Managing an event- could I be an event organiser?
For this report I am going to investigate the role of an event’s organiser and the skills needed. One of
the main roles is organising. For an event to be smoothly ran, it means that all elements of an event
are suitable for the purpose. An event planner will need to look at the venue, location, catering,
planning, or reserving facilities, setting up the programme, preparing and distributing documents. I
am then going to look at my own skills audit to see if I am capable to be a event organiser. Finally, I
am going to compare my skills.
Elements to ensure a successful event
Venue
The first element to look at will be the venue of the event. This means where the event is going to
take place, it has a big influence on the people attending as It will make first judgements on what the
event is going to be like, and it helps set the right atmosphere. Costs and budgets will need to also
be considered as larger venues may charge fees. To get a good venue an event manager will need to
think about the amount of people expected to attend, this will help figure out the size of the venue
that is needed and whether people will be expected to stand as well as some sat down. The location
of the venue may need to be considered if the event planner is expecting some people to travel by
public transport or car. Ethnic and belief choices may influence the venue as the event organiser
would not want it to be inappropriate for some that are attending.
Location
Location can be influenced by the target market, it is important to take this into consideration
because if an event were to try and sell low-market products, evidently the location of the event
should be in a low-end area. Therefore, most people attending the event would be from low income
and can still afford the products. Types of participants also influence the location of the event. If the
event manager is trying to focus on locals, then a popular local location with plenty of access to
public transport will be ideal. Whereas if the event is aimed at international groups then the location
would have to be somewhere will geographical elements and a fair distance away from all
participants. Knowing information about the type of people attending will help set the overall theme
of the actual event. For example, if the event is focusing on boat shows, then a location including
water needs to be available. The facilities around where the event is going to take place will also be
thought about, the more facilities and attractions around the event the better, it will also help set
the right atmosphere.
Catering
If the event is offering catering, there is different types of catering that could be offered. Some
venues will offer inside catering in contrast some outside catering arrangements to be brought to
the venue. If a wedding is to be held at the ‘Double Tree Hilton’ they give you the option for catering
to be available for those attending. To use outside catering, it can be cost effective if the event is on
a budget, purchasing catering at the venue comes with service as well therefore it can be expensive
however, if you chose outside catering, the event planner is in full control. This includes portions
that are served, how many food stations that will be available and it doesn’t lead to any limitations
on the size of the group attending the venue. On the other hand, by using own catering comes with
, additional responsibilities to deal with. This means organising the amount of food needed and
whether service will be available. If the food is catered by the event manager, the food will need to
follow the Food Standard Agency (FSA). The FSA is to make sure that all food that is bought and
eaten can be trusted and it is honest to what is inside of it. FSA work with the local authorities and
enforce regular checks to make sure the standards are met; they also have the responsibility for
labelling policy in Wales and Northern Ireland. Nutrition policies are also made in Northern Ireland.
It is important to ensure that the venue, location, and catering are correctly matched to an event as
without doing so it can seem ‘off-putting’ for those who want to attend. All these factors help build
the right ambiance, which helps contribute to a successful event. Without any of these factors
matching, the whole event looks unorganised and rushed. This will then affect the attendee’s mood
as they may feel out of place. In my opinion a professional touch in anything can make all the
difference. Evidently, it is the same for catering in events, I feel like the catering service can be a big
factor in making the event a success or a disaster. In larger events, food will be a big part of the
event and if standards are not met then the people attending may feel like their time has been
wasted and the event isn’t what it was described to be like.
Planning and reserving facilities
An event organiser must make sure that everything goes to plan so that the event is success.
Planning does not just include the event itself, but also needs to consider other events that are
happening around the same time. For example, if too many similar events are happening close by in
the same week then it could result to poor attendance at your event. Social aspects will have an
influence on the event, planning for the traffic, congestion, and lack of access to community facilities
and resources around the surrounding area. The event manager must consider how the attendees
would be travelling and plan for them to do so. The event manager would need to reserve the
facilities needed beforehand for the event to run smoothly without any issues. Crime can also arise
from events if the event planner does not tackle issues like substance and alcohol abuse. The time of
the year will also influence the planning of an event. The event organiser will need to think if the
event Is outside then it would be ideal to plan the event on good weather. Secondly, if the event is
linked to a particular festival or tradition, then it should be around the same time. If an event was for
traditions such as Halloween and bonfire night, then supplies for the event could be cheaper in
certain parts of the month.
Facilities
Many business events now rely on not only on physical facilities such as toilets or refreshments but
also on digital facilities. The Brighton Digital Festival takes place annually and provides digital and
virtual facilities it runs on an open- programme model, meaning anyone can independently organise
an event. There have been versions of a Brighton Digital Festival from late 90’s. In its current
iteration, Brighton Digital Festival has existed since 2011. The festival celebrates furthering the city’s
creativity and arts scene and digital economy as well as providing a platform to think critically about
the role of technology. It uses many forms of digital media to create a show to demonstrate the
evolvement of lights and shapes. I think the evolvement of digital facilities have helped events thrive
into giving the attendees the best experience. The event must be able to have a number of
technology facilities in order to hold the event effectively.
Setting up the programme
Setting up the programme is a list of what will happen at the event and the order in what will
happen. It will also include whether there will be any prizes, free gifts, speeches, or special guests
