Zkipster Event Planner

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EVENT PLANNING 101Six Steps to Help You Plan a Successful Event

A publication by

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David Becker is a Co-Founder of zkipster, an American-Swiss tech startup based

in New York City. David has hosted more than 250 events in entertainment and

nightlife. He was a member of the Zurich Street Parade Committee, which hosted

over 1 million attendees, and headed the Zurich-based media center for the UEFA

Football Euro Finals, the 3rd largest tournament in professional sports. A

broadcasting journalist at heart, David is the creative brain behind zkipster and

oversees countless events in art, media, fashion, luxury, non-profit and hospitality

around the world. From rock bottom to rock-star events,

David has seen them all.

AUTHOR

David Becker

We want to share with you our expertise and

give you an event planning handbook that will

never go out of style. So lets get started on

the road to success!

Event Planning 101

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Whether you are thinking about pursuing a career in event planning, or have just

started in the event planning business, whether you recently joined your companys

event marketing department, or are running your own agency or start-up, this

eBook will provide you with a groundwork for producing successful events.

What is this eBook all about?

INTRODUCTIONThe event strategy

3

CONTENT Event Planning 101

STEP 1

Goals - Why plan this event?6

STEP 2

Audience - Who will attending? 9

STEP 3

Timing - When will it happen?13

STEP 4

Location - Where will it occur?16

STEP 5

Budget - What will it cost?19

STEP 6

Idea - How should it be executed?22

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The Event Strategy

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INTRODUCTION Event Planning 101

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The strategy is your event

blue print.

Before you dive in and book the location, invite your guests, or even select yourcaterer, you need a strategy. An event strategy combines all your ideas into one bigplan, and will be the most important tool for you along the way.

Why are you planning this event?

Who will be attending?

When is it taking place?

Where is it occurring?

What is it going to cost?

How should it be executed?

We came up with an easy method to formulating an event strategy, which is

designed to spare you unnecessary headaches and help your event run smoothly.

Our event strategy is structured into six parts and each part begins with a question

you should answer:

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INTRODUCTION Event Planning 101

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When youre working for an event agency or in-house event planning team, getting

the right information from your client or parent company is crucial for your strategy.All this information needs to be included in the plan. As a client, you should ask

yourself the same questions. Make sure your agency or in-house team is aware of

all pertinent information. Lapses in communication will only hurt your event down

the road.

Take your time when coming up with a strategy. Try to give yourself enough

planning time. Planning an event is difficult enough without the added pressure of atime constraint.

Remember, the better your planning, the better organized you will be, and youll

find that youre less prone to mistakes and unwanted surprises during your event!

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INTRODUCTION Event Planning 101

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The single most important question you can ask yourself as an event planner is

why. Before you start planning, you need to know WHY you are even planning the

event in the first place.

Event planners call this: defining the objectives. The event organizer and the client

hosting the event need to define the event objectives for both parties in the short

term, on the day of the event (tangible objectives), and long term, after the event

(intangible objectives).

These goals will also help to define the type of event you are hosting. For instance,

whether or not you will be hosting a conference, attending a trade show, organizing

a gala, running a fund raiser or a corporate event depends on your event goals.

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STEP 1 Event Planning 101

Goals - Why plan this event?

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But its not enough that your guests or attendees simply have a good time.Particularly in times of slow economic growth, you dont want to be throwing

money away and just having an event for the sake of having one with no returns.

Ask yourself what added value is having this event producing? Does your event

satisfy any of the following marketing goals:

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STEP 1 Event Planning 101

Information: Will this event provide new product information?

Emotive Action: Will this event increase brand awareness?

Motivation: Will this event boost company or team morale and motivation?

Concrete Action: Will this event drive sales?

Ideally these tasks should not stand alone and the success of any event can be

achieved by effectively combining any and all of the four goals.

You have to be aware of what information you want to impart, what emotions you

want to evoke, what motivation you want to achieve and what actions need to

follow. Action, Information, Motivation, Emotion. Keep them in mind!

Events can be a powerful communication

tool and create lasting memories and

customer ties. They are a proven way to

increase brand awareness, develop new

business, and drive growth.

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STEP 1 Event Planning 101

Once youve set your goals and you know what you have to look out for, your

planning will go much more smoothly.

Now that youve accomplished the WHY, its time to move on to the WHO.

But the event goals go beyond answering questions about information, emotion,

motivation and action. If you have clear, attainable goals before the event, you will

be able to better measure its success afterwards.

Marketing event goals can be broken down into quantitative and qualitative goals,

in addition to tangible and intangible goals. Here are some examples of quantitative

and qualitative goals:

Attract new customers

Increase sales

Nurture growth (market

share, revenues)

Generate new leads /

contacts

Increase profits

Expand digital engagement

QUANTITATIVE

Brand/product awareness

Employee satisfaction

Public opinion

Product information

Image improvement

Multiplier effects

QUALITATIVE

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Page 9

STEP 2 Event Planning 101

After defining your event goals, you should start thinking about your target

audience. In order to create an outstanding event, you must first know your

audience.

