Ticketbud Tips and Tools*
August 19, 2013  •  by Jane Carter

Q & A Panel Series- Event Tips From the Pros

Q&A Panel Names

5 Experts Share Their Experiences To A Successful Event

Planning and managing an event can be tedious. So much goes into it, but what are the most important aspects of a successful event?  I asked leading event industry experts to share their tips and experiences from within the event planning industry. After their expert advice, be sure to join the conversation in the comments. _____________________________________________________________________ Q: From your experiences, what are the top three things to do or consider to make an event successful? Julius Solaris @EventMB:
  1. I’ll start with an observation that most events I attend get wrong, the details. The devil is indeed in the details. An event professional’s primary concern should be to surprise guests with incredible attention to details.
  2. Secondly, I would pay attention to the technology that we choose. It should really match our audience needs, not what we think may be cool.
  3. In conclusion, I would stress the importance of keeping everyone happy while making sure the event is on budget and profitable for the business. Too many times I’ve seen event organizers losing money because of poor budgeting.
Julius is the editor of Event Manager Blog. Started in 2007, Event Manager Blog is the number one blog worldwide for event professionals, covering topics such as event planning, social media and events, event technology, event trends, event inspiration and marketing.  Before becoming a 100% dedicated blogger and speaker, he has been working as Social Media Consultant for FTSE250 companies in the UK. His last campaign with RS Components won Econsultancy’s The Digitals for Best Multichannel Marketing Campaign.
 

Cindy Y. Lo @RedVelvetEvents :

  1. Ask the client for measurements of success (i.e., number of attendees, staying within budget, attendees’ experience, etc).
  2. Work backwards in triple checking that the budget you’ve been allotted matches to what you have promised the client…you ALWAYS want to over deliver and under promise.  This is probably the hardest part of it all as a client will (and should have the right) to demand changes that will cause unexpected expenses and cause you to rethink your plan the umpteenth time.
  3. Educate yourself on what others have done previously so you don’t make the same mistake twice; you can also call this asking for help from your co-workers.  Yes, you can put on a great event solo but for larger scale events, having a team divide and conquer is much more beneficial to the overall event success.
Cindy Lo is the proud Owner of Red Velvet Events which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary serving their clients in the special events industry. You are welcome to connect with Red Velvet Events via TwitterFacebookInstagram and YouTube.
  Camille Styles @Camillestyles:
  1. Get creative. When I start planning any event, I step back and take time to think about a creative concept – one that hasn’t been done a million times before. Infusing something new into an event keeps it feeling fresh and delivers the element of surprise that will make a lasting impression in guests’ minds.
  2. Create a concept and stick to it. Once you’ve locked on the big picture idea, think about how to carry it through every single element of the party from start to finish. Even the smallest details like flatware on the table and signage at the front send a message, and a truly cohesive theme will make a party unforgettable.
  3. Hire a great team. You’re only as good as the rest of your team, and an event planner’s best asset is a little black book of the most talented and dependable people in the industry. From the floral designer to the janitorial service, every person plays a key role in an event’s success.
Camille Styles is the founder and creative director of popular lifestyle blog camillestyles.com, where she shares the creative entertaining ideas that inspire her parties and her life. Camille is also a regular lifestyle contributor to media outlets like HGTV, Cooking Channel and DIY Network, and does styling work for national fashion and lifestyle brands. Her modern aesthetic and eye for detail come together to create parties that are simply chic and all about fun. 
  Elizabeth Quintanilla @equintanilla:
  1. Plan: A good event needs to be well thought out .. most people don’t think of the details – but that is where you can “WOW” your audience.  Plan a “WOW”.
  2. Promote:  People like to be with the A-Players .. promote your event so the A-Players come and bring their friends with them.
  3. Prepare for Contingencies: Nothing goes to plan .. so be okay with it and have your back-up ready.  Also, a simple – “I’m sorry” will work most of the time.
Elizabeth is a positive, people-oriented, performance-driven Marketing Gunslinger, consultant, and speaker who focuses on understanding the customer perspective. She consults on: market research, messaging, channel strategies, understanding the impact of emerging business trends, web technologies and strategies, social, and product marketing.  Elizabeth actively serves as a Vice-Chair on the Austin Community Technology and Telecommunications Commission.
  Julia Damon @JuliaDamon:
  1. To make an event successful, I would say 3 of the top things to consider are first and foremost making the guests happy. If the guests are happy then the client will be happy too. This could mean knowing details about each guest or simply making sure everyone has a great first impression.
  2. Another thing to consider when planning is in including an interactive element. Guests and clients don’t want to attend a boring event with nothing to do. It’s critical to include things like social media walls and innovative activities like graffiti walls.
  3. One final thing to consider is the overall event layout. You want to have peace of mind the day of the event that all of furniture will fit and that the guests will be comfortable.
Julia Damon works in Marketing Communications at Social Tables where she has managed their social media strategy from nearly the beginning. She also manages the Social Tables Blog sharing tips on event planning, hospitality trends and event technology. You can connect with her and Social Tables on TwitterFacebook, and Google+
__________________________________________________ Have any advice or comments to add to the  conversation? Don’t be shy! Leave it in the comment section and stay tuned for Part 2 of the Q&A Panel Series!  ]]]]> ]]>