Most countries have been in some form of lockdown since the end of March 2020 and as a result almost all events for the foreseeable future have either been postponed or cancelled. Aside from the financial pressures of cancelling events try and look for the opportunities and positive steps you can make as an event organiser to plan for the future.  

It doesn’t really matter if your event is a music festival, comedy show or business conference managing travel and accommodation for artists and speakers is one of the biggest challenges in event organisation. Careful planning is key to avoiding the many pitfalls that may beset you in managing these aspects of your event.  

No matter how you do your accounting it makes sense to simplify your accounting processes to streamline how everything is recorded specific to the events industry. The way accounting is done can vary from pen and paper to sophisticated accounting software but how can you make sure it works well with specific events requirements?   

The impact of the current pandemic has had a dramatic effect on global business and economies but particularly badly hit is the events industry. Not only are there strict government guidelines to follow for events involving the gathering of people, but as an event organiser you have a social responsibility to your customers to consider too. 

With so many factors to manage in any event working closely with all parties involved is crucial to success. Communication and collaboration between event staff, artists, vendors, sponsors, venues and third-party contractors is vital to staying in control and ensuring everyone is fully informed.  

Key to successful event planning is building and maintaining accurate schedules for a multitude of factors. The schedules you put together must be dynamic enough to allow for constant changes and modifications to ensure everything happens as and when it should. What steps can you take to ensure your scheduling stays on track? 

The world of the business conference and exhibition is a whole industry in itself within the wider events sector. Although organising any type of event will generally follow the same key principles there are some significant differences in organising and running a business focussed event.

You have to start somewhere but it's important to remember that no matter how small or large an event is the panning and organising have broadly the same principles. The only differences are the scale and size that relates to venues, number of customers, vendors, sponsors and the number of staff involved.  

There are so many elements that make up any event it makes sense to have a contingency plan for any unforeseen problems. Aside from the current issues being caused by the Covid-19 pandemic you should always have a disaster recovery plan in place and ensure that everyone involved is aware of its contents.  

You have a great idea for an event and have chanced an enthusiastic venue owner or built a close relationship with an artist or two. Although most events are organised and run by big corporations there are still a large number of independently run and funded events. Even with no funds of your own it may be possible to get your event funded with a little creativity.  

Part of any event planning will include getting vendors to your event as this is a key source of revenue for you. Vendors are also providing a service that is seen as essential by your customers as part of the whole event experience. Choose your vendors wisely for a trouble-free event and satisfied customers.   

You have negotiated with artists and their managers or agents and they agree to perform at your event for an agreed sum. Once you get agreement in principle from all parties involved you should nail everything in place with a signed contract or agreement. Having a contract in place with all parties will let you concentrate on other aspects of your event.

If you are an event organiser you should always be aware of the latest trends to keep your customers satisfied and loyal. Even if you run a successful recurring event do not rest on your laurels and do your research and be prepared to meet changing customer expectations for your future events.  

An often-neglected aspect of managing your event is the collection of ticket sales revenue. Perhaps it’s a subject considered too complex with too much choice to think about so it often gets ignored. Selecting the right payment method can save you a fortune in fees and charges and provide additional service that will enhance customer satisfaction.

Most of the same event management principles apply in putting on a successful comedy event as a music event but there are a few differences to consider. With a music event you just book your artists, venue and date and go from there whereas a comedy event will be smaller, more intimate and probably more frequent.

With so many elements to manage in putting a successful event together don’t get tripped up by inadvertently breaking the law or allowing illegal activities. Obviously applicable laws vary from country to country so make sure you are familiar with your legal obligations as organiser of your event in a specific location.

Engaging with your event customers can boost your ticket sales revenue and produce a loyal following for future events. Your most effective sales tool can be your existing customer base so treat them well and make them feel special. Include customer engagement as part of your event marketing plans to generate ticket sales.   

With such a competitive environment for events it’s really important to differentiate your event from the plethora of other events out there. From small venue events to ambitious music festivals it is super important that you stand out from the rest if you are going to maximise you ticket sales. 

For any event to work you need to secure the best talent you can afford, irrespective of it being a music, comedy or other performance related event. Assuming you are in business to make a profit, you will need to figure out the metrics that make it work by considering anticipated audience numbers and the ticket prices you will charge.  

Any event is an opportunity to generate additional revenue with merchandise sales. Not to be confused with artist merchandise, they will organise their own distribution channels, this is a chance to promote and brand your event and it works for any size event. 

Currently most event ticket sales are made online and fulfilled with an electronic QR or bar code that the customer shows for scanning on entrance to the event. It’s a far cry from just ten years ago when paper tickets were still commonplace. What are the next trends to watch for in this rapidly moving technology for ticket sales?  

Very rarely do you see any event that does not have some form of sponsor support. This is particularly crucial for non-profit festivals but equally having sponsors can help you cover the cost of running just about any event too. 

It is not unusual to see VIP packages available at most events and festivals. Aside from bringing in additional revenue to event organisers providing VIP deals has become part and parcel of the customer experience when going through the event ticket buying process 

Many events and particularly music festivals have always relied on an army of volunteers to run successfully. Recruiting volunteers to help run your event will reduce your costs whilst providing a unique experience for volunteers themselves. 

Running an event may entail numerous licensing factors depending on the nature of your event. Major considerations will be the audience size, type of venue and even the time of day or night. Are your artists licensed for their performance and will you be selling alcohol?