The First Step in Planning a Successful Event

I'm not a professional Event Planner. In fact, it's something I find a little intimidating. But it's been a part of every job I've ever had. And I've consistently heard the same thing from other Executive and Administrative Assistants.

Why? Well, most companies only hold one or two events per year so having a full-time Event Planner on staff just isn't realistic. Also, people often don't think about how involved and time consuming the process can be, especially for a non-pro. So, it seems that the job of event planner typically falls on the Administrative staff.

In my experience, the process can be overwhelming. One of the most important lessons I've learned is that there is a critical "first step" that is often forgotten. The first time I ever planned an event, I jumped right in - I started making lists, creating agendas, contacting people, and researching the dozens of questions I had. The most important question however, had been completely overlooked.

The question: What is the point??

That's right. When planning an event, the most critical first step is to ask, "Why are we putting on this event?" You need to know exactly what it is your company wants to accomplish. Do they want to build brand awareness, find new clients, or show appreciation to existing ones? Do they want to educate or entertain? What is the overall purpose of the event?

Sit down and make sure that the goals are agreed upon by everyone involved in the event. The goals should also be very specific. Here are a few examples:

• The seminar will introduce our brand to 50 new people in our target market
• The client appreciation event will promote brand loyalty and we will receive 10 new client referrals as a direct result
• The conference will educate our sales team on new products and incentive programs. It will motivate them to meet their goals and instill company loyalty, reducing employee turnover by 10% this year
• The staff retreat will provide time for brainstorming and realignment of company vision

Having a clearly defined goal will help keep you focused throughout the process. Every decision should be made based on how it helps you achieve the stated goal.

It's a pretty simple first step, but don't make the mistake of dismissing it. You'll have plenty of work to do. Take a few minutes to determine the "why" and then worry about the "how". It will make an enormous difference.