The recipe for a great event!
24th April 2023 by Philippa Probert
The sunny spring days we’ve had recently are giving us glimpses into the fast-approaching summer months, and with that comes lots of outdoor event planning for our clients here at Active PR.
We’re asked to arrange events for a whole host of reasons; show home openings, development launches, community celebrations, company milestones and charity events, so I think it’s safe to say we have become event experts over the years. But what’s the perfect recipe for a successful event?
- Identify the audience
Knowing exactly who will be at the event may sound like an obvious one but we have attended events in the past where the audience hasn’t been catered for properly. And we don’t even just mean with food options! Development launches or show home openings tend to attract families so make sure that there is something there to entertain the kids. Face painters, balloon modellers, craft activities are all bound to be a hit with younger visitors. We find that having some sort of competition on the day too works well. You could ask guests to share photos of themselves in the show homes on social media or share a photo of their favourite part of their day with a hashtag. It’s great to be able to look back at photos that have been shared by people who had a great time at your event.
- Have a back-up plan
If planning an event runs smoothly, you are winning! But a hiccup or two is common, which is why it’s always good to have a back-up plan. That could be having another supplier lined up to contact if you’re let down on the day by the booked supplier. Or having indoor options as well as outdoor options just in case the weather takes a turn for the worse!
- Check, check and check again
Once you’ve booked your suppliers and confirmed everything, check all the details again. Check the date and timing is correct. Check the venue address is listed correctly. Check the number of items ordered (such as the number of cupcakes isn’t 5 instead of 50!). You don’t want to discover something has gone wrong on the day and it ends up being down to a small mistake that could have been easily rectified if you’d checked beforehand.
- Ask for feedback
After the event, we always like to ask for some feedback from our clients and suppliers to see if anything might work better next time. It also allows us to manage client expectations and be even more prepared for organising a similar event in the future.
If you have an event that needs planning and want seasoned professionals to take charge, get in touch today!
