CREATING THE EVENT VISION

EINTROEVMM.Aldana ‘17

Event Vision■ Event Managers are visionaries, they have a vivid, distinct and

detailed vision of some future happening.■ Event managers turn this vision into reality in an organized step-by-

step manner■ Most people who plan events makes the mistake of creating the

product first even before trying to understand for whom it is and why it is to happen.

■ Thus, it will be very likely that important details will be missed, and possibly even the whole reason for which the event is staged.

Event Vision

■ An event is an investment in time – that of the organizers, the audience and other stakeholders – and money or other similar resources provided by these same people.

■ The event manager is the one who effectively and efficiently envisions, executes, and evaluates unique happenings that bring people together.

■ The job calls for the ability to achieve the purpose for which the event is held using the optimum amount of resources.

GETTING WOW THRU

WWWWWHOW

Information Gathering

■ Creating the event vision begins by understanding the event to be executed, the reason for it, the people involved, the timing, the setting etc.

■ Basic research techniques uses the interrogative words: why, who, when, where, what and how (5Ws and H)

■ These questions draws out actual answers which will help create a clear vision for the event being planned.

■ Questions that yield YES or NO would lead to dead ends; using WWWWWHOW will teach you all you need to know.

The Right Source

■ Ask the right questions to the right people – get information from the right source.

■ Your primary source of information will be the client or the host (or event committee).

■ Set a meeting with the prospect prior to drafting your event plan. Meet with the host or members of the event committee as these people hold or have access to information you need to put the event together.

■ It may also be necessary to include the financier in the meeting, even if just to clarify concerns on the budget and ROI targets.

■ If possible, get a chance to meet with a sample group of potential event guests.

The Right Questions

■ Before meeting with anyone, prepare a checklist of questions that will help you gather facts relative to the event.

Why?

■ Why must this event be held?■ This will define the purpose of the unique happening that is to

happen.

■ Why would stakeholders want to invest in this event?■ This will give you an idea on the level of involvement for event

stakeholders.

Who?

■ Who are expected to attend the event?■ Who would benefit from such event?■ Who would want to come to the event?

What?

■ What would delight the event audience?■ What are the expectations of the stakeholders?

When?

■ When is the best time to hold this event?■ When will the event be held?

Where?

■ Where will the event be held?■ Where will the attendees/participants coming from?

How?

■ How many attendees/participants are expected?■ How will the budget be set for this event?

Activity!

■ Supposing you were tasked to organize this year’s CHTM College Days. Prepare a list of 20 questions that you would like to ask the Student Council when you interview them to gather information about the event.

Ask about the Past

■ Aside from asking what the event will be, also ask about how previous events similar to the one being planned, were executed.

SETTING EVENT OBJECTIVES

Objectives

■ Define what the event hopes to achieve■ Management books tell us that objectives should be S.M.A.R.T.

(Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, & Time-bound)■ The challenge is for the Event Manager is to make it S.M.A.R.T.E.R.

Specific

■ Objectives should be concrete and well-defined, clearly stating the required outcome and/or the effects desired.

■ Objectives communicate what should happen as a result of attending the event.– How will the attendees feel after the event?– What will the attendees do as a result of attending the event?

Measurable

■ Objectives are marks against which performance and success will be evaluated. It should have a way of measuring performance.

■ State objectives using parameters that may be measured in concrete terms.

■ Ex. Ticket sales, audience size, sales volume, donation pledges, participant’s feedback, etc.

Attainable

■ Objectives are the ends to which the event will progress.■ If objectives are deemed unattainable, stakeholders will not be

motivated to work towards its realization.

Realistic

■ Aside from being attainable, check whether objectives can be achieved using the resources available, including time, money, and manpower.

Time-bound

■ Set a period within which the objectives must be achieved.■ Time is another measure of performance.

Exciting

■ Objectives should motivate people to work.■ Objectives that are too easy to achieve may not motivate people to do

their share.■ Objectives should rev up the team with enthusiasm.

Responsible

■ What value does the event give to society?■ What value does it take away from society?■ Events must be designed with a sense of responsibility in mind, be it

moral, social, or environmental.■ Event managers must satisfy the 3 Ps: profits, people, planet.

Drafting the Event Vision

■ With event objectives set and armed with a lot of answers from the interview, the next step is to create the event vision, a definition of what kind of event you would have.

The event planning process starts with:■ Purpose – a brief backgrounder or a statement of the purpose of the

event■ Audience – describe the target audience■ Objectives – how will the audience feel, what will the attendees do as

a result of attending the event, financial or other organizational objectives

■ Budget – state the initial estimated cost of the event or the budget earmarked for it.

■ Measures – describe how the objectives will be checked or measured

Budget

■ In the planning stages, the budget may be based on:– Budget of previous event or similar events– Marketing projections and estimates– General economic forecast– Expected return on investment– Type of financing used for the event– What the host can afford

Budget

■ Money dictates what kind of event you can have.■ Revenue>Expenses – these are events that are organized mainly to

generate revenue, and ultimately profit■ Expenses>Revenue – these are loss leader events that are not

intended to generate revenues to cover expenses. Expenses may be footed by the host.

■ Revenue=Expenses – the aim is to break even, that is to generate just enough revenues equal to the expense incurred.

Measures

■ Tell how the results of the event will be checked and monitored.