4 Event Planning Mistakes to Avoid
The world’s best event idea doesn’t matter if you can’t correctly perform it. Whether in the early planning stages you miss a little detail or neglect to think through on-site logistics, the result is the same.
If you attract people to your event and then disappoint them with the on-site experience, you have an uphill struggle to pull off an event that leaves attendees year after year wanting to come back. Here are five mistakes in event planning, and what you can do to prevent them.
1. You didn’t stick to the budget.
Whether you’re creating a big beer festival or a small arts event, you have a budget that you can’t disregard. Blow your budget on the incorrect thing, and you’re going to stress how to stretch out the last of your money.
It is essential to put together a rough budget. And regularly updating that budget is critical to ensuring you don’t go over. In order to provide a buffer, have a contingency figure in your budget, just in case you need to add something to your last-minute event.
2. You did not secure your permits or finalized your documentation.
As you know, it’s a headache to secure permits. And it’s not helping to require different permits for each city. Whether you need special permission to license alcohol, zoning fire or sell merchandise, nail your permits down as soon as possible. If you don’t, there may be a danger for your entire case.
Also, check that you have finished all the required documentation when securing your permits. Insurance policy and liability can be difficult, so before it is completed, a lawyer must review the documentation.
3. You didn’t build a site map.
You’re juggling thousands of information as an event creator. Miss too many of these details and the attendant experience can be tarnished. You should generate a site map to assist you to nail down that information and generate the greatest on-site experience. Your site map is a map that allows you to view your event. It should include the location of each seller, stage, and toilet, as well as entrances, exits, and facilities such as ATMs and lockers for storage.
Do a walk-through at separate times of the day where the primary attractions will be. Make sure that the walkways and spaces are large enough to accommodate the crowds anticipated. Before they happen, doing this walkthrough can assist avoid on-site mishaps.
4. You didn’t prepare a communication plan.
Your attendants expect soon and frequently to hear from you. Whether you post pre-event data on your FAQ page or send data on a day via social media and email, you need to organize yourself. If you don’t have a communication plan in place, it will be up to your attendants to generate speculation and spread rumors about your case.
By creating canned email and social media messages, you can work forward so that you don’t start with a blank page. You can readily prevent typical event planning errors that sneak up on even experienced event designers with the correct techniques in place.