| You've been tasked with planning an event and | | | | - Why are you doing this event? (Purpose) |
| don't know where to begin. Take a deep breath, | | | | - Who will attend? (People) |
| anyone with any level of event expertise can | | | | - What are you going to do? (Product) |
| take an event from good to great. Here is how: | | | | - When and where? (Place) |
| For beginners, it is imperative that you do your | | | | - How much is it going to cost you? (Price) |
| homework. You must first generate an event plan | | | | - How are you going to get the job done? |
| and consider the building blocks of any event: | | | | (Process) |
| target market, situational analysis, the 6 P's and | | | | Now that you have identified your target market, |
| planning. | | | | have performed a situational analysis and have |
| Let's get started. Think very clearly about the | | | | answered the building block questions of planning |
| people you are trying to attract. Ask yourself the | | | | an event, you are ready to develop a formal |
| question: Who is your target market? | | | | event plan and begin execution shortly thereafter. |
| Once you identify those that will be attending | | | | A formal event plan has several interrelated |
| your event, allow yourself time to travel into the | | | | components: goal, objectives, strategies, tactics, |
| hearts and minds of your potential audience. | | | | budget, timetable and evaluation. Your written |
| Believe me; knowing what kinds of things they | | | | detailed plan of action will serve as the backbone |
| like to see, do, buy and eat will be helpful as your | | | | to your master event plan. Keep it close at hand |
| event plan begins to come to life. | | | | and refer back to it often. |
| Now that you have your target market in mind, | | | | Congratulations, at this point you have finished |
| let's take a look at your situational analysis. You | | | | your homework and can now move into the |
| will need to examine your internal strengths and | | | | imaginative, fun side of event planning! Take your |
| weaknesses and your external opportunities and | | | | events to the next level by identifying a theme |
| threats as they relate to whatever you are | | | | and carrying that theme from start to finish. |
| planning to do. You must be brutally honest with | | | | Planning a successful event is no walk in the park. |
| yourself when analyzing the various components | | | | It is tedious work and requires an individual who |
| of your event. | | | | always keeps their dancing shoes and party hat |
| The next step in taking your event from good to | | | | nearby. One who is forever excited about the |
| great is to identify the 6 P's of event planning: | | | | adventure and who remembers that problems |
| Purpose, People, Product, Place, Price and Process. | | | | that will inevitably arise but the beat must go on. |
| Outlined below you will find the questions related | | | | You've got a plan, now the let the event begin. |
| to each P that you should answer prior to diving | | | | You are on your way from good to great! |
| into the planning phase. | | | | |