An event is an organised occasion such as a meeting, convention, exhibition, special event or gala dinner.
An organization may use event management software to track, schedule, and report on events, such as student activities, campus meetings, workshops, fundraisers, faculty-student activities and more. It can also be used to automate and streamline manual processes, such as registering walk-in attendees or storing user preferences and reservations for future events.
Planning an event is a complex process that involves many moving parts. It is important to create a clear and concise plan to guide the event, from beginning to end. This includes defining the scope of the event, determining the nature and logistics, creating an action plan, creating a budget and developing a timeline for completing tasks and events.
Identify your audience: Study your target audiences by asking questions, conducting surveys and gathering demographic information. This will help you determine what type of wording will resonate with your target audience, and how you can speak to their needs when writing about your event.
Make your event appealing: Be enticing to your target audience with compelling words and an inviting tone. Avoid jargon and over-the-top hype; instead, try to describe your event in terms that are relevant to your target audience, such as “education fair,” “job fair,” “seminar” or “debate.”
Write a press release: Send out a press release for your event in a timely fashion (two to three weeks in advance is good). Include the name of your event, date and location, contact information, and an interesting story.
Design a logo: If you’re planning a big event or a series, it’s always a good idea to create a logo that will tie everything together and give your event a distinct identity. You can then use this logo for all your promotional materials, such as t-shirts, banners, and signage.
Promote your event: Advertise your event using online and offline channels. Consider targeting social media, community groups and local news stations to reach a specific audience. You can also seek sponsors to help cover costs and increase participation at your event.
Build repeatable processes: The success of your events is dependent on a well-maintained system for delivering information and facilitating registration, donations and other processes. An event solution can help you streamline and automate these steps, so that your team spends less time on manual tasks and more on serving your clients.
Establish a timeline: Outline the steps needed to complete each part of the event, including when any permits or insurance policies need to be submitted, when registration ends and when a detailed event day-of plan is created. This will ensure that every aspect of your event stays on track and runs smoothly, and will make it easier to coordinate with volunteers and other committee members.
Review your copy: It can be hard to spot gaps in our own writing, so it’s a good idea to have someone outside of your organization read your copy. It can be a good way to get an outsider’s perspective and see if your description wording makes sense to people who are not involved in the organization, such as students or potential donors.