Introduction to Event Management

The Aim of this course is to assist u in ur training to become an event manager of highest caliber. Many of us have observed events, most of us have even participated in events, but few have managed events. As an event manager, u r there to do a far more than to just observe the event.

WHAT IS AN EVENT?
An event could be a large gathering of people, audiences, groups etc for a specific purpose or goal. Events are often a once in lifetime experience for many. Finally, one of the most important thing abt an event is that it is always backed by some bodies DREAMS.

John Lennon, wasnt so generous abt his comment on the Summer Music Fest at Atlanta, He said the songs of all the gangs (bands) were also good but the organizers stole the show, feb,06,1974

The preceding example focus on the importance of sound management & the complexities of organizing an event of such category. Now we all should move on to the next level of classifying & describing events according to:

Events as per SIZE

MEGA EVENTS These are the lifetime opportunities for both the participants & the audiences. They are generally expensive to stage. They require careful & long planning. They usually take place once in a year. They carry high level of risk, including financial risk & safety risk. There is often a lot at stake for those involved, from the organizers view point.

 Although the size of the mega event in terms of expenditure, sponsorship, economic impact, and world wide audience would undoubtedly put in the category of mega events, it is worth comparing its size with, for example, The Maha Kumbh Mela ( Great Urn Fair ) which has the largest gathering in the history, it has arguably the largest gathering of humanity ever for a single event.

Regional Events
These are designed to increase the appeal of a specific tourism destination or region. FAN fair, the worlds biggest country music festival, held annually in Nashville, the Kentucky Derby & the Memphis art festival are all examples of tourist destinations achieving market positioning for both domestic and international tourism markets through their annual events.

Major Events
These r designed to attract significant local interest & large number of participants, as well as generating significant revenue. For ex: Chinese New year celebrations r celebrated at many cities just to make sure other places are brought to notice & can also make revenue. Most cities have a large convention centers to hold a large gathering,trade shows, conferences. A unique moment in time celebrated with ceremony and ritual to satisfy specific needs.

Types of Events
Sporting Events: The United States recently hosted one of the worlds largest sporting event, the 2009 Winter Olympics, & the success can be attributed only to a management team,who despite a rocky start, laced with controversy, knew how to pull off such an extravaganza. Sporting events r held in all towns, cities,states, through out the nation. They attract international sports men & women at the highest level. Tennis,golf,baseball,football,basketball, car rasing r just a few examples in the lead.

 These major events are matched at the local level by sporting competitions for players at all levels. For ex: Pro Am,held annually at most golf courses,allows mwmbers to play with professional golfers. This event is usually the highlight of the golfing calander & requires considerable efforts from the event team for support it in all manners.

Entertainment, Art & Culture

These events are very popular & well known for their ability to attract large audiences. In some cases, the concerts are extremely viable from a financial point of view, in others, financial problems can quickly escalate when ticket sales do not reach targets. Timing and ticket pricing are critical to the financial success of such events. In India, around 19.7 millions are spent only on organizing of these events.

Commercial Marketing & Promotional Events

Promotional events tend to have high budgets & high profiles. Most frequently they involve product launches, often fro computer hardware or software, motor cars, fashion products. The aim of promotional events is generally to differentiate the product from its competitors & to ensure that it is memorable. The audience for a promotional activity might be sales staff, who would ultimately promote the product to the prospective buyers.

Meetings & Exhibitions

The meetings and conventions industry is highly competitive. Many conventions attract thousands of people, where as some meetings include only a handful of high profile participants. FESTIVALS Wine & food festivals r increasingly popular, providing a particular region the opportunity to showcase its products. Many wine producing regions of France hold festivals in combination with musical events such as Portland Jazz Festival.

Family Functions
Wedding, anniversaries and nowadays, divorces and funerals all provide opportunities for families to have a get together. It is important for the event manager to keep track of these changing social trends. For ex: Asian tourism are a big market for the wedding industries, with many celebrities coming down to India to have solemnization with Vedic Mantras.

Fundraising Events
Faris, which are common in most communities, are frequently run by enthusiastic local communities. The efforts and the organization required for the events are often underestimated. As there general aim is raising funds, so the activities should be of such a nature which help in increasing the gains rather than reducing the return.

 It has to be said that the most common events are community related and that they are run on a fairly small scale with voluntary support and sponsorship. These events provide the potential event manager with invaluable experience, as well as the opportunity to contribute to their community. Every event has a purpose, and the theme is generally linked to the purpose. Analysis of even the smallest event can be very valuable for having to prepare for the big show.

