What makes an event successful

• Plan, plan, plan
• Define your objective for the event and don’t deviate from it
• Review and answer if you have delivered your objective

It may sound obvious but if you are putting on an event, you want it to be successful! After all, if you’re spending all that time, money and effort then it pays to do it properly, as rushing around and booking stuff at the last minute is a very risky business.

It’s often been said that the success of anything stems from good planning. So, if you’re wondering what makes an event successful, then the best way to start is by making sure it is planned meticulously, comprehensively and accurately. And that means getting things moving well in advance.

Start by taking some time to consider the five Ws. Why are you holding an event? What have you got to spend? Who do you want to attend? When and where could it take place? And then ask yourself the sixth all-important question – how are you going to do it?

Going through this process will outline your goals and then you have these to refer back to afterwards when the event is over.

Now you need to put your plan into action. Imagine yourself as one of the people attending – what is going to motivate you to come?

Ask yourself how the event should look and feel, what sort of impression do you want to give? How will this reflect on you and your company? Consider the venue and ensure you put a good bit of research into the best locations based on your requirements.

What other stuff do you need? Speakers? Theming? Decor? Entertainment? All of these are crucial elements to your event’s success so make sure yours are chosen carefully.

And remember that whilst the venue may be impressive, the food may be fantastic and the wine flowing, there must be a point in the proceedings where you draw attention to your cause. After all, this the very reason you are holding the event in the first place so it is important that this is not lost in the moment.

So think about how this can be incorporated into the event – as there are some really original ways that this can be achieved.

Finally – the success of an event also relies on the team organising it. The people must work well together and be able to conduct themselves in a calm and professional manner on the day, no matter what happens. They will need to stay one step ahead and expect the unexpected so that if it happens, they’re ready for it.

What goals are you going to judge the success on?

After it’s all over, it’s important to evaluate your event. What feedback did you get from the attendees? What worked well, and what would you do differently next time?

And then the important bit – how did you do at achieving those goals you outlined at the start of the planning process? The answers will let you measure its success and define where and how you can improve on things in the future.

And if the event planner was you, ask yourself this – was your boss / client happy? Are they likely to come back to you next time to organise their event?