Event Planning & Promotion PDF

EVENT PLANNING AND PROMOTION 1 Week 3 – Event Planning Process II Program and Theme Development LEARNING OBJECTIVES On completion of this lecture, you will be able to: ¢ Examine the stages of planning process for events: — — — — — — Stage 4: Event objectives and detailed aims Stage 5: Draft outl...

EVENT PLANNING AND PROMOTION 1 Week 3 – Event Planning Process II Program and Theme Development LEARNING OBJECTIVES On completion of this lecture, you will be able to: ¢ Examine the stages of planning process for events: — — — — — — Stage 4: Event objectives and detailed aims Stage 5: Draft outline plan Stage 6: Systematic detailed planning Stage 7: Organizing and preparing the event Stage 8: Implementing the event Stage 9: Divestment/ Legacy Visualise the whole event: mental walk-through ¢ Prepare an event proposal ¢ 2 Step 1 Purpose Step 4 Step 2 Event concept & design Step 3 Event Feasibility Step 5 Step 6 Diagram: The planning process for event management Step 7 Step 8 Step 9 3 Shone, A. & Parry, B. (2004). Successful Event Management: A Practical Handbook, (2nd Ed), Thomson. STAGE 4: EVENT AIMS AND SMART OBJECTIVES ¢ ¢ ¢ After feasibility study, focus on a single event concept and start to plan What is the event intended to do? Aims of an event provide the foundation for the planning process 4 THINK ABOUT A CASE ¢ Aims of the event: — — — ¢ To recognize key staff To present awards To reinforce success Implementation of the event: — “A banquet for 200 people with a celebrity entertainer” Is there any problem for the above case?_______ — Aims of the event are ____________ during implementation phase. ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ — 5 EVENT SMART OBJECTIVES ¢ The aims are used to develop detailed, measurable and specific objectives — SMART objectives: ¢ Specific: so that we know what is going to be achieved ¢ Measurable: so that we know how success will be judged ¢ Achievable: so that it is challenging but not impossible ¢ Results oriented: so that we know what the result will be ¢ Time oriented: so that we have target date(s) 6 ARE THESE SMART OBJECTS OF AN EVENT?? “….to increase the size of the event audience from 12000 in 2023 to 13000 in 2024” ¢ “…to attract 1400 international visitors to 2024 festival, bringing the percentage to 12.4 per cent of the total audience” ¢ “…to increase tourist visitor nights from 3.5 to 4.2 nights” ¢ “…to attract a new major sponsor with naming rights for a 50 year contract 2023” ¢ 7 OBJECTIVES ARE USUALLY EVALUATED BY MEASURES LIKE: ¢ Size of audience Demographics (e.g. age, country, place of origin, etc.) of audience ¢ Average expenditure of audience ¢ Sponsor recognition levels ¢ Sales of sponsor products ¢ Economic impact of event ¢ Profit ¢ 8 STAGE 5 DRAFT AN OUTLINE PLAN To brainstorm around the event idea ¢ To record all initial ideas, thoughts and concepts ¢ ¢ ü Available dates ü Any clash with other events ü Suitable items ü Identify potential problems ü Potential venues ü Sources of staff Heading should cover six key issues to give it some structure and form — 5W1H 9 SUGGESTED 6 KEY ISSUES TO BE COVERED IN THE DRAFT OUTLINE PLAN WHY the event is being undertaken? ¢ WHO will be involved in the process and the event (and who may not)? ¢ WHAT will take place and WHAT information or research is needed to make decisions? ¢ HOW will it be done? ¢ WHERE will it happen (including the main location and any additional location needs)? ¢ WHEN will it take place (including dates and expected outline times)? ¢ 10 STAGE 6 SYSTEMATIC DETAILED PLANNING ¢ Re-organize the draft outline plan to give a proper structure! — — — A) Demand and operational planning B) Financial planning C) Marketing planning 11 DEMAND RELATED PLANNING How many people are coming or will be invited to come? ¢ Will all of them turn up? ¢ Who are your potential and targeted audience? ¢ What are their needs? (e.g. time of the event vs. family gathering time è good date or time for an event?) ¢ 12 HOW TO ASSESS THE POTENTIAL NUMBER OF ATTENDEES? ¢ Difficult especially when no similar event has been run before — — — Assess it by your personal experience; By Checking research, formal surveys, questionnaires, or “talk to the locals” See if there are other competitive events or big film/show on TV on the same date and time. 13 PROGRAM DESIGN ¢ ¢ What to do in your event? meeting? numerous entertainment? Exhibits? Pyrotechnics? Dining? Dancing? Presentation? As an event planner, you should select the right activities and content that would meet the needs and desires of the audiences. 14 Activities can be Activities can include Ceremonies Parades Concerts Presentations Dancing Rides Discussion Shopping Drinking Shows Eating Speeches Exhibits Sports Games Thrills Training Tours Spectator or Participatory Passive Interactive or Decorative Educational Inspirational or recreational 15 ACTIVITY AND CONTENT SELECTION ¢ Type 1- Spectator/ Participatory activity — Shows/ performers/ activity — Consider the profile of the audience for The content of the show ¢ The activity that requires the audience for participation ¢ E.g. Older audience might not enjoy street dance performance ¢ 16 ACTIVITY AND CONTENT SELECTION (CONT’) ¢ Type 2 - Passive/ interactive/ decorative activities — — Activities, entertainment and attractions maybe passive, interactive or purely decorative in nature. They should provide or enhance the atmosphere or the theme of the event 17 ACTIVITY AND CONTENT SELECTION (CONT’) ¢ Type 3 - Educational and inspirational activities — — — Most business events have educational and inspirational activities together E.g. Conferences with exhibition or educational sessions followed by a dinner with entertainment When developing the educational content, the event planner should: Select appropriate