Can I Control Your Mind?

The Process of Event Facilitation and The Equation for Success


 Imagine this: there's a young woman (or man) that you're trying to impress. You ask them to come to your house for dinner. Before they come, you clean the house, play some mellow music, dim the lights, burn incense, doing everything you can to set the mood and make a good impression. You do all of the things to sway the person into seeing you in the image that you want to put across. Events are similar in that aspect.

 The main goal of any type of an event is to bring about a certain vibe that will resonate with each and every person attending. Whether it be a large party, fashion show, or a pop-up shop, in order for the event to be a success, the atmosphere must be infectious. The job of an Event Facilitator is to plan, gather resources, and produce the ambiance that is most effective for the task. In this article, we will break down creating an event into three steps: outlining the event, gathering resources, and producing the event. (Event Production 2016)

Plan for Your Demise, Hope for Your Triumph: Outlining an Event

The number one question that comes up before anything is set in stone is, "What are we going to do?" This question sets the stage for creative juices to flow and begin to construct a vision of the experience that they want to bring to fruition.

The goal of planning an event may appear as if it is about throwing great parties, but event planning focuses on the rationale or goal of having an event, and whether it is achieved. (Hard 2017) The First three steps to Planning an event are:
  1. Develop an objective and a goal for the Event
  2. Organize A Team
  3. And Set a Date
Developing the objective for the event is more like asking the question, "How do we want these people to feel?" It is what defines whether you're having a seminar where one person is speaking or having an all out rager where everyone is yelling. The objective will decide what kind of team you will need for this event. Within Event Facilitation, the step of bringing a team together is nonexistent. You have the same team that is able to handle any event that you come across. 

Setting a date can actually make or break your event. You don't want to plan a party on a weekday (unless you're into that sort of thing) and you don't want to plan an instructional seminar on a Saturday night (again, unless your into that kind of cruel and unusual torture). The most effective way to pick a date for the event is to:
  • Identify your audience
  • Identify what day would be most effective for your event
  • Do your research on possible events happening the same day that could eclipse yours or dampen the market.
After finalizing the first 3 essential steps, the detail work comes next.
  1. Brand Your Event
  2. Create A Master Plan/Budget
  3. Find a Partnership or Sponsors
Branding your event includes naming the event, making fliers, promo videos, etc. The objectives and goals that you set earlier in the process will help you figure out what method of promo and branding will give you the best results. Once you figure out branding, then you start developing your plan for the event. Based on your goals and branding will help you develop a vision of how the event will look and operate. Once you develop the vision, you have to think about every aspect that will contribute to the experience. From the lights to the cups, everything has to be accounted for. Once you figure that out, it is time to make the budget. First of all, yes, it is good to save money and get deals where you can. But DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT, trade cheap for the quality. There will be times where you have to pay a pretty penny for quality. Deal with the hurt now and appreciate the excellence later.

Finding Partnerships or Sponsors can always be a huge benefit. It can develop networks, cover costs for your event, expose your brand to different demographics, and even bring unique aspects to your event. One aspect about teaming up with someone that has most people drag their feet is splitting profits. One thing I can definitely say about some partnerships is that they are more valuable than any monetary amount. Sometimes, they will open up doors to make more opportunities happen. You just have to be willing to take that leap.

Last but not least on the Initial Outlining list:
  1. Tell.....EVERYONE!
With Social media being so prevalent this day and age, it is easier to reach more people than ever before. But if you don't utilize these platforms the right way, it is possible that your message will fall on deaf ears. Or worse, no ears at all.

Give Me Your Energy: Gathering Resources

There is a difference between Event Planning and Event Facilitation. Event Planners will plan the event, and call outside sources to supply them with the equipment that they need. On the other hand, Event facilitators try their very best to stay within their network for resources. Although the companies that Facilitators might not have the same name, they all operate under one umbrella. 

