Most events do not fail because of the big idea but because of small things nobody clarified in time: a missing power supply, a timeline that is too tight, unclear responsibilities on the day. The tips below are no substitute for professional planning, but they help you ask the most important questions early.
Before you look at venues or collect programme ideas, answer three questions: Why is the event taking place? Who should attend? What should be different afterwards, for example in team cohesion, in attitude towards a topic or in the relationship with customers?
A goal that can be put in one sentence makes every later decision easier. It helps with choosing venue and programme just as much as with deciding what can be left out.
Decide what the budget is primarily for: experience, catering, staging or reach. Not everything can be at the centre at once. Also plan a buffer for the unexpected. As a rule of thumb, 10 to 15 percent is often cited, depending on size and complexity of the event.
Convert quotes to comparable full costs, for example per guest, and check what is included in each. For a detailed overview, see our article Company anniversary: what does planning cost?.
Start with the event day and work backwards: When do invitations need to go out? When should the venue be booked firmly? By when do suppliers need their documents? Planning backwards shows early where things get tight.
Take holiday periods, public holidays and peak seasons in the region into account. Popular venues and suppliers are often booked far in advance during busy periods.
Whether a venue fits is not decided by the impression at the viewing alone. Check very practically:
On the subject of weather, see our article Summer party in any weather. The basic rules apply to many outdoor formats.
A save-the-date, a clear invitation and a simple registration save many questions later. Tell guests early what they need to know: time, place, travel, dress code, programme outline, catering and a contact person.
Ask about dietary requirements and accessibility before the catering is fixed, and handle participants’ personal data carefully. For larger events, a reminder shortly before the date should be standard.
A detailed run of show with times, responsibilities and contact details is the most important document on the event day. Everyone involved should know it before the first guest arrives. Also clarify who may make decisions when something deviates from the plan.
Plan a short team briefing before the start, walk through the critical moments together and keep a solution ready for typical disruptions, such as technology, delays or weather.
Collect impressions from the team, from suppliers and, where appropriate, from guests on the same or the next day. Note what worked well and what you would do differently next time. Anyone who records this plans the next event much more calmly.
Good event planning is mostly about order and consistency: clarify goal and audience first, then budget, timeline and venue, and set responsibilities and a plan B for the event day.
A beautiful venue does not solve an unclear goal. The event quickly feels arbitrary.
Small changes and reorders add up. Without a reserve, quality is cut at the end.
Key guests have already committed elsewhere by then, and attendance suffers.
If nobody is allowed to decide, valuable time is lost in critical moments.
Tell us about your occasion. We will discuss goal, framework and next steps with you.
