Spring to Action Ltd

Getting Event Management Right

Organising an event for businesses = simple, right? What can go wrong?

Suprisingly, it's not as easy as it seems, largely due to often differing expectations between the customer (the business) and the organiser or people funding the event, such as business support agencies.  Businesses want events which are professionally managed and which result in specific goals being achieved - perhaps meeting possible new customers / collaborators or learning new skills.  Ultimately an event which they can prove positively impacts their business.

Unfortunately we've all been to events which just don't achieve this.  You can leave an event feeling 'what a waste of time!', often sinply because too much has been packed into the agenda for your brain to cope with or you expected something from the event that didn't materialise.

Some top tips:

1. Agree the aims of the event in advance.  Make it a clear goal, which both parties understand (the organiser and the people funding the event).  The content of the event must stem from this main aim e.g. marketing a new funding scheme or increasing people's skills.  Make sure the event achieves this main aim.

2.  KISS - keep it simple, stupid.  Don't pack too much into an event, especially powerpoint presentations, because attendees will easily get tuned out.  Aim for a depth of content, rather than too many speakers.

3.  The agenda - leave plenty of time in the day for informal networking e.g. over a break part way through the event.  By that time, people will have plenty to talk about from the day to break the ice.

4. Marketing the event - make it clear what information people will learn from the event and who is your ideal attendee.  There's nothing worse than having stacks of delegates which hit your targets but the vast majority feel that they've wasted their time.  Keep your customer's needs in mind.

5.  Learn from your event - keep your mind open that you may need to change things either during or after the event.  

Have you attended an event which just didn't work for you? What would you have improved?

Getting Project Management Right

Today I thought I'd talk a bit about project management... because it's what we do!  As well as working with individual businesses to help their business succeed, we also work at a more strategic level, running projects and influencing stakeholders.

Have you ever seen a project fall apart?  I have and it's not a pleasant sight.  Often, the early tell-tale signs are ignored - no one's heard of the project, there's no plan, and no idea of where the project is heading.  But these warning signs are just the beginning, because if you don't start off a project on the right foot (whether your project is large or small, regeneration-related or business focused) there's very little chance you will achieve your objectives. 

You can apply this to a business project too, perhaps if you're implementing a new marketing strategy or taking on a new client. 

I'm proposing some key questions to ask yourself:

• What is the aim of the project?
• Are all they key people involved at a strategic level and do they agree with your aims?
• Have you got all the resources you need? (people and budget especially)
• Have you written a clear and comprehensive plan?
• What are the major and minor risks to the project and what contingencies can you put in place?
• When will you know the project has been completed satisfactorily?

I hope this list isn't contraversial, I think these are project basics.  Good project management isn't something you learn overnight, but it's a process, an artform in itself.  All these lists can be a touch dry, but great project management is an awful lot of fun too!  There's nothing like a plan coming together.