Audience - Who will attend?

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The more exclusive an event,

the more tailored the guest list

has to be.B2C clients

B2B clients

Journalists

Distribution partners

Your employees

First, you need to understand who will be attending your event. Are you launching a

new product to the general masses? Are you hosting the next wunderkinds fashion

show to a small selected audience? Are you organizing an educational seminar for

your companys sales managers?

Some possible target audiences might be:

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STEP 2 Event Planning 101

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Age

SexFunction

Profession

Education

Unfortunately, these groups are far from homogeneous; the mad men times of

putting all clients in one pigeonhole are long gone. You have to further analyze your

target audience by checking for their demographics, such as:

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STEP 2 Event Planning 101

Religion

Educational backgroundInterests

Needs

Nationality

Once you know who your audience is, you can better understand what they are

expecting from your event.

Assume your event audience to be discerning, fastidious and demanding.

Regardless of whether youre located in a big city or small town, many of your

guests will think theyve attended the years greatest events, and they definitely

want and expect to be part of the next big thing.

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A stylish, trendy event isall about the guest list.

Where are your guests coming from?

What languages to they speak?

What do they want to gain from the experience?

So, alongside your target groups specifications, in terms of marketing goals, you

should keep in mind the following questions.

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STEP 2 Event Planning 101

Not every group has the same needs; a multinational medical congress in

Pasadena is completely unlike a fashion brand launch in New York Citys

Meatpacking District. Its crucial to understand and know these differences!

Remember, only when you know your audience, can you truly blow them away,

and only when you know who they are, can you give them what they want!

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Page 13

STEP 3 Event Planning 101

Once youve defined your event goals and have a clear picture of your target

audience, its time to think about the timing of your event: when is it going to

happen and how long will it last?

Timing - When will it happen?

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The timing of the event will have a tremendous influence on your planning. Make

sure your target audience will actually be able to attend the event. Ask yourself,

will it be holiday season and the city deserted? Maybe dont launch that new

apparel store. Launching your sushi restaurant outdoors in the August heat?

Think again! And of course there are the national and religious holidays as well as

special events to consider. They will not only have an impact on your audience

participation, but also on labor cost and other practical factors.

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STEP 3 Event Planning 101

Theres the time of day as well as the season to consider. Planning a photo

exhibition in an unused manufacturing hall in winter? Remember to plan and

budget that extra heating and make sure your crowd does not freeze to death

while waiting in line. The same event space can ooze a completely different

atmosphere midday versus at night. Make sure you visit the location at the right

time.

Be aware of what events

happened and are happening

at the venue you select.

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Be thorough. Look over social calendars. Check what your competition is planning.Check what events are happening locally in your area and, if relevant, which events

are happening around the country. Be aware of whats happening a week, a month

before your event, and whats happening a week, a month after your event. Make

sure to check this early and plan accordingly.

Once youve made sure that your target audience actually has time to attend your

event, you can think about how long it should last. As a rule of thumb, your eventshould last as long as necessary, but be as short as possible. Time and attention

are rare commodities and you have to fight for them!

Finally, with regards to timing, make sure to answer these three questions before

booking your venue:

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STEP 3 Event Planning 101

When is the event taking place?

Whats going on around me?

How long will the event last?

Once these questions are answered, go ahead and lock down the best spot to

throw a killer party!

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STEP 4 Event Planning 101

How do you choose the right location for your event? Set your event goals, define

your target audience, the right time for your event, and youre ready to find the

perfect location.

Location - Where will it occurr?

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STEP 4 Event Planning 101

A location is more than just a stage for your event; make it a major part of the event

orchestration. The location can help in getting your message across. Futuristicbuildings, turn of the century mansions, industrial chic factory buildings, they all tell

their own stories, so make them work for your event!

When selecting a location and a venue, its important to look at it from all

perspectives. Create a list of pros and cons for your favored venues and compare

them before you let your gut decide!

When inspecting a venue, figure

where things could go wrong, and

how things could go right...Of course, dont forget to consider where your audience is coming from and how

much travel is involved for them. Always have a plan for guest arrivals and guest

departures that includes car services, flight information, hotel and accommodation

lists at the ready.

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STEP 4 Event Planning 101

Your location choice is limited only by your imagination (and of course budget

constraints). Rent a theater and seat your clients on the stage, launch a new car ona mountain top, or organize an executive retreat in a Buddhist monastery.

If youre using multiple locations for one event, make sure you remember to take

transportation between the locations into account. This is crucial, both for your

time management as well as your budget.

Finally, check what events have been hosted at your chosen location and whosrenting it before and after you.

Do some reconnaissance work. Is the city still buzzing about a party thrown by a

competitor at the same nightclub you have chosen for your event? Maybe you

should consider going somewhere else. Sometimes its just better to go back to

the drawing board!

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STEP 5 Event Planning 101

Money matters and theres never enough!

Budget - What will it cost?

