The clock can be the ultimate ruler of your job. Can I send this e-mail before our morning meeting? Wait, it isn’t lunch yet? There is no way they expect me to get this report done by 4 p.m.
When it comes to planning an event for the company, that same clock may make you sweat a bit. Yes, they expect you to plan that board meeting in a week. Yes, that is insane. No, they don’t know exactly what they want.
It’s up to you to get decisions made.
Racing Against The Clock
Planning an event is a race against the clock. You are go-go-go from the moment you find out about it to the last second everyone leaves. There is no after party for you, unless you consider paying the vendors and helping load out the tables a party. We didn’t think so.
Planning becomes even more of a time crunch when you aren’t the one in charge. Sure, you’re in charge of making sure that every guest has a good time. The smoothness of the event is riding on your shoulders. But those final decisions? The budget? You are at the beck and call of others.
Destination Marketing Association International found what 400 meeting planners find most maddening. These three are definitely relevant to this conversation:
- Stakeholders Who Think They’re ‘Planners’
- Champagne Taste on a Beer Budget and
- Waiting For Others to Make Decisions
The first step to making sure your event is successful is finding and securing the event space. So it’s good to go in with a clear expectation from your boss or manager. How many people will be attending? What type of event is it? That way, you can move forward with decisions as quickly as possible and beat that ticking clock.
There’s No One-Size-Fits All
Of course, there is no one way to plan an event. What works for some may not work for others. And, of course, you are only as organized as the higher-ups (and their information).
Some events are ready to go in a week. Some take months. It all comes down to the factors discussed above, such as the number of attendees and type of event. No amount of guides or how-to posts can prepare you for the amount of your time it will take.
This is where having as much information in one place as possible comes in handy. Don’t rely on WikiHow event planning articles (yes, it’s a real thing—complete with photos!). It may come down to the wire. You may wonder if this event is actually going to happen. Just remember that you’ve already found that perfect location. The right space has the ability to make the event.
Closing
Because event spaces are such an integral part of the planning process, we want to be your go-to. Not only your go-to for finding that perfect space, saving you time. We want to be the place you get industry information and posts that are actually helpful to your daily job. No offense to WikiHow.
We know you all need different things. Some of you are planning large-scale conferences. Some, a smaller partner lunch. We will strive to be here every step of the way. Especially during your race for the perfect space.