Executing a successful event takes a lot of research, planning, and time commitment. Because you’re constantly communicating with multiple vendors, relaying information to your event planning assistant, and sometimes forced to pivot unexpectedly, it’s important to stay organized during the process. And that’s precisely why having a checklist for event planning from the very beginning is crucial.
An event planning checklist will help you stay organized and focused, and will ensure all parties involved are on the same page to achieve flawless execution. Lucky for you, there’s no need to guess what should be on that list. We’ve already done the work for you! In this blog, we’re sharing 9 things you need to include on your event planning checklist.
Why You Need a Checklist for Event Planning
No matter what kind of event you’re planning, sticking to an event planning checklist has several benefits. Having a checklist can lead to better organization, help you adhere to your budget, and keep you sane. Just getting all your thoughts and tasks out of your head and onto the paper can work wonders. Having a checklist also ensures you, the host, can enjoy the event because you’re not worrying about whether or not you forgot things – you know everything’s handled. An event planning checklist is especially important if you haven’t hired an event planning business.
What to Include on Your Event Planning Checklist
Now that you understand why having an event planning checklist is so important, you may wonder what to include in one. Here are 9 must-have things to include in yours:
Event Goals and Audience Information
Before contacting vendors or finalizing a budget, you must first identify the goal of your event. To do this, you’ll want to ask yourself a few questions: What do I want to achieve? What’s the purpose of this event? You’ll also want to identify your ideal attendee. Before planning your event, consider the age, occupation, demographics, and other qualities of your audience.. Your audience should act as the north star for any content you plan to showcase at your event.
Event Day-of Logistics
Once you’ve figured out your goals and audience information, it’s time to nail down some logistics. When is a good time for your event to take place? Based on your goals and audience, does it make more sense to host your event in the spring, or would winter be more appropriate? In addition to the date, you’ll want to decide on the time of day and location.
Event Budget
Money is an important factor when planning any event. And while it may seem intimidating, any good event-driven strategy should include finances. You’ll want to break down the numbers and allocate funds to different purposes, like venue fees, food/catering, production costs, and anything else you’ll want to have to make it a great event.
Event Marketing Plan
What good is all this work if no one knows about it? You can’t have a successful event if no one shows up! It’s important to have a solid marketing strategy in place to help promote your event to your target audience. A marketing strategy will create excitement and ensure people are prepared to attend your event.
Event Theme and Programming
Most events are centered around a common theme, and the theme goes hand-in-hand with the goals you identified in the early planning stages. Setting a theme will help you narrow down options regarding décor, vendor selection, and more. It’s also necessary to determine how people will experience the event. Will it be in-person only, or will it also include a virtual component? Pro tip: it should definitely have a virtual component!
Event Speakers
Be sure you’ve contacted and booked all your speakers well in advance. Speakers, especially highly-sought ones, are typically booked months out. It’s a good idea to contact speakers as soon as possible to avoid scheduling conflicts and ensure your event runs smoothly. Securing speakers ahead of time will also benefit your marketing efforts, as you can get the word out about who’ll be headlining.
Event Vendors for Execution
Have a guide that lists all of your vendors, their contact information, and their role in the event. Make sure this list is easily accessible to all event assistants and volunteers. When things get busy (because they will get busy), having an easy-to-find vendor list will make everyone feel more at ease.
Event Staffing
Speaking of event assistants and volunteers, make sure you know who’ll be working on the day of your event. And make sure those people know exactly what their responsibilities are. Knowing this information ahead of time will make the day of the event feel much more organized and cohesive.
Event Run-of-Show/Timeline
Your event and all sessions should all have start and end times. Everyone should know when things are happening, where, and who’s in charge. All speakers should have a set amount of time to present, and any breakout sessions or cocktail hours should be on a set schedule. List all of these things out and make sure all event staff is aware. Sticking to this run-of-show will keep everyone on the same page, even when everyone’s spread out throughout the venue.
Event-Driven Strategy with Reimagined Experiences
Strategic event planning takes time, effort, and accurate preparation. And that’s why we wanted to share this checklist with you. If you’re still feeling overwhelmed by the thought of planning your event, we’re here to help! Like us at Reimagined Experiences, event planning companies exist so that you don’t have to stress about an event planning checklist. No need to worry about the details when we can create and execute your vision for you!
If you’re ready to plan your 2023 event, click here to contact our team of experts at Reimagined Experiences.
