Basic Steps to a Successful Event. This presentation will guide you through three main stages to a successful event including Pre-Event, The Event & Post Event “Don’t plan your event without knowing your Show-Stoppers…”

1. How to successful
manage any event?
Basic Steps to Manage an Event
Camellia Dinh – July 2016

2. What is an “Event”?
 Definition:
“An event is something that
happens at a given place and
time, for a reason with someone
or something involved” (Steve
John-n – How to successfully
manage any event”).
Vivid Sydney
Vivid Sydney is an annual outdoor lighting festival with immersive light
installations and projections in Sydney. Party of the lighting festival also
includes performances from local and international musicians and an
ideas exchange forum featuring public talks and debates from leading
creative thinkers.

3. What is “Event Management”?
 Definition:
“The coordination, running
and planning of all the
power, teams and features
that come together to create
every kind of event”
(Event Business Academy”).
Hung Kings' Temple Festival 2016
Hung Kings’ Temple Festival is an annual outdoor in Phu Tho, Vietnam, is a
Vietnamese festival held annually from the 8th to the 11th days of the third
lunar month in honour of the Hung Kings, known as the first emperors of
Vietnam. The main date is set as a national public holiday on 10th of the third
lunar month since 2007. In 2016, the total number of visitors to this year’s fest
was up to eight million (vietnamnet.vn).

4. Types of events
 Sporting Events
 Entertainment, Arts and Cultural Festivals
 Commercial, Marketing and Promotional Events
 Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and
Exhibitions (M.I.C.E)
 Fundraising
 Special & Private Events

5. Basic steps to manage an event
from A to Z
 Pre-Event
 The Event
 Post-Event
50%
35%
15%
The Event Process
Pre-Event
The Event
Post-Event

6. Stage 1: Pre-Event
The Event Concept & Planning
“Don’t plan your
event without
knowing your
Show-
Stoppers…”

7. Stage 1: The Planning
 Step 1. Purpose of the event
 Step 2. Theme of the event
 Step 3. Target Audience
 Step 4. Location
 Step 5. Timing
 Step 6. Event stakeholders
 Step 7. Finance
 Step 8. Marketing
 Step 9. Programing
 Step 10. Press Call / Fundraising
A Show Stopper is a sudden societal or personal
experience or hazard that could cause the
cancellation or postponement or failure of your
event such as: The death of a person; Political
emergencies and Community Security; The Acts of
God; Accident or Budgeting.

8. Step 1. Purpose of the event
 Knowing as also as a “mission statement” or “objectives” of the
event.
 Analyzing objectives of the event gives us reasons to host an event.
Without having specific objectives, the event will be a waste and
meaningless.
 The purpose of the event should drive all the planning.
 Not every event considers making profit is a mission statement, many
events are hosted with a community purpose.
 Example: Mission Statement of a general team building event should
be:
✓ Setting a common goal
✓ Role clarifications while working as a team
✓ Enhancing problem solving skills
✓ Enhancing interpersonal relations

9. Step 2: Theme of the event
“Historical, Geographical and Cultural; Sporting; Film;
Music and Entertainment; Artistic; Food or Objects are
the common themes for events”.
 Should be linked to the purpose of the
event
 There is an endless number of potential
themes but only limited by people’s
imagination and budgeting.
 While choosing a theme, it is important
to consider the range of suitable
venues available, keeping in mind the
constraints of budget and other
considerations.
EURO 2016 FRANCE

10. EURO 2016 France
▪ Logo: It aims to bring together the creativity that defines French culture with the
beauty of the game and to enhance the prestige of one of the world's biggest
sporting events by providing an easily recognisable identity.
• Le Rendez-Vous gives the meaning to “Celebrate the Art of football”, which aims to
evoke the importance of the UEFA European Championship and to make it a
succession of festivities not to be missed.
• Mascot: Super Victor is a child superhero in the kit of the France national football
team, with a red cape at the back, to echo the colours of the flag of France. The
Cape, boots and ball are claimed to be the child’s super power.

11. Step 3: Target Audience
“A approximate figure of number of a particular group of
persons in the society who share common needs that you
intend to reach in mind and on record”.
 Target audience: Being known as
spectators, visitors, listeners, decision
makers or customers but not necessarily
end-users.
 The needs of all participants must be
considered before finalizing the
concept.
 “Target Audience” is determined by
applying a number of audience
segmentation methods including the
identification of needs and wants;
targeting audience demographics,
lifestyles, purchasing habits.
? How do you plan to attract
expecting mothers as target
audience for your event ?

12. Step 4: Location
“Location must be at the best possible fit with the client’s
and the audience’s needs at lowest possible cost”.
 Must serve Purpose of the Event
 Ambience & Capacity
 Access to public transport
 Parking
 Venue Facilities & Logistics of Set up
 Audio Visual & Decorations
 Safety
 Budgeting
? Why five-star hotels are usually
chosen as number one option for
event venues ?

