That said, the confusion between the two functions is understandable. Events have a lot of moving parts and, as a result, event professionals are known to wear many hats \u2014 especially when attempting to bring disparate visions together to create a cohesive experience. So, it\u2019s common for event managers to plan events and event planners to manage them.<\/p>\n
4 core components of effective event management<\/h2>\n
A successful event might feel \u2013\u2013 to attendees \u2013\u2013 like a COVERGIRL commercial: easy, breezy, and beautiful.<\/p>\n
But events that go well are the result of a long list of skillfully managed components<\/a>. Event management features four core categories:<\/p>\n This is the stage of event management that overlaps the most with the event planning process. It\u2019s when organizers set their goals, define the target audience, create a budget, and determine the theme for their event.<\/p>\n Developing an event strategy often requires input from marketing, sales, and creative teams, all brought together by an event manager who helps the full group sync on the event\u2019s vision and key logistics.<\/p>\n Common deliverables at this stage include an event brief<\/a>, event branding guidelines, and project trackers.<\/p>\n Planning and managing an event is only half the battle. You also have to get people to show up. That\u2019s where event promotion comes in. There are a variety of promotional channels you can use, including:<\/p>\n This stage of event management is perhaps why event managers have the fifth hardest job in the world<\/a>. Just ask anyone who\u2019s managed a company offsite, an expo, or a wedding what it\u2019s like to be in charge of the run of show.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a \u201csmall\u201d sample of everything that must go smoothly for an event to be considered a success:<\/p>\n The list goes on and will ultimately depend on the type of event you\u2019re managing. If you\u2019re managing a virtual event, for example, you won\u2019t have to deal with on-site venue managers but will need to make sure speakers participate in your technical run-through. In-person attendees might wait around for a keynote speaker\u2019s microphone to get fixed but online attendees can easily close and reopen their browser.<\/p>\n \u200dPro tip:<\/strong> Use this free, customizable run of show template to ensure your virtual, in-person, and hybrid events run smoothly.<\/p>\n When an event\u2019s over, it\u2019s tempting to just pack up (or, in the case of a virtual event, close the dozens of tabs you\u2019ve opened \u2013\u2013 each of which was decidedly necessary). But one of the most important components of event management happens after the event is over: measuring your event\u2019s success.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll want to see how the event performed across three key groups: attendees, speakers, and sponsors. You can get qualitative data by conducting post-event phone or email surveys with participants, but you will definitely want quantitative data, too.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re using an event platform like RingCentral Events, event performance data<\/a> will be at your fingertips. Look for metrics like:<\/p>\n Different event types, from in-person to virtual to hybrid, require different approaches and skills. You wouldn\u2019t use the same playbook to win football, soccer, and rugby matches, would you?<\/p>\n Read on for key differences in event management based on event format.<\/p>\n You likely know something about in-person events. You\u2019ve been going to them for years \u2013\u2013 until recently.<\/p>\n As a reminder, successful in-person event management is:<\/p>\n Virtual events aren\u2019t just safer than in-person events. They have the potential to be more scalable, cost-efficient, and inclusive.<\/p>\n Virtual event management is:<\/p>\n Let\u2019s make something clear: Today\u2019s hybrid events aren\u2019t just a mashup of in-person and virtual events. Splashing a video feed of a conference stage onto an event website and calling it a day doesn\u2019t make for a successful hybrid event<\/a>.<\/p>\n Hybrid event management is:<\/p>\n Hundreds of events happen on RingCentral Events every day. From in-person to virtual to hybrid, we\u2019ve seen what works \u2014 and what doesn\u2019t \u2014 when it comes to managing successful events. Here are our top strategies:<\/p>\n Why are you bringing people together at all? Establishing your event objectives early will help guide the many decisions required to get your event off the ground. Start with the highest-level purpose <\/strong>behind your event strategy. This should connect to your organization\u2019s missions and values. For instance, if you\u2019re Patagonia<\/a>, maybe your purpose for events is to \u201cBring together people who believe in doing better business to protect nature.\u201d<\/p>\n From there, define your goals<\/strong>. These should be specific and measurable objectives that support your purpose. You should be able to link them to event analytics you\u2019ll gather before, during, and after your event to help you measure overall event impact.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s say Patagonia were to launch a zero-waste concert series. Their goals for said series might include \u201creach 20,000 members of our target audience: eco-conscious millennials with disposable income\u201d and \u201ccreate 50,000 positive engagements on social media mentioning Patagonia and sustainability.\u201d<\/p>\n Other examples of measurable event goals include:<\/strong><\/p>\n Here are a few questions to ask yourself to help define your event\u2019s goals:<\/strong><\/p>\n You should capture your event\u2019s purpose and goals in your event brief, which is a centralized planning document.<\/p>\n Now you know the purpose behind your event and how you\u2019ll measure whether your event lived up to its goals. Excellent. Whether you\u2019re working with an event planner or you\u2019re managing the entire event yourself, from pre-planning to execution, it\u2019s important to know how much money you have to spend on making that vision a reality.<\/p>\n Knowing your goals and budget helps you make management decisions because it forces you to be practical. Planning a 100-person company retreat with a goal of improving employee morale and a budget of $10,000? Well, you\u2019re not going to be able to cover travel and lodging for that many people with the size of the budget, so you\u2019re probably looking at a virtual event supplemented with home delivery of food and swag.