EVENT MANAGEMENT

TOOL KIT

PLAN, DELIVER & EVALUATE A

SUCCESSFUL EVENT

20 MAY 2015

MID-WESTERN REGIONAL COUNCIL

CORPORATE: EVENTS
CORPORATE: EVENTS  EVENT MANAGEMENT TOOL KIT

1. THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN PREPARED BY ALAYNA GLEESON, EVENT COORDINATOR FOR MID-WESTERN REGIONAL COUNCIL.
2.
3. ANY QUESTIONS IN RELATION TO THE CONTENT OF THIS DOCUMENT SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO:
4. ALAYNA.GLEESON@MIDWESTERN.NSW.GOV.AU OR (02) 6378 2850
5.
6. DATE OF PUBLICATION: ERROR! REFERENCE SOURCE NOT FOUND.

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Table of Contents

1. Event Planning .................................................................................................................4

2. Creating An Event Timeline.............................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

3. Event Promotion...............................................................................................................6

4. Troubleshooter Guide For Event Planning .......................................................................7

5. Event Evaluation ..............................................................................................................8

6. Appendix 1 – Event Planning Checklist Verson 1 .............................................................9

7. Appendix 1 – Event Planning Checklist Verson 2 ........................................................... 11

8. Appendix 2 – Sponsorship Proposal Template ............................................................... 13

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1. Event Planning
Event planning can be highly stressful - or extremely energising. Often it’s both. Planning a successful event takes time, cooperation,
and an eagle eye for detail. Draw up a detailed activity plan, and get started!

Get Help Planning Your Event

Don't try and plan a big event alone. Form an organising committee to develop ideas for your event planning efforts. If that's not
possible, at least recruit colleagues, friends and volunteers to help you.

Activity Plan – Your Event Planning Checklist

Draw up an event activity plan, complete with a ‘to do’ checklist and deadlines, covering every large and small activity that needs to
happen in planning your event. See Appendix 1.

Ask Questions When Planning Your Event

As you’re planning your event and booking venues, hiring caterers and sourcing entertainers, you should be asking yourself a series
of questions that will help you make the right decisions. Consider:

 How will you pay for the event? Do you need funding? Can you seek sponsorship?
 Do you need permits for your event? Contact Mid-Western Regional Council for advice on this
 Do you need permission or licenses to use audio-visual materials?
 Do you need permission to post advertising material – such as posters and banners – in public areas?
 Does your venue need to be accessible to older people or people with a disability? Do you need a sign language or other
language interpreter?

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2. Creating an Event Timeline

An effective event planning timeline will keep everyone on track and ensure you do not miss any important deadlines. A conference
timeline is not just a long to-do list; it is also a schedule of key tasks and dates that are clearly defined and easy to use.

Step 1 – Build a Timeline Template

Set up your conference or event timeline template in a system that is easy to manipulate such as Microsoft Word or Excel, or use
project management software. Whatever system you select, you need to be able to add to the timeline, delete items and insert
updates regularly.

Step 2 – What to Include

If you are the only person managing the event, your timeline may be as simple as a list of key dates or milestones such as deposits
due, mailing dates, meetings and confirmations of catering, venues and accommodation.

If there are others involved in the event production, you may need a more comprehensive list such as tasks to be carried out,
completion dates, who is responsible for each task and supplier contact details.

Step 3: Enter deadlines

Start at the date of your event, and work backwards according to how long each task will take. As early as possible, get deadlines
and due dates from venues and other suppliers, and incorporate them into your timeline. You can base other tasks around these
dates.

Consider highlighting or colour-coding urgent or non-negotiable deadlines in your timeline to make them stand out from the others.

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3. Event Promotion
Events are not just an end in themselves: they are also a great way to build relationships, increase leads and move prospects along
the sales cycle. But to ensure the ongoing success of your events you need to put effort into promoting them well.

Marketing your event

Do not rely on one method of communicating about your event. Use a variety of promotional material and an integrated marketing
approach that includes post, email, telemarketing, websites, social media, advertising, press releases, online calendars and relevant
publications.

Start promoting your event or conference early

Start promoting your event as early as possible. This will allow attendees to get the date/s in to their diary and arrange transport and
accommodation needs if required.

Encourage event delegate and guest participation

Be succinct and to the point, but don’t make the invitation so short that it fails to give enough reasons for guests to attend. Ensure
your audience knows why they should participate. Be sure the promotional copy includes all the registration, cost, date and address
details.

Focus on the benefits of your event

Focus on selling the benefits of attending your event. Include information about what guests will take home in terms of new
knowledge or networking opportunities, or something tangible, such as workbooks, white papers, checklists or certificates of
completion.