13. Step 5: Timing
“…is often linked to the season or weather or the occasion
of new public agreement, regulations/ invention or
launching a product or service”.
 Must serve Purpose of the Event
 Season
 Day of the week
 Time of the day
 Duration
Christmas in July has been an
unofficial winter festival in many
regions across Australia and New
Zealand
Celebrate Christmas in Aussie style
would be like…

14. Step 6: Event Stakeholders
Internal / Primary Stakeholders
 Groups or individuals who incur risk
and without whose support and/or
involvement the event would cease
to exist.
✓ Client/ Event Principal
✓ Event Director & The Event Team
✓ Organizing Committee
✓ Emergency Services
External/ Secondary Stakeholders
 Groups or individuals who may or may
not be involved yet can seriously
impede the event’s success.
✓ Sponsors
✓ Contractors and Suppliers
✓ Program & Promotional Printing
✓ Local Community
✓ Local & Government Authorities
✓ Clients Participants/ Performers
✓ Interest Groups and Associations
Event Stakeholders are groups or individuals who are affected or
could be affected by an event’s existence. (V. Ziakas, Event Profolio
Planning and Management: A Holistic Approach).

15. Step 7: Finance
“Remember: Everything costs and someone must pay”.
 Do not work on assumptions while
budgeting your event. Everything
needs to be drafted in the early
planning stage.
 This is where the creative and
rational aspects of the event
manager’s abilities can come into
conflicts.
 Initial financial estimates can get out
of control very easily, therefore, even
good ideas should be knocked out
at an early stage if they do not
appear financially viable when it
comes into concepts which are less
complex and more cost effective. Where does your event fund
come from?

16. Step 8: Marketing
“No one will know about your event
unless you tell them how…”
 Event Designs and Materials
 Consider level of publicity
coverage needed for the event
to decide the amount of work
and budget spending on:
✓ Print Advertisement (Displays for
Indoor/Outdoor)
✓ Broadcast Advertisement
(Television, Radio, Newspaper,
Internet…)
Timing and budgeting are crucial
of the initial planning.

17. Step 9: Programing / Event Proposal
 Your schedule/program (Event Script) is the manual of your event which includes a overall
event summary with description and action plan to be distributed to responsible departments
of the event committee. As an event manager, you need to make sure your event is always
scripted and documented from start to finish.

18. Step 10: Press Call / Fundraising
 Press call (for Press Conference/ Meeting/ Gathering): The process
of announcing or making your upcoming event open to public.
 Fundraising: The process of soliciting and gathering contributions in
cash or other in-kind resources to make your event happened.

19. Stage 2: The-Event
The Event Execution

20. Stage 2: Execution
 Step 11: The Event Checklist: Venue & Facilities
Management
 Step 12: Arrivals of your guests/ casts/ performers/
audience
 Step 13: Showtime

21. Step 11: Event Check-List
 Stage: To make sure that no unnecessary or unwelcome action is around
the ‘performing’ area
 Decoration: To be in full and inline with the event theme and objectives
 Media Stand & Signage: To ensure the highest effects on the media
release but minimize disturbances to guests & audience.
 Audio Visual: Lighting & Sound System; Internet and Electricity; Ensure on-
site technicians are available.
 Ticketing: For any event that sells tickets, the ticketing is closed BEFORE
show time to minimize financial and security risks.
 Security: All team member to be at alert always in case of emergency.
 Health & Safety: To ensure that every member of the team is in the best
health condition with best transportation/ accommodation plan on the
day of the event. Always make your that you have your emergency plan
stands by.
 Catering: Needs to follow strictly the event agenda and serving needs to
come in quietly and neatly. Food Safety; Dietary Requirements and
Serving of Alcoholic Drinks needs to be discussed and agreed in advance.

22. Step 12: Arrivals
 Ensure that your performers; MC, artists arrive on time for rehearsal
(if required); costumes or make-up to be done perfectly and ready
for the show.
 To ensure that V.I.Ps of the event are recognized, greeted and
escorted to their seats.
 Audience/ Customers to arrive in the most comfortable way as
possible (less time of checking; controlling; registration) and to
make sure staff/volunteers are available for on-site support.

23. Step 13: Showtime
 To followed strictly your event script but flexible for
any urgent changes and to handle unexpected
issues/ emergencies.

24. Stage 3: Post-Event
…guide to a happy ending event!

25. Stage 3: Post-Event
 Teardown &Wrapping Up
 Do not forget to say “Thank you”!
 Payoff Invoices & Finance Follow Up
 Questionnaires/ Feedbacks
 Event Evaluation
 Plan for future improvement

26. Questions?
camellia.dinh@gmail.com