How to Minimise Risk for Your Next Event: Essential Tips and Strategies

Organising events can be complex, with various challenges depending on the scale and type of event. We have over 50 years combined event experience and have managed every conceivable and unimaginable event challenge!

We work with clients on any, or all, of the elements of their event production. Not only does this help them with time management, we help to take away key stress points and bottlenecks to deliver the event.

How do events go wrong?

Budget Management

In the corporate world, everyone has a budget, when you're managing your own party, its often too easy to take the 'you only live once' approach and blow resources on your personal passion be it music or flowers.

Prioritise, prioritise, prioritise- what can't you live without? Everything else can then become a compromise.
Don't compromise quality for budget, it is better to have nothing than something substandard. Remember, the guests won't know how it was supposed to be!
Unexpected costs always arise last minute-have a minimum 10% contingency
Securing sponsors or funding where it is appropriate, but make it worth while for people and companies to sponsor your event. A social share of your website won't cut for most corporates.

Venue Selection

This is likely to be your biggest spend so it is important to get it right. A suitable venue which can accommodate your needs is the most important part. You can change what it looks like but not where it is or their quality of service.

Time Management

Event management is all about co-ordinating multiplie tasks and deadlines. There are various critical paths and things that must happen before you move to the next activity, such as venue and music selection

Things always take a lot longer than you can imagine, especially with a supply chain and so many moving parts to manage.
There will always be last-minute changes or cancellations. A reduced guest number is usually manageable, but it is our little black events book which could save you if one of the key suppliers lets you down.
An onsite coordinator makes sure everything runs on schedule during the event. When it doesn't, this has a huge impact on the events success.

Guest & Attendee Management

Do not take the 'build it and they will come' approach to events. In recent years, people have realised time is the most precious thing so are very selective about events they will attend.

Get a good and early handle on registrations and ticketing.
Manage guest expectations and needs such as accessibility and dietary restrictions, this will make or break their experience.
Hev contingency in place for sealing with last-minute RSVPs or dropouts.

Vendor & Supplier Coordination

Contractor management is always the riskiest element of any business arrangement and could be a dealbreaker for your event!

Ensuring timely delivery of any catering, decor, and equipment-pin them down for a time and date, and give yourself some leeway.
Pay vendor contracts on time-they could be reliant on your payment to deliver their services and you need the very best version of them for success.
Focus on the immediate problem which could impact impact success, handle any issues with missing or faulty supplies with care and professionalism.

Technology & Equipment Issues

For the majority of people, technology is an unknown quantity so make sure your contractor is well known, well versed and reliable.

Sound, lighting, and audio visual failures will happen, do not let this put a downer on the rest of the event.
Make sure you have nailed any internet and connectivity problems for virtual or hybrid events, this is another deal breaker.
Guests do now expect wifi access whatever the event and will help with social sharing.
Event apps or digital check-ins are the future and can bring a playful element of gamification which is known to supercharge event engagement levels. It also gives you access to delegates before, during and after the event for ongoing marketing.

Marketing & Promotion

Knowing your audience is event and marketing 101. If you don't know the market sector you are targeting, you can 'speak' and sell to them.

Make sure your event theme branding is included on all marketing materials.
Understand and manage social media, email campaigns, and advertising-the positives will drive success but also have a process in place to manage the negatives.
Secure an external specialist if you don't feel confident to manage PR and media coverage.

Team & Volunteer Coordination

All events are a team effort, but never more so for the charity events which use volunteers committed to the cause but potentially without the right skills.

Make sure everyone is involved from the beginning so the understand, why, when and how they will complete their roles.
When you're dealing with contract or ad hoc staff, always have a plan b for managing last-minute staff cancellations.
Keeping volunteers motivated and accountable, they want to contribute something meaningful but everyone needs to be feel valued.

Risk & Crisis Management

At the start of your planning journey, brainstorm with your team to understand what can go wrong. In events, it always can and will! For the high level risks, have a viable alternative plan if the worst should happen.

Weather disruptions can be catastrophic for outdoor events.
Have a detailed plan to deal with difficult and potential inebriated guests-you never want this to lead to an external intervention.
Big venues always ask for a risk assessment to ensure everyone's safety and to confirm emergency plans are fit for purpose. You may also need this for insurance purposes.

Post-Event Follow-up

At the end of it all, events are all about the guests. If they're not happy, you probably haven't achieved your objectives.

Always collecting feedback for improvement, you will always be surprised about the things people think are important.
Handling payments, refunds, and thank-you notes in a timely manner. When people have given their hard earned cash and time, make sure they know you appreciate them.
Evaluating the event’s success for future planning. If this is a 'product' you want to sell again, you need to constantly innovate to maintain people's attention.

How can we support your next event for success? Let us have the sleepless nights...........we're used to it!