Title of the Paper: Special Events (Major Elective) (Event Management)Subject Code :Semester : FourthCredit : 4(Four)

UNIT -1Conference programming, Speaker selection, Venue selection and site visits, Conference budgeting, Audio visual requirements, Simultaneous translation, Risk analysis, Attendee evaluation

UNIT- 2:Exhibition Management, Types of exhibitions, Trade shows vs. consumer shows, Running an exhibition. Exhibiting at a show, Designing exhibition stands, Managing a sales team, Making the most out of exhibiting, Event logistics

UNIT-3:Wedding Planning, Venue selection and liaision, Client brief, Budgeting, Guest lists and invitations. Gift list, Menus and catering, Flowers, favours and table decorations, Transport

UNIT -4Sports Event Management, Creativity, Types of sporting hospitality, Logistics and onsite management Choosing sporting celebrities and managing expectations, Onsite staff selection and admissions ManagementUNIT -5

Celebrity events, Concerts, Launches, Fashion shows, National festivals and high-profile charity events Liaising with agents, Contract negotiations, Client briefings, Celebrity wish lists and expectations Paparazzi and entourages- MCs and entertainment- Commissioning celebrities

Reference Books

1. Special Events: Twenty-First Century Global Event Management, Joe Goldblat, Wiley 2. Event Marketing: How to Successfully Promote Events, Festivals, Conventions, and

Expositions, 2nd Edition, C. A. Preston- Wiley3. The Event Marketing Handbook: Beyond Logistics & Planning Paperback – August 11,

2012, Allison Saget, 4. Special Events: Creating and Sustaining a New World for Celebration, 7th Edition, Joe

Goldblatt, Wiley5.  Professional Event Coordination, 2nd Edition, Julia Rutherford Silvers

UNIT -1Conference programming, Speaker selection, Venue selection and site visits, Conference budgeting, Audio visual requirements, Simultaneous translation, Risk analysis, Attendee evaluation

INTRODUCTION

What is an Event?

An event can be described as a public assembly for the purpose of celebration, education, marketing or reunion. Events can be classified on the basis of their size, type and context.

An event can be:

Social / life–cycle events: Events like Birthday party, Hen/Stag party, Graduation day, Bachelor's party, Engagement, Wedding, Anniversary, Retirement day, Funeral etc.

Education and career events: Events like education fair, job fair, workshop, seminar, debate, contest, competition etc.

Sports events: Events like Olympics, World Cup, marathons, Wimbledon, wrestling matches etc.

Entertainment events: Events like music concerts, fairs, festivals, fashion shows, award functions, celebrity nights, beauty pageants, flash mob, jewelry shows, stage shows etc.

Political events: Events like political procession, demonstration, rally, political functions etc. Corporate events: Events like MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions), product

launches, road shows, buyer-seller meet etc. Religious events: Events like religious festivals / fairs, religious procession, Katha, Pravachan,

Diwali fair, Dusherra fair etc. Fund raising/ cause related events: Any event can be turned into a fund-raising or cause

related event e.g. auctions.

Objectives of Event:

Successful event planning is the key to successful alumni groups. Keep in mind the overall objectives of both the SF State and your alumni group in all program planning. For many, alumni events represent the only contact they have with other SF State alumni or the University. Advanced planning and execution are important to the success of each event.

Establish a committee and sub-committees – Event committees are necessary to properly plan and execute events. Sub-committees can be formed to organize specific activities at the event. This will spread the workload, and develop future leaders for your alumni group.

Encourage involvement from alumni group members – The more involvement you seek from regular members, the stronger your alumni group becomes.

Involve the Alumni Association – Advanced notice given to the Alumni Association of your upcoming event will increase your visibility and communication to alumni members.

Event Balancing – Are your events spaced equally throughout the year? Are they appealing to your constituents? Do you have diversity and a blend of social, cultural, athletic, and friend-raising events? Do you plan your events in conjunction with the Alumni Association’s events? Consider doing a brief, informal survey among your constituents to determine their specific needs and interests.

How to Plan an EventWhat does event planning involve? Here is a high-level overview are some of the

basic steps you’ll need to follow when developing an event. We can't identify all of the

details you’ll need to think about (since much of it will depend on the type of event you are

holding), but we hope the following provides a starting point for your event planning. 

10 Steps to Get You Started With Event Planning

1. Develop Event Goal and Objectives:

The very first step is to establish a tangible goal and  objectives. (e.g., why are you

organizing this event and what do you hope to achieve?)

