CC:Image Source
When you are planning an event, there is much preparation required to ensure that the event goes to plan. First things first, how important is the event in question? Give it a rating from 1 to 10, with 10 being profoundly important enough to consider hiring an events planner.
Is it a wedding, anniversary, child’s birthday, or something work related? Can it be planned over a weekend, or does it require weeks (or months) of planning? You must consider these things. Do you have a set budget for the event, or do you plan to factor in fund raising?
Choose the Location
Even though it may be a home or work-based event, you need to consider whether the guests will fit into your home, or whether you will need to hire a venue. If the guest list is huge it would be beneficial to hire a venue, but you need to factor in a budget for this. A theater is a perfect venue to promote a movie, while a classroom will work effectively for a workshop. Consider the size of the venue, the number of invites and whether there will be enough food for each guest.
Raise Money Through Fun Events
If the guest list is over 100 and monies are low, consider adding a number of fun activities as a way to raise money. These can be done prior to the event with the proceeds going to support the event. Alternatively, try to seek monetary funding from an external source. If you are forced go take this route ensure that you have several months to raise funds, and request ideas from members of family or staff. Good ways to raise money is through a sporting event, art, comedy, or other act. You will be surprised to learn how people can come together when the topic is fund raising.
Catering
External caterers will do all of the food planning for you. There may be set menus, or you may be able to choose a set menu type to cover the guest list. Tables are often provided by the caterers and covered by easy wipe tablecloths for minimal mess. Caterers provide food for a wide variety of events, including weddings, parties, family gatherings, and business events. If you have been put in touch with a good caterer, ring the company and obtain a quote.
Word of mouth is everything in business. Does the caterer offer a free taste test prior to the hire? In addition, does the caterer have a specialty dish that is popular with its customers? Although a caterer can be one of the costliest options for a large-scale event, there will be no washing up afterward, as the dishes and easy wipe tablecloths are the property of the caterer. There is a lot of forward planning if you prefer to prepare the food yourself. Catering is a safe option and there is always the choice of selection from a variety of different meal options, including vegetarian, halal, and gluten free food options.
How to Publicize an Event
You can approach many avenues when publicizing an event. If you want to expand on your guest list then consider hiring a public relations person or firm. Do you want to encourage the public to attend? If so, you will need to consider investing in leaflets, perhaps a short radio advertisement, or newspaper coverage to promote the event, dependent on the budget. A mass email is an effective (and inexpensive) way to promote an event. However, you need to consider that if your email is not saved in the email list of the contact, it may be delivered to their spam box rather than inbox.
Wendy Derbyshire is a writer who knows that planning an event can be stressful, which is why hiring a caterer who uses an easy wipe tablecloth is a time saving option.