<\/p>\n Start with this free event budget template. Before finalizing your budget, make sure you\u2019ve covered these questions:<\/p>\n Knowing your event goals and how much you have to spend helps narrow down event management choices, but the deciding factor should always be what will work best for your audience.<\/p>\n For instance, a corporate event with a goal of collecting qualified leads and a budget of $40,000 might lead you to plan a hands-on hybrid training workshop. But how do you decide whether to lean professional, with a formal dress code and carefully planned networking sessions, or casual, with a design-your-own-t-shirt icebreaker and a hackathon to close out?<\/p>\n Knowing that your audience is a group of 30- to 40-something mid-level engineering managers who miss coding and want to make new friends in their field might inspire you to lean in the latter direction.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople really just want to feel seen,\u201d says Keneisha Williams, founder of Black in Events. \u201cPeople want to feel heard\u2026[and] those needs change over time. What someone wanted a year ago is not necessarily what they want now.\u201d<\/p>\n Look at data to learn about your audience, and do additional audience research<\/a> to fill in any gaps. Then, pull those learnings together into a target persona for your event. Keep that target persona in mind when you\u2019re making advanced planning decisions and prioritizing during the event.<\/p>\n Here are a few things to research to help you understand your target persona:<\/strong><\/p>\n Not to get all meta, but everything is content. This guide you\u2019re reading. The podcast you listened to this morning. Your cousin\u2019s wedding ceremony. Every event is, in fact, just a bunch of content delivered in different ways \u2013\u2013 from keynotes and fireside chats to prerecorded video and live Q&As.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t assume that securing the venue, deciding on the technology platform, staying within budget, and seamlessly planning two run-of-shows is where the work ends. You need to make sure that what you\u2019re presenting is novel, valuable, and of interest to your target audience.<\/p>\n \u201cPutting a bunch of people in a room to listen to a keynote that could have been a podcast\u2026I think it has to be more than that,\u201d says Liz Lathan, founder of Haute Companies. \u201cThat keynote has to be followed by micro events, breakouts, and workshops to really see how you’re going to put that stuff into action and bring value back to your company. You took the time away from your guest bedroom to go to a conference. You need to make sure that conference is going to be valuable, and event organizers need to make sure that’s the case, too.\u201d<\/p>\n So how can you make sure your event\u2019s content is worth paying attention to?<\/p>\n Start by reviewing the different types of event content \u2013\u2013 make sure they speak to your audience and stand out in a crowd:<\/strong><\/p>\n Branding is powerful.<\/p>\n Research shows that strong branding can decrease price sensitivity<\/a> and increase customer satisfaction and loyalty<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u200dThe average open rate for even emails is only 20-30%<\/a>, especially when attendees are strapped for time. And those who open the emails don\u2019t even necessarily read through it. But branding can change that.<\/p>\n The images, colors, fonts, and visual tone that make up your event branding convey what kind of experience attendees will get.<\/p>\n Make sure to customize these aspects of your event branding:<\/strong><\/p>\n Managing an event \u2013\u2013 whether it\u2019s hybrid, virtual, or in person \u2013\u2013 requires the right tools.<\/p>\n The right event management platform<\/a> should come with functionality that goes way beyond badge scanning and live streaming.<\/p>\n Because your event management software has a direct impact on your audience\u2019s experience, investing in the right platform for your needs is crucial.<\/p>\n Here are some features to look for in your event management technology:<\/strong><\/p>\n Moving through an event requires a lot of planning, tracking, and, sometimes, crisis management. Once your event is complete, you can look forward to one of the most interesting parts of event management: the post-event recap.<\/p>\n With the right event platform, there is a lot of valuable event data to analyze.<\/p>\n1. Event strategy<\/h3>\n
2. Event promotion<\/h3>\n
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3. Event logistics<\/h3>\n
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4. Event reporting<\/h3>\n
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In-person, virtual, hybrid: How event type impacts event management<\/h2>\n
In-person event management<\/h3>\n
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Virtual event management<\/h3>\n
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Hybrid event management<\/h3>\n
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7 crucial strategies (and some resources) for successful event management<\/h2>\n
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1. Define event goals early.<\/h3>\n
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2. Lock in your event budget after deciding on your goals.<\/h3>\n
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3. Know your target audience.<\/h3>\n
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4. Invest in your event\u2019s content.<\/h3>\n
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![\"Event](\"https:\/\/newrcblog.wpengine.com\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/61e6e1f8cbcef0471d400a87_MLPicture1.png\")
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n5. Create consistent event branding.<\/h3>\n
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![\"Event](\"https:\/\/newrcblog.wpengine.com\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/61e6e239c33f79497e01a57a_ML2Picture1.png\")
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n6. Choose the right event management technology.<\/h3>\n
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7. Gather and analyze event data to improve future events.<\/h3>\n
![\"Use](\"https:\/\/newrcblog.wpengine.com\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/61e6e259b886939a7e6db435_ML3Picture1.png\")
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