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STEP 5 Event Planning 101

People who havent yet planned

events dont truly understand the

costs involved.Money matters. And sometimes it can be better to hold off hosting an event if youlack the money, than to host a shabby event on a tiny budget.

While having budget constraints does not mean you have to cut back on creativity,

it does mean sure you need to know the budget before starting to plan or even

pitch the event idea to your client.

The budget will have a major impact on the style and type of event your are

hosting, but it should not have an impact on whether you can reach your event

goals. Great things can be achieved with smaller purse strings, you just have to

know how!

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STEP 5 Event Planning 101

If you think your budget is too small, theres ways to make it seem bigger or stretch

it further. In this regard, partnerships and sponsoring deals can go a long way.Make sure that you choose the right partners. They should fit your company as well

as the event, and the collaboration should add value to both parties involved.

Another way of saving money is to reduce the size of your event. The same money

you spend on entertaining and feeding 500 poorly selected guests will be much

better spent on wining and dining the 100 top clients you actually want to do

business with. This is yet another reason why its so important to properly defineyour target audience.

Its crucial to keep control over your budget and always be aware of cost, down to

the last cent. Suppliers and partner companies should be able to provide you with

estimates in the planning phase. This will help you to keep your budget together.

Once you know how much you can spend, you have to make sure youre notactually spending more. Keeping a close eye on spending is key! And there are

many tools that can help you. Even using a spreadsheets program, as simple as

MS Excel, will help you stay focused and, more importantly, on budget.

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STEP 6 Event Planning 101

Great ideas make great events. Without a good idea, your event strategy is useless!

Ideas - How should it be executed?

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When youre stuck for ideas,

try going for a run or even a

walk to get the ideas flowingagain!

What makes this event different from events others are doing?

What makes this event different from events you have done before?

What makes this event different from events this agency has organized?What makes this event different from other events your clients have

experienced?

For your final consideration you must have an event concept. Your event concept

will be your vision for the event, a clear idea of what makes your event different

than others. Test the effectiveness of your concept by answering these 4

questions:

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STEP 6 Event Planning 101

Dont be a copycat and recreate past events, let others copy your events! Its

great to get inspiration from industry leaders and the competition, but you have to

come up with your twist to the story.

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Even the best event concepts can be wasted if the flow of the event is wrong. For

example, a lack of foresight could lead you to place a speaker during dinner, rather

then before or after the meal. The impact of the speaker is now lost because your

guests are too busy paying attention to their food.

Think of your event as a play staged for your audience. There has to be dramatic

development, a constant dynamism across the entirety of the event, in order not to

bore your guests. We all know five minutes can either feel like five minutes or it can

feel like an hour. The right build-up will keep your audience in suspense until the

very last moment.

There are many ways to create a dynamic and engaging event. Event planners can

learn a lot from movies, theater directors, even from a classical Greek tragedy!

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STEP 6 Event Planning 101

Exposition

introduces the characters,

sets the stage

Rising action

a related series of incidents

build toward the point of

great interest

Climax

the turning point, which marks a change,for the better or the worse

Failing action

is about conflict, suspense

and doubt

Resolution

everything comes together,

conflicts are resolved and all

ends happily

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When the lighting is bad,

nobody looks their best...

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STEP 6 Event Planning 101

Your production partners should have a good idea about dramatic structures and

the arc of suspense. Choosing the right partners is key in creating the right

dynamic. Still it is important that you, as an event planner or host, understand the

basics.

Of course, your VIP guests, your location, the music you play, the lightning you use,

the food you serve, what technology you use, and the activities you plan for your

audience have a great importance in creating a dynamic, engaging event. If done

well, it will have an impact; if done poorly, it can kill your event flow.

In this industry, its not only about what you do but also about when and how

you do it!

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LETS GO! Event Planning 101

Now that you are familiar with how to plan a successful event strategy, its time to

put these steps to good use.

Whether its your 1st event or your 1,000th, strategize and stick to it!

If youre interested in further readings we recommend the following books

and blogs:

The Grand Planner Blogby zkipster

Event Manager Blogby Julius Solaris

The Event Leadership Institute Blogby Howard Givner

The Event Marketing Handbook: Beyond Logistics & Planningby Allison Saget

The Business of Event Planningby Judy Allen

Time Management for Event Plannersby Judy Allen

Special Events: A New Generation and the Next Frontierby Joe Goldblatt

The Complete Guide to Successful EventPlanningby Shannon Kilkenny

Art of the Event: Complete Guide to Designing and Decorating Special Eventsby

James C. Monroe

Confessions of an Event Planner: Case Studies from the Real World of Events -

How to Handle the Unexpectedby Judy Allen

Event Planning: The Ultimate Guide To Successful Meetings, Corporate Events,

Fundraising Galas, Conferences, Conventions, Incentives and Other Special

Eventsby Judy Allen

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THANK YOU! Event Planning 101

Did you like this eBook? Check out ourblog at zkipster.com/blogto keep track

of all the latest industry trends and to

collect your daily inspirations.

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