous

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Marketing the Event

• 2. Use online and offline communications
  effectively
• If your organisation has a website, make sure it
  has all the latest information about your event
• Make sure every communication contains the same
  words and details

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Marketing the Event

• 3. Generate media coverage
• Ring your local paper and ask them if they are
  interested in covering the event
• Often Councils are happy to include advance
  notice of events in their Mayoral Columns in the
  local paper

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Evaluating and Wrapping up the Event

• Seeking, monitoring and recording feedback
• Thankyou letters
• Invoice reconciliation

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Evaluating and Wrapping up the Event

• 1. Seeking, monitoring and recording feedback
• Evaluate your event in line with your aims
• Did you get attendance, volunteers and clients
  signing up?
• Anecdotal feedback is just as important
• Did everyone have a good time?
• Were complaints attended to in a timely manner?
• Are your sponsors satisfied with the outcomes?

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Evaluating and Wrapping up the Event

• 2. Thankyou letters
• Genuine gestures build stronger professional
  relationships
• Think beyond what is in it for you to what the
  other party did to make it great for you!

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Evaluating and Wrapping up the Event

• 3. Invoice reconciliation
• Prompt settlement of bills results in less
  confusion and the guarantee of good service the
  next time

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Evaluating and Wrapping up the Event

• Thank you!
• Q uestions are welcome