2. Organize a Team:

Any event takes a concerted team effort to handle all of the details. Consider

identifying one key Event Manager or Event Chair as well as individual Chairpersons

for subcommittees, such as:

venue management;

speakers;

entertainment;

publicity;

sponsors;

volunteer management

3. Set a Date:

The date might already be pre-set for a reoccurring event, but if this is a new event,

be sure to consider the following before firming up your date:

Give yourself enough time! Ideally, you should have 4-6 months to

plan (depending on the nature of your event)

Be aware of statutory and religious holidays

Avoid school holiday time periods (e.g., winter, spring and summer holidays)

Check dates with key participants – e.g., speakers, presenters, VIP guests, etc.

4. Brand Your Event

If you want your event to stand out, you need to choose a timely and compelling

theme that sets you apart from your competition. This means that you need to come

up with a dynamic overall theme and you need to take great care with the actual

name – since it can be a key attention-getter, especially in online media.

Brainstorm names: When you are brainstorming the event name, think

about:

- How is your event different from other events in your sector?

- What are you hoping to convey through this event?

Create a Tagline: Once you’ve come up with a name, also try to craft a

tagline – a short, memorable branding slogan that describes the event. 

Design a Logo: The final step will be having a logo created to represent your

event. A logo can be an effective branding tool – offering immediate

recognition of your event in all of your publicity and promo items (e.g., T-

shirts, water bottles, bags, etc.) 

5. Create a Master Plan:

This plan should encompass all aspects of the event, including:

Venue, logistics & catering management (contracts, permits, insurance, etc.)

Speakers/presenters (identifying, confirming, logistics & management)

Activities/entertainment

Publicity/promotion (online & off-line, e.g.,: web page & online promotion;

events calendars; printed programs; media relations; signage; social media,

etc.)

Registration (online sign-up, payment and tracking; on-site sign-in, etc.)

Sponsor/partner management

Volunteer management

6. Determine Administrative Processes

In other words, how are you going to keep track of your planning, registration,

budget, guest and speakers lists, etc.? 

7. Identify and Establish Partnerships & Sponsors

Are there organizations that you could partner with or call on for sponsorships to

defray the costs and increase potential participation?  When you involve other

people or groups in your event, they have a stake in helping spread the word and

making the event a success. You might want to consider:

Seeking corporate sponsors to fund a portion of the event. This can range

from national organizations that might want to sponsor a dinner, offer a door

prize or a key silent auction item, to local businesses that might be able to

provide goods or services, such as flowers for the tables, gift bag items, etc.

Partnering with community organizations who might be able to offer a

venue and/or assistance with organizing or staffing an event

8. Create a Publicity Plan

Even with the most amazing speaker or entertainment line-up, you need publicity to

get people in the door.  Event promotion starts with the initial notice or page on

your website, note in your newsletter or email to save the date, and then builds to

include online and off-line publicity, media relations and on-going outreach to

encourage registration. And no plan is complete without the post-event thank-you,

sponsor acknowledgements and articles about the event’s key messages or

fundraising success.

9. Establish a Budget

Your budget should incorporate estimates for all of the key items identified on your

Event Master Plan. Don’t forget to include any travel or accommodation costs for

speakers, presenters, etc.

10. Determine Evaluation Process

How will you determine if your event is a success? Do you measure success by the

number of registrants or attendees or is it dependent on you breaking even or

raising a target amount in donations? 

When you set your initial event goals and objectives, you should also consider how

you will evaluate the event to determine your success. 

THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN PLANNING EVENT

1. Who is doing the planning?

Depending on the size of your event, you may be doing the planning on your own or

with a committee. Try to decide on who will be involved with the planning from the

beginning. Once you have decided who will be involved, make sure that everyone remains

informed of the planning process and timeline.

2. When will the event take place?

When deciding the date for your event, you will need to consider how much time

will be required to make the event successful. Some important things to consider are how

large the event will be and how many people are helping to plan the event. You should also

try to avoid major holidays and local or national events important to your community.

3. How can you stay organized?

Organization is key when you plan an event. One important component of staying

organized is having a timeline for your event. A timeline should include all of the tasks

needed to make your event a success and a due date for having them completed. It is

important to keep the time line updated if new tasks become necessary and as tasks are

completed. Communication between everyone involved in planning is very important so

that every task is completed and efforts aren’t duplicated. Try using a color scheme on your

timeline so it is clear who is working on which tasks.

4. What type of event should I have?

Many times you will know in advance what type of event you are planning based on

previous events you have held or your organization’s mission.

5. Where should the event be held?

Finding a location for your event is one of the most important tasks, so make sure

you think carefully about your chosen site. If you have a space available at your own

facilities that will accommodate your needs, this will save you time and money. If not, there

are several questions to ask before you decide on your location:

Is the space big enough to support your needs (both in terms of people and

equipment)?

