What goes into planning an event?

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Most people see only the end product of an event. By the time you arrive for the conference or anniversary party, all the props and decorations are in place, and the host is cheerfully mingling with the guests, with no concern but making them feel welcome and at ease. If you gave any thought to it, you would probably have a vague appreciation that work went into the planning and execution, but it’s more likely that you are just moving through enjoying the ambience and food. Bringing this event to culmination though, would have involved a cadre of professionals with a range of talents to manage an entire process.

Events are a strategic tool of marketing, and their popularity is growing steadily. The United States Bureau of Labour Statistics projects that in just one decade, between 2010 and 2020, the events industry will grow by 44 per cent. While there is no similar data available in TT, marketing professionals can attest to the fact that the local industry, too, is growing exponentially. In an increasingly sophisticated TT marketplace, more demands are being made upon the practitioners in this field to deliver exceptional results.

The scope of what is considered an event has expanded dramatically over the years. No longer is it limited to a wedding or birthday party. Today, an event might be anything – a band launch, concert, product sampling or even a beach cleanup. All events require logistics planning and involve research (yes, research!), planning, design, procurement, coordination and execution. However, an event that is poorly organised can cause serious reputational damage to the organisation, the brand or the individual hosting. And so, careful consideration must be given when choosing your provider.

It may seem odd to think that research can actually go into planning an event, but consider this, suppose you are hosting summit with high level guests from a far off country who speaks a different language. Your event team would have to gain some insight about the country’s culture as well as an understanding of the proper protocols and even perhaps, some key phrases. Such a team would also need, in some instances to be knowledgeable about security protocols and even the personalities in attendance. Research includes setting the event’s objectives and doing and a thorough assessment for the project. Based upon this, the event is designed. This is where the creative aspect takes over, for everything from the theme, the look, placements of stage, decorations and highlights are set out, thus setting the stage for the actual event plan. Having done your previous research on products and providers, they must then be selected and procured.

As a marketing tool, events are influential and immersive. People like events and it has actually proven to be one of the most effective to boost product sales. The in-person interaction gives a personal touch which cannot be substituted. Event marketing is part of a 360-approach, and works perfectly with both new and traditional forms of marketing. The use of event marketing actually has a beneficial downstream effect upon other industries – print, e-commerce, creative design, digital advertising and even catering. It might even be said that event marketing has had an energising effect upon some industries.

(Content courtesy the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce)

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"What goes into planning an event?"

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