Event management or event planning, as it is called, is a thriving business all across the globe. Recent estimates show that this branch of the hospitality industry is worth a mind-boggling $500 billion throughout the world! Naturally, more and more individuals are gravitating towards this booming business.
There was a time when throwing a party wasn’t a big deal. Order in a few pizzas, make some cool mocktails, bring out the barbeque grill, and put on your favourite groovy music and voila! You are in for an exciting evening of pure fun! However, those days are long gone. With the growing social media heralding in the tech-savvy generation, the desire for perfection and precision in any event, big or small, is on the rise. Clients are ready to shell out the big bucks to make their events pristine, perfect, and phenomenal. As such, a few pizzas and rock music won’t cut it anymore.
Event management is a lot more detailed and tedious. It is an extremely responsible job and only those who have a knack for excellent interpersonal skills, good negotiation and bargaining power, problem-solving abilities, and great organising and management skills can carry it off without a hitch. Everything from conceptualisation, design, decor, venue selection, food and beverages, themes to accommodations for attendees, music, coordinating with speakers, lighting, promotions, etc. falls under the umbrella of event management. As such, event management companies implement a process that involves outlining the goals and objectives to be achieved through the event. Hence, from a certain point of view, event planning involves fulfilling a set of detailed steps to meet the desired goals.
Unlike parties that are mostly informal, events can be of two types, social as well as corporate. Social events would include birthday parties, anniversaries, bar and bat mitzvahs, weddings, festivities etc. whereas corporate events could include conferences, seminars, fundraisers, shareholder meetings, trade shows, corporate luncheons and so on. As both these domains vary greatly in their environments and styles and requirements, it stands to reason that there cannot be one standard template that fits all. However, there are certain basic rules or processes that are always to be followed. An extremely important thing that event agenciesfocus on, is details. Nothing spells success at events or gatherings as much as attention to detail. It’s always the little things that matter the most. Here’s looking at a couple of vital steps that an event management company can assist you with.
Promotion and marketing – To begin with, once the client’s needs are clearly understood, the event planners focus their energies on promoting the event to draw the relevant demographic to the function. Be it through flyers, dedicated emails, or social media, the event planners help ensure that the right crowd of guests attend the event. This also includes guest registrations, generating name cards, and catering to client queries.
Venue – This is the most important aspect of the event. If the client doesn’t have a venue decided, an event management companywill take into account the number of people, the kind of event, the theme, and the inherent goals, to shortlist the ideal venue for said event.
Décor and Design – Once the venue has been finalised, the next stage is to decide the layout of the space, keepingthe event In mind. This could mean the choice between opting for a crisp, clean, subtle décor for a conference or a vibrant, bright, colourful décor for a kid’s birthday party. Any event agencyprimarily focuses on understanding the client’s ideas and then enhancing them with a creative flair.
Theme –Naturally, every event needs a theme. Themes are what help tie up an event, right from the food, beverages, décor, layouts, dress codes (if applicable), event planners can play around a lot and get the creative juices flowing once an apt theme is chosen. The theme is usually in line with the target goals and objectives of an event.
Food Menu – No great function is ever complete without food. People almost always remember the taste of food at an event. So food can either make or break the success of the party. As such, this is yet another avenue where event planners come in handy.
Music/Lighting –To set the right mood, lights and sound play a vital role.The correct music sets the tone and welcomes guests in the right way. Ambient lighting puts guests at ease and builds the right mood, relaxing the attendees and welcoming them in a comfortable atmosphere.
Accommodation and Reservations –Taking care of guest reservations and accommodations if needed, and also attending to speakers and artists, catering to their basic needs, and setting them up,is also included in the responsibility of various event agencies.
Budgeting – Budget is a vital criteria and one of the major challenges faced by event planners is to organise the best possible party within the client’s budget. This is another reason why it helps to hire an event planner rather than trying to organise a social event by yourself. Event planning agencies have tie-ups with florists, caterers, and artists and can give you the best deals which you wouldn’t otherwise be able to avail. Event management, as rewarding a career as that is, requires long hours, hard work and working mostly on weekends, festivals, and late nights. Another issue that event planners deal with is troubleshooting and problem solving. Because if there is one thing that you can be sure of is that something or the other will go wrong on the D-Day, and backups are always needed. Quick thinking, coming up with solutions, and keeping a calm head under crisis are qualities that an event planner is known for. If you’re looking to organise an event professionally or socially, and you need a perfect, smoothly handled, successful soiree, then the best decision would be to meet any leading event planner in your town, delineate your details, budget, requirements and leave the headache to them, while you sit back, relax and see your event take shape in a professional and seamless manner.