Planning an exceptional event takes a lot of hard work and attention to detail. Having a solid event plan can improve attendee experience and overall success of your event.

However, even the most experienced event planners can make mistakes which could have significant consequences for the event. Here are our top 10 event planning mistakes to avoid, so you can guarantee a seamless event.

#1 Not setting clear goals and objectives

 It's important to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve; what do you want the outcome of your event to be? Who is your target audience? Are you entering a new market? Is it to celebrate a specific occasion? Without specific goals and objectives, it is difficult to measure the success of your event and make necessary adjustments.

#2 Not having a solid budget

A lack of a budget can lead to overspending and financial problems, as well important event details being missed. It's important to create a realistic budget and stick to it as closely as possible. Of course the budget may change over time, but you could incorporate a leeway of spending tolerance. If you require additional budget but cannot put up the cost yourself, you could consider having a form of sponsorship for your event.

#3 Not allowing enough time for planning

Well executed event planning takes time. If you don't allow yourself enough time to plan, you may end up cutting corners and making mistakes. Remember, there is no such thing as planning too early; if you’re holding annual events it may be worth having a 2-3 month buffer between events to unwind, then spending the following 9 months planning the event. At the very least, give yourself 6 months before the event date to properly plan the event.

#4 Not securing a suitable venue

The venue is a crucial aspect of any event. It's important to choose a venue that is the right size, location, and price for your event. You want to choose somewhere suitable that can be easily accessible to your target market and large enough to accommodate attendees, speakers, workshop, exhibitors or any other guests you plan for. If you are wanting a unique venue to leave a lasting impression on your guests, check out our alternative event venues for ideas.

#5 Not promoting the event effectively

It's not enough to just create an event and hope that people will show up. You need to promote your event effectively to attract attendees. Leveraging your personal social media accounts as well as creating event specific accounts will help to generate attention for your event. Create buzz by posting behind the scene content and create an event specific hashtag for your posts that can also be used on the day to reshare attendee’s posts.

#6 Not having backup plans

No matter how much prep you’ve done, things don't always go according to plan. What happens if it’s raining on the day, will that affect any plans? If a certain speaker doesn’t attend because of illness, is there changes in the event schedule that you can make? Can you quickly communicate these changes to attendees? It is important to have backup plans in place in case of emergencies or unforeseen circumstances. Make sure to also share these backup plans with any other planning staff and event staff.

#7 Not properly managing registration

If you do not have a system in place to manage registration, you risk over or under booking your event. This can ultimately lead to a lack of seating, long queues or overcrowding which will affect your overall attendee experience. It is best to have a digital system in place to monitor registration rather than numerous spreadsheets and paperwork which are prone to error. Read more about our tips for an easy event registration process here.

#8 Not having enough staff

Having enough staff to manage and cover your event is crucial to its success. Make sure you have enough people to handle registration, customer service, and any other necessary tasks. You may also require staff to monitor and walk around the event, as visitors are sure to have questions and concerns. If you do not have the budget available to hire additional staff or take employees away from the business for the event, think about reaching out to local colleges and universities for student volunteers, giving them work experience and you free staff for the event.

#9 Not offering sufficient amenities

When choosing your event venue, you should always have your attendees in mind as they will expect certain amenities at your event such as refreshments, seating, Wi-Fi, and parking. Make sure the venue has enough of these amenities when viewing it and note any additional costs they might occur for your budget or if any of these amenities will be chargeable for attendees and clearly inform them of any these expenses ahead of the event so there’s no surprises.

#10 Not collecting feedback

 After the event is over, it's important to collect feedback from attendees to see what aspects of the event worked and what didn't. It’s also great to get feedback from different types of attendees such as visitors, exhibitors, speakers and sponsors to see how their different views and schedules aligned with your event plan. Collecting feedback to understand what attendees liked and didn’t like, therefore giving you a great opportunity to improve future events and avoid making the same mistakes again. You can ask for feedback by posting on social media channels, adding a form onto your event app or sending out a newsletter. Adding incentives to answer the feedback forms such as discounted entry for a future event will help attendees be more willing to comment on your event.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, event planning can be challenging, but it is crucial to avoid common mistakes in order to ensure the success of the event. By setting clear objectives, considering the budget, and having contingency plans in place, event owners and planners can minimise the risk of things going wrong. Additionally, it is important to be flexible, proactive, and to stay organised throughout the planning process. By avoiding these common planning mistakes and taking a strategic approach, event organisers can create memorable and successful events that meet the needs of all attendees.

For more helpful tips for event planning and event software, visit ExpoBeacon Insights and news.