There is a difference between Event Planning and Event Facilitation. Event Planners will plan the event, and call outside sources to supply them with the equipment that they need. On the other hand, Event facilitators are the source for the supplies and equipment they need for that event. Although the companies where Facilitators might not be called the same thing, they all operate under one umbrella. 
  • Staffing
    • This includes front door staff, bartenders, employees selling food, bottle girls, etc. 
  • Talent/Speaker
    • DJ's, Singers/Rappers, Artists, Host
  • Production 
    • Sound Team, Light Team, Security 
  • Food/Drink/Art Vending
    • Food Trucks, Catering, Alcohol
What's important for staffing is that you bring people on that are reliable, trustworthy, and work well within the environment. Whether that be a large convention or a small art show, your employees need to be able to work seamlessly. When someone thinks about the talent they shouldn't automatically think a singer or rapper. The talent is the person(s) that control the flow of the event. It's a talent in itself to get 5 people to do what you want them to do let alone 500! (Event Production 2016)

The production team is important because without them... nothing works! Can you imagine walking into an "event"? It's dark, quiet, and everyone is looking at each other, trying to figure out what is going on. That my friend is the world without a production team. Sound Team makes sure that everything sounds good for the masses while the light team is in charge of making sure everything looks good. Security, well, security is here so that no one gets rowdier then we want them to. Food, Drink, and Art, like everything else, is dependent on what kind of event you're running. Running an event is a lot of mixing, matching, and asking if yourself if that setting would appeal to that crowd.

Anything That Can Go Wrong, Will: Producing an Event

Courtesy of Template.net
The hard work is done and over with. Now it is time to put all the planning into play. One thing that will always remain the same. No matter how well you plan an event, no matter how much attention to detail you have, no matter how hard you pray the night before, something is always bound to happen. 

Before the event starts, always have a detailed schedule complete with times, tasks, durations, and destinations. This will make sure everyone is on the same page. Complicated questions about when and where people need to be can be answered with, "Did you read the Schedule?" The silence that comes after is one of the most fulfilling things I've heard (or not heard). Other than that, most of the event is communication between members. The more everyone communicates with each other, the more you can whether the category 4 hurricane that is your event. (Apricot 2017)

Work Cited

Hard, R. (2017, March 5). Why Event Planning Isn't About Throwing Parties. Retrieved July 07, 2017, from https://www.thebalance.com/what-is-an-event-planner-1223579

 Event Production, F. A. (2016, June). Festival and Event Creation Timeline. Retrieved July 07, 2017, from http://festivalandeventproduction.com/festival-and-event-creation-timeline/

 Apricot, W. (n.d.). The Complete Event Planning Guide. Retrieved July 07, 2017, from https://www.wildapricot.com/articles/how-to-plan-an-event

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Random Post - Event Brainstorm Pool parties seem to be the scene nowadays. But for a pool party to really kick off it usually has to include either one of two things: A beautiful view A beautiful house But regardless, I feel like it would be lucrative. After making budget checks and bringing on sponsors, the event would be in reach. Properties in the Hollywood Hills are perfect locations. It is a perfect distance from our market, because although were dealing with mostly college students, it is summer. Distances seem shorter when you have less to do. Presales would be the main way that we would sell tickets. This is because we don't want a lot of commotion in the middle of the Hollywood Hills. There are a lot of winding narrow roads up that are perfect for traffic jams. To make a smooth entrance into the party, we would need to think of a way to make everyone either walk up the hill, or for cars to drop and keep it pushing.  Expenses would be: Rental of the ven
Read more
I come from a place that most would see as a trap. And the inhabitants as victims. A lot of people grow up with high aspirations but never leave that place. I was one of the few and lucky. I am on my way to show that I am not a victim, but a product of the place that I call home. So far it has not been easy to get where I'm trying to go. It seems like life is almost slated against you at times, but I will never stop fighting for what I want. My hard work, dedication, and support from my family will get me to the goals that I have. I was taught when I was young, if there is no passion, there is no dedication, and there will be no consistency. I will let my passion for the things that I love guide me. My parents did that to a certain extent. My father followed his passion for money while he was college and went with a great paying job. My mom followed her passion for her education and graduated with her degree. I am following my passion as well, but my passion requires money and educ
Read more
First Impressions of How I Killed Pluto Initially, I was very skeptical about how the book was going to go as far as keeping my attention. I am not the most avid reader. It takes a book of action and adventure to usually keep my attention for more than 30 minutes. But surprisingly I was hooked to this book after the prologue! His interest in the planets and the unknown seems to grow more and more through every page. I like how he prefaces his emotional connection that his research has from the very beginning. With the connection between his family and his research, you can see that there is a lot of passion that he has for the things that he loves. It is evident that he has a passion for not only the great beyond but pushing the envelope by how intrigued he was with the idea of a 10th planet. I'm very interested to see where this book goes.
Read more