How to pull off an event
“We cannot solve problems with the kind of thinking we employed when we came up with them.” — Albert Einstein
MBABANE – As we approach the festive season, I figured I should help newcomers in the events space on a few pointers on how to pull off a successful event.
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Events
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Director of The Executive Advisory Firm Thobeka Nhlengethwa.
MPUMI MDLALOSE - EVENT ORGANISER
She recently hosted Big Zulu and Inkabi Nation and Tevin Campbell show in 2019 at Hawane Resort.
How I have organized successful festivals;
I created concrete goals such as what do I want to achieve in terms of objectives, who is my target audience and when will I have the show, is the preferred location accessible, ample parking and of course weather forecast.
2.) Budgeting is critically important and securing sponsorship aligned to my goals and the company’s ROI. There are a lot of requirements for staging a successful show including the obvious, however, other hidden costs such as hospitality raiders for artists, a healthy marketing budget and team member’s refreshment allowances can be neglected whereas they are equally important aspects of budget.
3. Secure a festival’s venue which is centrally located and easily accessible by private vehicle or public transportation. A venue that can accommodate the target audience and the anticipated numbers.
4. Booking the artists and vendors is also dependent on the goals. It has to be done prior and research properly on the venue, its patrons and same with the vendors. You also need a very elaborate vendor dossier with all the information before signing or committing.
5) Building a marketing plan and
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Here are a few checklists that newcomers in the entertainment space should at least have in no particular order.
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THOBEKA NHLENGETHWA- THE EXECUTIVE ADVISORY FIRM – DIRECTOR
She’s part of the team that organised The Epic Gig and MTN iPraise among other shows.
1. Take time to plan
The more you have time to plan your event, the better. This will give you time to secure sponsors, work out an event strategy and ensure that you’ve given time to plan for every small detail leading up to your event.
The event strategy needs time to execute. This will guide who your sponsors potentially are, your overall event experience and the small details which make your event. It will determine who you involve in your event and why or how you plan your event and even who you target to attend and partner with. It will determine how aggressively you market your event on various platforms for example social media spend vs. Radio spend, etc.
3. Value your stakeholders Once you have an event strategy, you’ll know who your stakeholders are. Who are your stakeholders? These include your sponsors, the media, your suppliers, government departments such as the police and paramedics etc. Most importantly, your paying clients (attendee’s also known as event goers). Give these people what they need to give you the best
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,W DOZD\V PDNHV RXU OLYHV EHWWHU WKDQ FDOOLQJ DW WKH JDWH RQ WKH GD\ RI WKH HYHQW 7KHVH DUH MXVW D IHZ SRLQWHUV , FDQ WKLQN RI KHQFH ZK\ , FRQVXOWHG WKH H[SHUWV WR DGG RQ WKH OLVW WKLV LV ZKDW WKH\ KDG WR VD\ on the day. Be reliable. Deliver on your promises. What they bring to the table helps you orchestrate a great event. For example, the media will need comfortable work spaces to work on reporting your event. Have dedicated people in charge of each stakeholder group so that no stakeholder feels let down. A media liaison for example is a valuable investment.
The smallest things make your event great. You’d think fancy decor or a flashy promo is all you need. Not so. The smallest thing such as having clean toilets or for example seamless entry into your event arena can make the difference. Everything counts towards the final experience.
5. Have a cohesive team
Each person on your team is vital. Have a person responsible for a task team. Everyone must understand the end goal and work as a team. Hire passionate people. Appreciate them. Their attitude will determine how well they work as a team to make the event work. A cohesive team who believes in the vision is worth more than gold.
6. Correctly allocate your budget
Your strategy will guide your budget. It will determine the places you spend money with the biggest return. Budget allocation will either make or break your event. Understanding what you can and cannot afford and knowing what is important to spend on when is an art. It will determine your success.