Is the location accessible to your community? This includes handicap accessible,

easy to find from the road with visible signs, short travel time or close available

accommodations.

Is the location available on the date and time of your event? Make sure to book time

for set-up and clean-up and learn if there will be other events before or after yours.

Are their multiple rooms available if your event requires small groups?

If you are using multiple rooms, are they easy to find and are you allowed to put up

directional signs?

Are there enough chairs and tables available to meet your needs and will your

participants be comfortable in the space provided?

Is the equipment you need available at the site or able to be brought in? Is there

anyone who can provide technical assistance?

Do you want to provide food or beverages at the event and do you have an adequate

budget to do so?

o If so, are there catering services available that meet the dietary preferences

of your community or can you bring in your own food and beverages?

How much will the location cost? Remember to include costs for space rental,

equipment, catering and miscellaneous costs such as registration, table renting, or

parking fees.

Is a deposit required and is there flexibility to change locations, increase or decrease

space requirements or change the date or time?

6. How much will the event cost?

When you begin to plan your event, make sure to create a budget based on how

much you or your organization has available to spend. Remember that unforeseen costs

can arise, so plan for these in your budget. This is often done by overestimating some costs.

Remember to include costs for your venue (space, equipment and catering), office supplies

and postage for planning and marketing efforts, and any special costs based on your event

such as speaker gifts or video rental.

7. How can I let people know about my event?

Your marketing strategy should be based on who you want to attract to your event

and what works well in your community. Some possible options include: fliers, posters,

blurbs in a newsletter, e-mails or postcards and press releases for local newspapers. You

can find templates for these options in the community events tool kit located at

www.GenoCommunity.org. Remember that you can always use more than one strategy

depending on your budget and who you are trying to attract.

Which Areas Of Expertise Are Important In Events Management?

Choosing a client to take care of your events management needs can be a daunting

experience.

After all, there are so many companies and firms out there that claim to be experts

in event management and are willing to promise you the moon if you choose them. It is

important to look to a firm’s records to make sure they are right for you and that they have

the skills and resources to meet your needs in a timely, friendly, and professional manner.

Here are some of the areas of expertise that are important to consider when

choosing an events management team.

1. Conferences and Executive Meetings

The first area of expertise to consider when choosing a firm to help manage your

events is conferences and executive meetings. Look for a firm that is capable of helping you

through every element of staging the conferences and executive meetings you might need

to manage, from the design stage all the way through to the execution stage.

Also make sure the firm you hire is one that has experience managing executive

meetings and conferences of all sizes, from those that are small and intimate with only a

few key players to large scale events that may host thousands of delegates. A high quality

event management team will also have the flexibility to scale up or scale down their

management of your events, depending on the resources you already have available and

your specific requirements.

Naturally, an event management team will be a stronger candidate if they have

experience managing a wide range of conferences and gatherings, including symposiums,

corporate training sessions, roadshows, annual general meetings, congresses, summits, and

the meetings and conferences mentioned above.

Look for case studies; ask the firm for them if you have not already reviewed them,

and check to make sure they have performed good work not just in the past but recently as

well.

2. Sponsorships and Exhibitions

When selecting an event management team, a second area of expertise to consider is

sponsorships and exhibitions. Look for teams that view these areas as strengths instead of

as weaknesses. A good event management team will be able to take care of every part

related to the staging of an exhibition. This does not include simply being there on the date

of the exhibition.

Rather, it includes a number of factors that must be executed flawlessly long before

the exhibition in order for the exhibition itself to work without interruption. This means

the teams you consider should be capable of handling the planning of the exhibition, the

budgeting, marketing, and logistics onsite as well as liaisons with exhibitors.

Similarly, when it comes to sponsorship, be sure the team you select has the skill,

knowledge, and networking competence to maximize sponsorship opportunities and

relationships. This might mean helping you work effectively when it comes to profiling

your sponsors in some scenarios.

In others, it might mean being able to increase the sales of your enterprise or having

the skills necessary to cultivate leads that lead to business opportunities.

3. Incentives

Finally, incentive trips are an essential element of business in many circles, and

treating delegates to a good time can be crucial in making headway in a number of

industries. Do not leave such golden opportunities to chance. Look for an events

management team that is capable of project managing every part of a trip with incentives.

This might involve managing weekends to Sydney or fully paid trips across the Pacific to

Europe or North America. Regardless of whatever incentives you may have planned, a good

team will be able to meet your needs and give your delegates an experience they will never

forget.