The event Team

An event manager is generally supported by a team that grows enormously as the event draws near. A planning team of 12 that works together for a year can explode into a team of five hundred in a short period of time. Now the question arises that who all the event manager will be working with. There will be many but the most important of all will be the Contractors.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Having just mentioned contractors, it is important to note that the event manager typically works with a number of contractors. The team comprises mainly of: Venue manager Stage manager Lighting, audio & video companies Decorators and florist Entertainers Rental companies Security companies Ticketing operations

 For some events, the manager is also required to work in liaison with government agencies at a range of levels,from local government through to federal government. Code of Ethics: As with all modern professions, the presence of a code of ethics can enhance the reputations of those involved and can assist customers to feel confident in their choice of event manager, supplies, or contractors.

Concept and Design

Objective: 1. Establish the purpose of an event 2. Develop a theme & dcor that is consistent with the purpose 3. Analyze the needs of the event audience 4. Review financial & other recourses 5. Identify an appropriate venue to suit the purpose of an event 6. Establish the timing and duration of an event 7. Review the logistical requirements of an event

Developing the Concept

There are numerous elements that needs to be considered in developing an event concept. They include the purpose of the event, the event theme, the venue, the audience, available resources, the timing of the event, and the skills of the team. The most important of these elements is the purpose, although the purpose is strongly linked to the theme and the venue.

Purpose of the Event

The purpose of the event should drive all the planning. For ex: if you are running a conference for financial planners, there could be two quite different purpose: 1. To facilitate an exchange of information, bringing participants up-to-date with the latest changes in financial planning software products. 2. To achieve a memorable out-of-body experience for financial planners in order to develop a positive association with a new software product.

 Although for many events the main purpose is making a profit, for many it is not. The Bix memorial jazz festival held in Devenport, Iowa, has been an annual event for over thirty years, Its purpose is to keep alive the memory and musical accomplishments of the citys native son,Bix, who was a pianist & a composer. This festival is an excellent example of an event with a Community service.

Theme of the Event

The theme of the event should be linked to the purpose. Moreover, it should be completely compatible with guest needs and consistent in all respects. Most events adopt a color scheme that is repeated in all items produced for the event, such as ticket, programs, uniforms, dcor, poster. This technique helps attendees to identify with the theme.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

There are endless number of potential themes, limited only by your imagination and the size of the customers pocket. Some ex: Historical Geographical and cultural Sporting Film, music, entertainment Artistic Food Objects ( i.e. flowers, animals, boats )

 When coming up with ideas for a theme, it is important to consider the range of suitable venues available, keeping in mind the constraints of budget and other considerations. VENUE FOR THE EVENT The event manager needs to carefully consider the planning implications of choosing an unusual venue in preference to a standard venue requiring decoration only to match the theme. Lighting, sound, and catering also provide challenges in usual settings. This treatment will become more evident with few examples of unusual venues but yet attractive:

Demolition site Parking lot Tunnel Museum Research facility Amusement park Orchard Vineyards Aquarium

 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

When considering the choice of venue, the event organizer needs to look at a number of factors: Potential to fulfill the purpose of event Ambience Location Access by public transportation Parking Seating Capacity Cost of decoration, sound & Lighting Cost of Man- power Food & Beverage facility Safety

Timing of the event

Linked to weather or season Four time related factors: 1. Season, 2.Day of the week, 3.Time of the day, 4. Duration Events planned too close to holidays & other community functions may have a poor attendance.

Analyzing the Event Concept

1. Competition: involves looking at the timing of other events, even if they are un-related People have limited disposable income, festivals and events tend to be non essential items in most family and tourist budgets. 2. Regulation: A wide range of laws have an impact, Parking, traffic, neighborhood impact in terms of timing and noise require liaison with government.

3. Marketing: How to sell, most important question? Should we advertise months beforehand, or the week before? Will the audience turn up on the day? How can u encourage them to do so? What medium should be used to advertise the event? Should we sell the tickets in advance? These are some questions one should be clear before hitting on to the dance floor.

CASE STUDY A group of university students decided to hold a Rock Concert in the mountains in June and advertised the concert on the internet. Three bands attended the three day concert, and there was 24 hours music. One young girl described the entire situation a living hell, the dance area was in the valley and to get a drink of water u had to climb a steep hill. Even then, the water was dirty and brown. The restroom were so far away that nobody bothered to use them. The music pounded all night and the floor in the cabin we were in vibrated so you couldnt sleep.

My friend got sick and there was no medical help. The organizers did not had a clue abt any thing. They just wanted to make a fast buck. List three ways in which the organizers were negligent? List three ways by which the event could have been improved? This event was described as a cultural event to the authorities. Do u think it belongs to that category? As an event manager what suggestions you would give to have the same event in your control?

Certain Relevant Questions???

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Is the event a good idea? Do we have the skills? Is the host community supporting? Can we get a venue at a price we can afford? Will the event attract an audience? Will the event attract Media support? Is the event financially viable? Are there any parameters being developed to judge the success?