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4. Trouble-shooter Guide for Event Planning

Remember, something usually does and probably will go wrong at your event. However, it’s often only the event organiser who
knows about the problem. Keep a running sheet handy and try to stay one or two steps ahead of the schedule. And most
importantly, don’t drink too much Mudgee wine!

Prepare for your event - checklist everything

A week before your event, recheck everything, from attendees to suppliers. Make notes of things that could possibly go wrong, and
develop a contingency plan.

Arrive early at your conference or event

Arrange for all your event organiser team-members to arrive early. This will buy you some extra time if changes need to be
communicated. Arrange a meeting room in which you can brief the team.

Post clear signs for event guests and suppliers

Hang up visible signs for event guests, team-members and suppliers. Ensure there are signs everywhere people go, from bus stops
and parking areas to the location itself.

Write a list to minimise event problems

Write up a contact list of everyone involved in the event, and hand it out to your event team. This includes team-members, vendors,
suppliers, the venue-staff members, and speakers. Include everybody you may need to speak with during the event.

Keep in contact with your event team and venue staff

If possible, use a CB radio system to stay in touch with venue staff and your team-members. This gives you immediate access to
help when you need it. If that’s not possible use the mobile phone list above.

Stay calm when problems arise

If there’s a positive and relaxed atmosphere at an event, smaller mistakes tend to go unnoticed. If things do go wrong, try not to
panic. You won’t help anyone if you try to solve problems while you’re emotionally strung-out. Before making a major decision to
rectify a problem, share it with the onsite manager, to gain a fresh perspective on your solution.

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5. Event Evaluation
Evaluation is an important part of running an event or conference, and you shouldn’t skip it just because you’re
exhausted. Evaluating your event helps you (and future event-planners) learn from your experiences. It’s also the time to finalise
guest communications and count the profit.

Step 1: Request feedback - conference or event surveys

Wherever possible, ask guests who attended your event to provide feedback. To gather this data, prepare a short survey. Ask the
survey questions either at the end of the event, or send an invitation to guests asking them to participate in the survey. Combine this
with event photos on your website to increase responses.

Step 2: Meet with your team post-event

About a week after the event, schedule a meeting with your event team. Discuss what went well, and where there was room for
improvement. Write up notes from this meeting or put together a post-event evaluation form so that you – or your successor – have
a good guide for the next event.

Step 3: Thank conference and event guests

It’s a good idea to thank all the guests and participants in your event. Write letters or emails to all the guests thanking them for
attending. Write to all the speakers, entertainers and venues thanking them for their contribution: this will create a good lasting
impression, and ease matters if you wish to use them again.

Step 4: Tell the media about your event

Write a media release and let the media know what happened at your event. Now that your event has actually happened, you’ll have
more to say (and photographs), which will make it more likely for them to pick the story up. This is invaluable exposure to help make
your event a success next time, and to promote your company.

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6. Appendix 1 – Event Planning Checklist Version 1

Not all items may apply to your event but could be worth considering.

EVENT
DATE
TIME
LOCATION
TASK WHO DATE DONE
Planning
Set up planning team
Decide on event theme
Write Budget
Prepare written strategy (who, what, why, when and how?)
Plan evaluation strategy
Guest Speakers
Confirm MC
Confirm guest speaker
Brief Speakers
Provide Speech notes – if required
Provide copy of running order
Invitations
Finalise invitation design
Prepare Guest list
Organise RSVP arrangements
Print Invitations
Mail Out or Email out invitations
Finalise guest list and numbers
Prepare name tags- if required
Venue
Choose and book venue
Organise Catering
Confirm menu (and service times)
Finalise table layouts
Prepare seating arrangement
Organise table for registration
Confirm VIP car parking
Organise water for guest speakers
Book photographer/ videographer
Check toilet facilities
Organise power to site
Determine car parking facilities for other guests
Media
Write media release
Prepare media kit
Send media release for approval – if required
Send press release to local paper and arrange photo and interview time
Prizes and Donations
Prepare letter to send to potential sponsors
Allocate team to follow up
Collect prizes
Record business and individuals who make financial or in-kind
contributions
Prepare Auction or raffle procedures
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Allocate staff duties at event

