March 16, 2021 | by Mary Windham | This post may contain affiliate links
One of my greatest opportunities was to study under the "Godfather of Event Management," Dr. Joe Jeff Goldblatt. The doctor taught at one of the most prestigious programs in the world, the Masters of Event Management course at George Washington University. Under Dr. Goldblatt’s tutelage, I learned about the five phases of successfully planning any type of event.
I took these five phases and customized the details to build a thriving 7-figure revenue business.
Repeatedly and successfully used throughout my career, these five phases are crucial to effectively planning, implementing, and managing any event:
The Five Event Planning Phases
Research
Design
Planning
Coordination
Evaluation
In this special planning series, you’ll learn about each phase and what that looks like for you, the event planner. We’ll explore how I incorporated these steps into my business and how you can too! Scroll down to explore the Research Phase.
Phase 1: Research
The first step in event planning and management is completing thorough research on your client and their event. At Occasions, Inc., this phase typically begins with our sales/business development team as this is the perfect chance to collect valuable information and prepare for the proposal.
Our sales team discerns the client’s main goals for the event and how realistic their vision is. Whenever possible, we identify potential challenges and how we may solve them. Our team becomes intimately familiar with the client and their event so we can determine our proposal’s "win theme." This “win theme" is the value of the event planner’s solution as the event planner is meeting the client’s needs. The more compelling your value is, the more likely your proposal will win.
It's also important to note at this stage that not all opportunities may be aligned with your company’s mission or strategy for growth. So, part of the sales process at Occasions, Inc. includes a bid/no-bid questionnaire to help us determine if we should dedicate resources to pursuing the opportunity.
After confirming that we’re moving forward, we first examine the goals and objectives of our client's event by conducting a Needs Assessment, SWOT Analysis, and Feasibility Study. Throughout the years, I developed a complete Event Prospectus that easily helps my team capture this information. Keep reading to learn about these assessments!
Answering the Five W's
Clarifying the five W’s gives our team a clear understanding of our client's event goals:
Why is the client holding this event?
Who will benefit from the event?
When is the time and date of the event?
Where will the event take place?
What will the event include?
SWOT Analysis
A SWOT Analysis explores the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats that affect our client’s event. This is an imperative step in determining how we can solve a problem or challenge for our clients so they receive a compelling proposal that specifically and realistically addresses their event needs.
1. Strengths: Demonstrable factors and capabilities that will improve or support the success of the event. Examples:
Goal-oriented staff and committee
Strong sponsorship connections
Historic success of similar events
2. Weaknesses: Historical factors that may hinder or weaken the success of the event. Examples:
First-time event
No way to forecast attendance
No experience in planning similar events
3. Opportunities: Future predictable factors that may benefit the organization and justify the event. Examples:
Money raised will help the client’s bottom line (if the event is a fundraiser)
The client will gain a stronger name and recognition in the community
Success will ensure repeat event
4. Threats: Future predictable external factors that can jeopardize the event. Examples:
Competing events and organizations
Economy
Weather
Location
Feasibility Study
This study is used to objectively examine the event design and to determine if the event is feasible given the resources available. The purpose of the Feasibility Study is to clearly determine and define the following:
Ability to secure financial resources
The physical space meets the needs of the event and attendees
Being aware of the political environment around the event
Identifying any potential challenges
Examining legal, ethical, and risk management considerations
Evaluate the overall potential of each item listed
Our team researches the goals and objectives, potential risks, threats, and challenges of the event. These are used to determine the work required to reach the client’s goals and are critical for submitting the proposal.
But wait! We don’t submit the proposal quite yet. There’s one more step before the proposal is complete: The Design Phase.
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