Have you ever had a looming project that just seemed too daunting to begin or you
were not sure where to begin? It has been for me. Throughout my career, I have
learned how to juggle managing events, while continuing all my other responsibilities.
From these experiences I have found some ways to simplify the process. First, take a deep breath, step back and look at the whole vision. Ask yourself these questions: What is my organization trying to financially accomplish with this event? How long will I need to accomplish this? How do I garnish the support I need to complete the vision? I found that there are 3 key components to tap into as I processed what was next.
1. Dollars
Sounds basic but it takes some planning. What is my budget? If it is a fundraiser, how much do I need to raise? How many attendees? Will I sell tickets, have sponsors, look for donations? What do I need to determine my expenses? Keep a running budget throughout the whole process and stick to it. Use what works for you to budget. I prefer google sheets and list out projected revenue and expenses for each month.
2. Plan backwards
Plan backwards: Start with the actual event date and back up from there. When do I need registration ready? Is there a website page to be completed? How will I market the event and when do I start? Do I need volunteers, when do I start recruiting?
Pull out your calendar and look at how much time you can work on the event and still accomplish your other tasks.
Do you have a team or volunteers you can assign items to?
Determine how long you need to complete each task. Create a timeline and refer to it daily. If you have one, use a project management tool. I like Monday.com to keep on track; or Google docs/sheets works well.
3. Communication
This is key to all things in life and especially to event planning. Make sure your communication to all you are working with is clear and concise. This helps find and maintain the support you need. Responsibilities, regular updates, due dates, feedback on projects, financial...this includes communicating to your team, volunteers, attendees, vendors, sponsors, speakers, etc. Hint: add to your timeline when and what you need to communicate to keep you on track.
I have found that once I have the vision, I can work from there to create my timeline with bite size pieces, and then I am running with the process and it is not running me. Most importantly, have fun! A sense of humor is a must and enjoy the people that have come alongside you to make this a success. Together you are bringing this vision to life that will benefit others!
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