Record names of all sponsors and donors
Signage
Prepare stage display
Organise lectern sign
Prepare foyer display
Arrange other display material
Finalise directional signage
Create street signage
At Event
Prepare running sheet
Prepare contact list of all relevant stakeholders
Distribute running sheet to organizing team, guest speakers, venue
manager and caterer
Prepare Biography of guest speakers and provide to MC
Allocate roles and responsibilities for team:
Registration table
Auction items
Display area
Meet and Greet
Collecting Money
VIP meet and greet
Allocate seating for VIP and guest speakers
Acknowledge Sponsors
Information Materials
Organise table numbers
Print place cards
Organise table display or information
Finalise show bags or other giveaway materials
Follow up
Prepare thank you letter- guest speakers, VIP, Sponsors and venue
Send thank you letters

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7. Appendix 1 – Event Planning Checklist Version 2

EVENT:
DATE: TIME:
LOCATION:
TASK WHO DATE DONE
Pre –Event site Preparation
Seek availability of venue and confirm booking
Seek necessary approval from other regulatory authorities for special licenses and approvals.
Example: Liquor license, Public liability Insurance.
Identify the facilities available: Toilets, Change rooms, running water, bins, seating, BBQ's,
electricity. Etc
Select a main contact or leading person to oversee all event operations and final decision
making.
Site Layout and Control
Create a site layout map outlining all activities to be held on the day.
Outline access points and confirm entry of vehicles on site with property management.
Outline Emergency Exit points
Provide a layout for all equipment and structures
Sponsorship
Develop a sponsorship proposal
Develop a sponsorship agreement
Carry out agreement and fulfill all sponsorship recognition
Budget Control
Develop a budget
Monitor and maintain budget
Committee Meeting
Seek expressions of interest from the community
Minute taking and distribution
Publicity and Media
Develop Media Plan
Develop Promotional Material: DL's, posters, banners, signage, flyers etc.
Executive Protocol
Event Brief
Speeches
VIP and Dignitary Invitations
Business / Town Centre and Community Liaison
Notification to surrounding businesses affected by event. Consider: Delivery and collection of
goods and services
Notification to surrounding residents
Traffic Management
Develop Traffic plan: Consider: barricades, signage, parking, maps. Notify residents and
businesses.
Seek approval from RTA for road closures
TASK WHO DATE DONE
Identify traffic coordination and controllers on the day
Provide public notification in the newspapers.
Provide signage to inform commuters of changing traffic conditions.
Event Documentation
Event brief
Contact lists
Set up Schedule
Incident Reports

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Provide release permission form for photography

Event Production
Equipment Hire and staging coordination
Audio and power coordination
Provide adequate signage at your event. Such as: Parking, first aid, entrances, exits, toilets,
reserved, evacuation area, no access, lost children, program.
Entertainment
Research and book entertainment
Compile performance & stage requirements and liaise with production supplier.
Seek approval for an APRA license (Australian Performing Right Association) for live or pre
recorded music at your event.
Identify performer requirements before confirming the booking, consider appropriate facilities in
which your performer/s need to change their clothes or do their make-up.
Risk Management
Pre-event risk identification - ensure any hazards are fixed or taped off to commuters on event
day.
Security - obtain quote & book
OH & S and risk management plan
Establish crowd control measures throughout event.
Book first aid and emergency services
Notify local Emergency Services
Environmental Compliance liaison - event day
Provide Insurance to cover your event. Example: Public Liability insurance.
Waste Management
Develop waste management plan: Bins, amenities operational, adequate rolls of paper, litter
and waste collection
Volunteer Coordination
Seek expression of interest from the community and volunteer organizations
Volunteer liaison and registration
Compile tasks and duties and brief volunteers prior to event.
Event Evaluation
Conduct a visitor survey
Conduct a debrief post event with key people involved in running the event
Evaluate your success against the objectives you set. Use these towards your planning process
for your next event.

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8. Appendix 2 – Sponsorship Proposal Template

Overview of the club offering or One or two sentences describing the sponsorship deal.
event

Background of the club Information on the organisation and its history

Details about the event or the Dates, times and location

club offering Demographics – how many people will attend the event? where are they from? how old
are they?
Who will manage the sponsorship?
Current and past sponsors.
Sponsor benefits How will the event or offering help improve the sponsor's bottom line? Possible headings
include:
Media coverage – television, radio, press, signage
Networking opportunities
Enhancement of sponsor’s image
Client entertainment.
Sponsor investment Cost or description of goods and/or services

Brief background on the rights Mission statement

holder Experience
Long term goals – these are based on your club’s strategic business plan.
Evaluation How will you measure the success of the event and delivery of promised benefits?

Other considerations
Make the length of the document proportional to the value of the sponsorship. Try to keep
it under 10 pages
Ensure headings are clear
Don’t include any items you might want returned ( e.g. photos, videotapes, certificates)
Images are well worthwhile to include
Use statistical information - helps the reader identify cost benefit and demographic fit in
relation to their own target audiences.

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