What are the Risks? The final question to askCoz failure & fuss comes together my friend.. Possible threats could be: Heavy weather, wind / rain Flooding Fire Collapse of buildings or temporary structure Accident involving workers Crowd Control Security of participants and VIPs

Food poisoning Break down in water / power supply

Best remedy of risk SWOT Analysis..Knowing yourself better 1. Strength 2. Weaknesses 3. Opportunities 4. Threats

Legal Compliance
Laws and regulations have an impact on events. Identify the bodies from whom the approval is required. Identify insurance and other fees which are applicable The fulfillment of contracts b/w organizers and other parties.

Diff. Acts and regulation

Local government Acts and regulation Business registration Entertainment industry Legislation Music copyright Liquor Licensing Federal trade Commission, Act Clean Air Act Noise Control Clean water Act

Marketing
Marketing is important coz it attracts audiences NATURE OF EVENT MARKETING 1. Intangibility( Fun , entertainment, information) 2. Inseparability 3. Variability

Process of event marketing

1. 2. 3. 4. Establish the features of the product Identify customer Plan to meet audience needs Analyze consumer decision making processes 5. Establish price and ticket program 6. Promote the event 7. Evaluate marketing efforts

Establish the features of the product

Each event offers a range of potential benefits to the event audiences, could be: A novel experience Entertainment A learning experience An exciting result An opportunity to meet others A chance to purchase items An inexpensive way to get out of the house

Sponsorship
This is one of the most common funding sources for staging an event. Approves for increased profile and sale of products. For ex: a newspaper sponsor could provide free space for the advertisement. Essentially, the sponsor identifies the potential of the event, mainly through the use of logo, and expects the return on investment.

There are number of questions to ask before approaching a potential Sponsor What are the benefits? How long will the association last? How much exposure will the sponsor achieve? Will the sponsorship be exclusive? Is there compatibility? Will there be ambush marketing?

Promoting the Event

Plan the promotional strategy Develop a logo or a brand for the event Introduce the advertising material & place them appropriately Manage publicity, and public relation

Financial Management
Develop an event budget, including income & expenditures Identify break-even point in order to make pricing decisions Manage cash flow Prepare a profit and loss a/c & a balance sheet Develop control system on handling of cash

10 min Brainstorming
Furnish a University tour event in order to put forward a student life for the newly selected. Make use of your own personal experience as a parameter to reach a final decision.

Image / Branding
First step, develop a name, logo, & image It includes color scheme & use of graphics Should appear on all material ranging from tickets to every thing Image and logo when put together can be called as Branding. Find areas to use these brandings, could be on T- shirts, hats, hand bags etc.

Advertising
It is the second element of promotional strategy, may include: Print Radio Television Direct mail Billboards Brochures Internet

Publicity
A very miss understood word, literal meaning Tell the world around that even you exist. First question: What makes this event newsworthy, Media is used to bend, stretch, differ with law but should speak GOOD abt the event.

Public Relation
Event is organized for Public , then how can neglect the people. Develop & Manage relation with the crowd with the help of Media, Be flexible in your response to their behavior Informative and helpful as a host Remember, it is all having a good time together.

Financial Management
1. 2. 3. 4. Is the Aim to make profit? How much the event cost? What are the revenue sources? How many tickets must be sold to break even? 5. What control systems are needed to avoid fraud ? 6. How will Legal & Taxation obligations be met?

The Budget
Preparing a budget is part of initial planning, It is a plan based on accurate quotes from all contractors, provides guidelines for better handling of cash( $ ) and expenditure. Helps in clearing all management fees

PANIC PAYMENTS
Adapts Murphys Law within the event That some thing will go wrong at the 11th hour. The closer you go to the scheduled date, last min. crisis will crop up, Essentially the supplier has the event manager over a barrel. Careful planning & detailed contract can curb the problem in the first stage.

RISK MANAGEMENT
1. Risk --- Situation where something will go wrong. 2. Often misjudged in terms of safety & security, but could also include: cash flow crisis, staff strike, poor publicity & of course, GODs will.

TYPES OF RISK
Natural Disaster Financial risk Legal risk Technology related risk Mismanagement Safety & Security risk Risk at Sporting events Man made risks

Process of Risk Management

It involves a three step process: 1. Identify risks and hazards 2. Assess the risk and hazards. 3. Manage the risk and hazards.

A little in Detail
Identify the Risk & Hazards--1. Fire 2.Plant & Equipment 3.Hazardous Substance 4.Electrical equipment 5.Stacking of unbalanced heavy items 6.Temporary fencing, staging, seating 7.Moving vehicles.

Assessing the Risk & Hazards

The following questions must be asked: What is the likelihood of this risk happening? Who will be exposed to the risk? What impact has this risk had in similar circumstances ? How will people react to this risk ?

Managing the Risks

1. Elimination plans to eliminate the risk altogether ( covered walking space) 2. Substitution plans known as PLAN B 3. Administrative controls 4. Contingency plans such as evacuation plans.