topics, formats and presenters that will achieve the educational objectives ¢ The speakers and presenters should be selected according to the content scope and topic requirements. ¢ 18 ACTIVITY AND CONTENT SELECTION (CONT’) ¢ Type 4 – Recreational activities — — Most events are purely recreational and they might cause problems on its own depending on its type Ceremonies: The problem has to follow a straight protocol e.g. Flag raising followed by drum… — Parade: The program has to be carefully planned because there are considerations with floats, marching bands, groups…The venue’s size and audience population might affect the parade’s pace 19 DESIGNING THE EVENT: PROGRAM DESIGN Theme Décor Layout Suppliers Technical Requirements Staging Entertainment Talent Catering 20 1. THEME ¢ Ideally appeal to all five senses: — ¢ Touch, Smell, Taste, See and Hear Cater to the various needs of the audience: — — — What music will be played? Taste in Music? Desirable sound level? 21 2. DÉCOR To create the ambience and mood of the event theme , fabrics, decorative items(e.g. Flowers, balloons stage props, drapes and table settings are needed and can be hired) ¢ But, how far do you really need them for your event theme? (Cost implications) ¢ Floral arrangement need to be ordered from florists experienced in larger events ¢ ¢ A theme can be reinforced through such creative elements e.g. colour, landscape and/or location, sound, lighting , special effects like pyrotechnics displays 3. LAYOUT Do the event attendees feel socially comfortable? If not, why? Too much open space? Too much light? Or limited opportunity (no time) for people to mix and chat? ¢ The audience needs to comfortably fill the venue to create a positive ambience ¢ 25 DIFFERENT TABLES AND SEATING LAYOUTS FOR DIFFERENT EVENTS WITH DIFFERENT PURPOSES Theatre U-shape Classroom Boardroom Banquet 26 4. SUPPLIERS ¢ ¢ Develop good relationships with suppliers of all commodities è provide quality products Sign contracts with suppliers earlier to guarantee a large quantity supply of quality products 5. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS ¢ Possible technical problems — ¢ e.g. laptop and screen connection problems; stages and screens are visible to all audience? Backup system of equipment (e.g. microphone)? Power supply? ¢ Choose good technical contractors with experience è Test thoroughly through many rehearsals before using the equipment ¢ 28 6. STAGING Staging rentals – staging contractors have specialist skills (e.g. logistics and installation) ¢ What kind of events need a stage set-up? ¢ ü Product launches ü Award presentations ü Road shows ü Media launches ü Fashion shows ü Concerts ü Exhibition stands ü Gala dinners ü Conferences ü Parties 29 7. ENTERTAINMENT ¢ Is it a must-have in every event? If not, why? Depend on … — ¢ Purpose of the event Consider the needs of the event audience — e.g. balloon art 8. TALENT When the talent is the focal point for an event, management of the talent is exceptionally important! ¢ Why? Meet their essential needs and personal preferences for hotel rooms and unique foods ¢ Esp. if there are staging needs for which equipment is specialized and perhaps not readily available ¢ Musical Performers Dancers Conference Speakers Athletes 31 9. CATERING ¢ Time management: Food are cooler Vegetarian? Religious needs? Usual Problems: — — — Poor food quality and few choices for selection Price: expensive Long queue for delays in service delivery è Any new ideas for event catering? Mobile drink carts Cook on the spot by Chef? License concerns! Unique or unusual food and beverage products 32 ¢ Stage 7 ¢ Stage 8 ¢ Stage 9 Organizing and preparing the event (Lecture 4) Implementing the event (Semester 2: EIO – operations, control and action) Divestment / Legacy (closedown: evaluation: use the SMART objectives! feedback; recording; handover) 33 B. VISUALIZE THE WHOLE EVENT: “MENTAL” WALK THROUGH A very important step-by-step process that walks you through your event (in your mind only!) ¢ To allow you to see areas that could pose potential problems in advance ¢ Address these areas in the planning stages, esp. if these affect your budget! ¢ Try to envision your event from beginning to end. ¢ 34 CONCLUSION: EVENT PLANNING PROCESS ¢ ¢ ¢ Most of the time, event planners spend in planning, but NOT in execution phase Things can go bad in an instant in the event environment, but good planning can prevent this from happening Role of event manager: ensure that procedures are correctly implemented, with minimal incidents and satisfied clients. 35 C. PREPARE AN EVENT PROPOSAL Ø Event Concept Ø Operational Planning Ø Event Feasibility Ø Event Promotion Ø Approvals and Consultation Ø Event Staging Ø Marketing Ø Staffing Ø Sponsorship and other forms of Income Ø Safety and Security Ø Financial Management Ø Spectator Management Ø Risk Management Ø Event Evaluation 36 Proper SUMMARY The whole event planning process ¢ Structure of an event proposal ¢ Planning Promotes Perfect Performance 37 ¢ References — Shone, A. & Parry, B. (2019). Successful Event Management: A Practical Handbook, (5th Ed), Cengage. — Lynn, V.W. (2018). Event Management: for Tourism, Cultural, Business and Sporting Events, Cengage. 38 SUPP A: POSSIBLE AIMS OF EVENT ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ Improve community attitudes to health and fitness through participation in sporting activities Increase civic pride Raise funds for a charitable cause Increases tourist numbers to a specific destination Extend the tourist season Provide entertainment ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ Build team loyalty Raise the profile of the town or city Celebrate an historical event Enhance the reputation of a convention venue Increase product sales Acknowledge award winners Produce media coverage 39