At Eaton Event Hire we want to help make event planning less intimidating. We are an events business based in Leicester but do events globally. Turning our clients' dreams into a reality is our passion, we hope you can share that passion with us.
Here are ten things we think are most important in the event planning process.
Create a Timeline/List
The first and most important tip we can give you is to create a checklist. Whether that's for the timeline of the day, list of vendors you need to contact, venues you need to see or anything else. Lists make everything easier. Every time you think of something you need to do, add it to the list. This way, you can see exactly everything left to do, but also everything you have done. Not only is that very encouraging when you feel like you're running out of time, but it also helps make sure you don't double book any vendors, forget to invite people or miss a meeting with clients.
Have a Good Team
Event planning can be very stressful, so make sure you have a supportive team that you can trust and rely on. Having people that you actually get on with and can work well with is very important in event planning. Because event planning can be a little chaotic and sometimes working unusual hours, having a support network that understands can be the make or break in this industry.
Stick to the Budget
Make a budget and then stick to it! We cannot emphasise this enough, the budget is there for a reason. Clients expect you to be able to stick to the budget they have given you. This is because part of what the clients are paying you for is your expertise in negotiation and arranging friendly prices with vendors. Depending on your contract, you are most likely going to be the one who is paying the money over budget.
Don't Take Risks on the Venue
If you are unsure about a venue, whether that be because it's outside and the weather looks like rain, or a hotel and they have another event happening the same day or that they can only just fit all the guests, don't go with it. The venue needs to be perfect. Everything that the people will remember about the event happens in the venue. So if the venue is bad, no matter how perfect everything else is, it will leave a sour taste in their mouths.
Begin Early
The earlier you start planning the better. The more time you have, the more time there is to make changes. You will never be able to get everything perfect the first time around, so you need to factor in time to change things. Also the further in advance you book things, the more likely they are to all be available and possibly cheaper. If you start planning early and everything goes smoothly, you can then relax and focus on the smaller details or any extras that your clients would want.
Delegate Responsibilities
Sometimes trusting people with things that you know you could do, and possibly do better, is difficult. But if you have taken on our advice and have a good team around you, then this step becomes much easier. If you can delegate some of the smaller aspects to your team or some of the vendors/companies you are working with, it will give you more time to focus on the most important stuff.
Remain Flexible
Event planning is unpredictable. With many people to plan around, and constantly changing expectations, remaining flexible is very important. You need to make plans, that is what being an event planner is, but you also need to be able to understand that your client might change their mind on things and that vendors might drop out at the last minute. Lots of different pieces need to slot together perfectly to create your event: sometimes you just need to accept that one or two pieces are going to change throughout the whole process and concentrate on the whole.
Have a Specific Goal
Make sure you understand your clients' wants and needs. A baby shower, wedding, business event or birthday, all require completely different things and different skills. You need to have a detailed discussion with the client about the main goal of the event, you can expect some small changes but the overall goal will stay the same. Having a specific goal will help you envision the event and help others to understand your vision.
Communication
We can not stress enough about how important communication is. No matter how small the detail, you need to be communicating about everything. With your client, your team, vendors and anyone else related to the event. With good communication comes smooth planning and in turn an amazing event. Talking about every single thing, whilst it might sound tedious, is one of the most important things to help an event go smoothly. You also need to make sure that the client feels comfortable communicating with you, make sure they know they can come to you to discuss anything and make any changes. Yes, it may be a little frustrating to have to change something last minute but you are doing this for your client and if they have a perfect event they are more likely to use you again or recommend you to friends and family.
Learn Marketing
This one is a little different to all the others on the list, this is not so much about the actual event or clients etc. This is about how to gain clients and, if it is a business event, how to get attendees. Online marketing is the key to spreading the word in the 21st century. Most people get all their news and adverts online. You want to understand your target market and promote to them what you can offer them that others can't. Marketing is also used as not only a way to promote but also to learn. If you are constantly online promoting and using social media to get your business out there, then you will also see what others are doing. Using social media to market is a great way to find people and is also a great way to stay connected with your clients. It can also be used as a way to connect with other professionals and build good working relationships with them.
