The 10 best tips for successful event management

1. Start early
2. Stay flexible
3. Negotiate
4. Assign responsibilities
5. Create a shared document
6. Have a backup plan
7. Do a walkthrough
8. Photograph everything
9. Get online
10. Follow up straight away

Planning an event can be a stressful process and often leaves organisers overwhelmed. These 10 top tips for successful event management will help you master the art of planning a memorable, effective event.

Start planning as soon as you can. If your event is large, you should begin four to six months ahead. Smaller events need at least a month. For the final delivery to run smoothly, make sure all supplier contracts are closed a few weeks before the event.

Things will change as you plan: times, locations, even the kind of event you are putting on. You need to be flexible and able to adapt to shifting demands.

Whatever many suppliers tell you, everything is negotiable. Remember there will always be unforeseen costs, so try to negotiate the lowest price you can. Work out your budget before meeting a supplier and offer to pay 5-10% below that figure. The supplier may push back, but in the end they will want to win your business.

Break the event down into sections (registration, catering, transport, for example) and assign each one to a member of your team. As the sole owner of their own section, they will be far more alert to small changes in detail.

The cloud makes collaborating with your team enormously easier. To keep everyone aligned, create a central handbook or document setting out everything to do with the event: supplier contracts, attendee information and the venue floor plan. With a shared document, the whole team can check it and spot anything out of place.

It is rare for an event to run without at least one hitch: an item that does not arrive, an important person who is delayed. Assess your event's most important assets and create a backup plan for each of them. If several problems come up, rank them and decide whether an alternative can be found or whether they have to be dropped from the event.

About two weeks before the event, run a full review of the process. Get your team together and walk mentally through everything, from the initial set-up to the follow-up afterwards. Complications tend to surface in these meetings, giving you time to fix them. A few days before the event, hold another rehearsal at the venue itself.

Pictures are worth a thousand words, and posting positive photos online is an excellent way to show your event was a success. If your budget allows, hire a professional photographer: they will know what kind of shots you need and will ask for the details in advance. Ask for a range of shots to cover every angle: a wide view of the room, photos of the event branding and plenty of pictures of guests enjoying themselves.

An event is the perfect way to grow your presence on social media. Create a custom hashtag for Twitter and encourage your followers to use it. In the same way, create a Facebook event and encourage people to tag it in relevant posts. Upload your photos once the event ends and actively encourage people to tag themselves.

When the event ends, many organisers fall into a common trap: taking a break. Even with the logistics wrapped up, it is important to be proactive about following up with attendees, whether by email or social media, to show the event was a success and keep the connection you built alive.

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