Planning an event takes forward thinking, creativity, and a head for detail. The key to a successful event is a sound management strategy that you can refer to at every step of the process. This will mean that you will have a watertight framework to ensure that nothing slips through the net, and will mitigate against the risk of last minute problems.
Experienced event managers will probably have their own strategies nailed down to a T, but if you are planning your first event, it can be a daunting task. A tool used by many people who are new to the industry is the 5 Cs of event management. These are: Concept, Coordination, Control, Culmination, and Closeout.
Here’s a look at what they are and what they mean, and how you can apply them to an event.
Concept
The concept of the event is about working out the basics, including the overall purpose of the event, the intended audience, and where and when it will take place. You may also want to include a way to measure the outcome of the event, such as the money raised or sales figures achieved.
Coordination
Coordination refers to the logistics of putting everything together. The first step is to work out your budget as this will need to be referred to at every stage of the following process. Secondly, you need to draw up a schedule for the event to make sure that you are covering all the bases.
Further steps include sourcing and booking a venue, hiring the necessary equipment, arranging catering, and engaging guest speakers, and any other third parties.
Depending on the nature of the event, this stage could include many other tasks, such as carrying out risk assessments, booking accommodation, arranging security, communicating with the marketing team, and putting back up plans in place should the worst happen.
Control
Control means taking charge of the overall masterplan to ensure that nothing goes off track and any problems are nipped in the bud as soon as they arise. You may need to visit the venue in advance for example, to check out details such as how good the acoustics are in the conference room, and if all the company devices are compatible with the technology.
Culmination
This stage refers to the day of the event when hopefully all your hard work behind the scenes will be set in motion. The work doesn’t stop here however, as you will need to keep all the plates spinning and catch anything that could interfere with the smooth running of the day.
In essence, you will need to make sure that everything happens at the right time and in the right place, with the right equipment and the right people. No pressure then!
Closeout
This stage involves overseeing the cleanup and vacating of the venue, and ensuring that all third parties are thanked and paid on time. You may also want to reach out to staff and attendees with a closing message, or ask for feedback to help you evaluate how successful the event has been at achieving its goals.
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