- Event management – depending on the size of the event – isn’t for the faint-hearted. The 5 C’s of event management, however, provide a vital aid. Discover more here.
Event management entails many pros and cons – for businesses attempting to dabble in event management, the stress and financial toll it can bring almost don’t outweigh the positive benefits. Fear not – numerous online articles outline the steps businesses can take to run a successful event.
Whether it’s a small trade event, a huge networking event, or an internal corporate event such as a team building or large-scale employment day – the 5 C’s of event management provide a framework that enables brands to host a successful event.
Let’s look at the 5 C’s and how they can help any brand throw the perfect event.
Concept
For the event to run smoothly or to even generate the interest needed to sell tickets, the concept has to be 5*. It has to have the wow factor – it has to have something that draws like-minded business individuals and consumers in. From the initial idea to the marketing of the event, it has to be eye-catching.
One example – promoting specific parts of the day that will be engaging. Perhaps guest speakers, interactive stands, freebies (freebies are a surefire way of grabbing anyone’s attention), or discounts.
To visualize the perfect concept, it’s essential to first ask yourself basic questions that become the framework for your idea – here are some examples:
- Who will be attending?
- When will it be?
- Where will it be?
- What do you want to happen at the event?
The who, what, when, where, and why analysis is perfect for creating a baseline framework for the event. Within those questions, you can begin to delve deeper – what do you want to achieve at the event? What experience do you want the people attending to have?
Coordination
Coordination is key – if you’ve ever attended a business event with poor coordination, you’ll know that it creates confusion and conflict and generates a group of people who will never attend an event again.
Perfect coordination makes an event run seamlessly, but depending on the size of the event, it’s an almost impossible task for one person to manage or for a group of people who haven’t managed an event before. Temporary event staff can save the day, providing you with a team of people to handle the flow of the event using their expert knowledge and skills.
Hiring a team of people to coordinate large-scale events for you leaves you free to interact, network, and focus on tasks you’re more likely to have expertise. Make note – you still need a framework for the day to understand what you need to coordinate. Budget, booking entertainment, speakers and catering, and risk assessments should all be understood and managed by yourself.
Control
Events are all about controlling and managing the variables. The frameworks we’ve already mentioned will provide some control element, but it’s also wise to create a timeline of events that help you keep the day in check. Notably, most events will hand out a program to attendees at the beginning of the day outlining a timeline of the day, where they can find guest speakers, when it’s time for food, when activities will take place, etc.
Control also leaks into controlling vendors and the guest speakers themselves, ensuring everyone knows where they must be and when to provide attendees with the best experience possible. Regular contact and updates with anyone attending before the event can help you manage the control element of the day.
Culmination
The big day has arrived – everything we have discussed culminates into one successful day, provided you have planned, planned, and planned some more. It’s your job on the day to oversee and enjoy the event. Hiring event management companies ease your role on the day. It’s still essential for you to ensure everyone is aware of what they should be doing – more importantly, ensuring everyone is enjoying themselves and getting the most out of the day.
It’s wise to have a backup plan in place for issues that may arise – caterers running out of food, guest speakers falling ill on the day. The main problems that can go wrong that could derail should have a backup plan.
Closeout
The aftermath. After the day ends and the stress melts away, it’s essential to think about the closeout and how you can follow up on the event. Not only do you have to ensure the clean-up of the event, but it’s also essential to think about chasing attendees for feedback to understand how you can improve your next event.
Event management isn’t easy – that’s why so many turn to event management companies to relieve some of the hardships. Following this framework and understanding the 5 C’s in-depth can alleviate some of the stress and ensure the day runs without disruption.
Image source: https://unsplash.com/photos/Hb6uWq0i4MI
