Successfull Event Activation:

Stage 1 - Implementation of the Planning Process

There’s no exact science when it comes to planning and executing a successful event. And there is no luck involved either!

What is required, is a logical, client-relevant, and serious (eventing is a responsibility that needs to be taken very seriously) approach. In almost all cases, the process of event management follows the four broad stages of 1. Conceptualisation; 2. Implementation of the Planning Process; 3. Execution of the actual Event; and 4. Evaluation and Reporting.

We’ll be taking a look at each of these four stages in a little more detail, starting here at the beginning – where we always start the planning of an event – with the process of Conceptualisation.

So, no science and no luck, but what sets an event apart from the norm is a little bit of magic! And, it’s right at the beginning, during the process of conceptualising the event, where the magic gets worked.

But before any creative concept development can begin, it’s the responsibility of the event planners to investigate, consult with the client and ask questions until they are able to plot a clear ‘big picture’ that defines the context in which the event will play out. This picture needs to show:

• the client’s business, marketing and brand objectives
• the event-specific objectives
• how the client’s competitors are differentiating themselves and how they use events as part of their marketing mix
  
• the client’s own strategy for events as part of their marketing approach
  
• the challenges and issues facing the client for which the event forms part of the solution

The process of investigating and gathering all of this information upfront should never be eliminated, rushed through or brushed over. The big picture understanding is what ensures that the event planners are able to create and execute an event that fits strategically within the client’s marketing strategy – an event that supports the achievement of the client’s business and marketing goals.

Big picture defined, and the event planners at the point where they ‘get it’, the process of creating a concept for the event can begin.

Developing a creative concept that will effectively deliver on the event and brand objectives is crucial – it will be the glue that holds the entire event together. The concept will communicate the defined event messages in a way that the audience will identify with, understand, and if desired, act upon. It will be what ensures that the messages communicated, no matter how serious they maybe, are well received, enticing and entertaining.

With a creative concept in place that will guide implementation, the final step in the process of event conceptualisation is to define the measurement criteria. Do this upfront so that you can sanity check activity and decision-making along the way, making sure that the event stays focused on the set objectives. Ensuring that the success of the event can be gauged through the measurement of client-specific, pre-set criteria, is a critical mechanism for delivering real value for the client.

So, from Conceptualisation on to the next stage: Implementing the Event Planning Process. Watch out for it in the next edition!