Planning an event can be overwhelming and leave organisers feeling a little stressed, especially as the big day approaches. With the Christmas party season approaching fast, we wanted to share with you our 5 top event management tips for a good Christmas party.
Be prepared
With the big day nearly here, you’ve hopefully ensured that every little detail is booked, paid and ready to go.
Before the event, it’s time to run through and make sure nothing has been missed. Write yourself a shadow itinerary for the day, including everything that needs to happen before, during and after the event.
Include details such as what time you plan to arrive. What needs setting up. How long will things take to set up. Do you have suppliers bringing things in? How long will they need to set up and tidy up? What time will guests arrive? Who will be greeting them? Are there any presentations or awards? Do you have copies of any speeches? Any announcements? Details of the order of service. What time does the event finish? Who will be clearing up after? Is there anything that needs to be packed up and shipped?
Think about all the little details from start to finish to ensure nothing is missed. But remember to include some buffer time, especially for the set up in case anything goes wrong or adjustments need making.
Touch base
At least a couple of weeks before, it’s a good idea to touch base with the venue and suppliers. This should reduce the number of things going wrong on the day and ensures any last-minute bits and pieces are taken care of so everyone is prepared for the day.
It’s also a good idea to also touch base with the guests. Sending out a reminder of the event and any details closer to the day reminds guests that they also need to be prepared. Remind them of the date, time, venue, dress code, and any other details they need. Also use it as a final opportunity to ask for any special access needs or dietary requirements not already noted.
Arrive early
On the day of the event, it is so important to arrive early to ensure any set up is running smoothly or if it’s a smaller event, to be there to answer any questions from the venue and greet any early guests.
When you arrive it’s a good idea to introduce or reintroduce yourself to the operations team who are working on the event. This allows them to know who to contact if there are any questions or issues, ensuring any issues can be identified and resolved as quickly with as little disruption as possible.
Keep track of time
Most events have a few time-sensitive activities or deadlines. Whether it’s what time the food is to be served, when the DJ will be playing or what time for presentation and awards. But you also need to consider the venue closing time. The key to a successful event is the time management of every stage. It’s, therefore, so important to keep track of time throughout the event to ensure everyone sticks to the itinerary.
You need to be clear with the venue on service timings. It might be that you need to gently remind speakers or presenters how much time they have before and during their presentations. You may have to assist in ushering guests from one room to another at the appropriate time.
Ensuring things run smoothly, on time, without disruptions can be tricky when you add guests, speakers and presenters to the mix. You need to remember to remain, calm, friendly and polite, but firmly encouraging them to stick to the timings!
Be the last to leave
We know it’s been a long journey for you leading up to this event and all you want to do is kick back and relax. But until everyone is gone, and things have wrapped up, your presence is still needed. Always ensure you’re the last one to leave so you can say goodbye and see off the remaining guests. But it also means you’re on hand to work with the clean up crew and give direction where needed.
If you haven’t already, it’s also time to pay any remaining bills and tie up with the venue and suppliers to make sure everything is on track for them and there aren’t any outstanding issues to address. You might also want to do a quick once over to make sure none of the guests has left anything behind.
Then it’s time for you to pat yourself on the back. You can slow down, catch your breath and leave on a high knowing that the evening was a success.
If you’re looking for support in organising and running your next event but don’t want the stress or hassle then get in touch with VASS. We have a team of experienced event managers who can take care of all the details, leaving you the chance to sit back, relax and enjoy! Call us now on 020 3370 4075 to find out more.