With the upcoming Cayman Islands Healthcare Conference, Mercuryman and Taste of Cayman in the pipeline, #TeamTower have more event projects than ever on the go right now, so it seemed only fitting that we share some of our wealth of experience. Here are a few tips to bear in mind when planning your next event:

PLANNING

As the saying goes, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. It is important to hash out the key purpose and goals for your event. Plan out your event budget, identify key responsibilities for each member of the team and the tasks that need to be competed along the way. A project timeline, highlighting key milestones and deadlines, is a must to ensure your event goes off without a hitch.

LOGISTICS

Once you have the date and venue confirmed, it’s time to start identifying who the key stakeholders in your event will be. These may vary depending on the type of event you are planning but could include sponsors, speakers, media and venue partners. Make sure all key logistics are confirmed: venue, food and beverage, entertainment and schedule. Be sure you don’t forget the details – especially any legal and safety requirements.

 SPREAD THE WORD

Whether you are planning an intimate event with an exclusive guest list, a 3 day conference or a food festival ;-), you will need to devise a strategy for gaining the attention of potential attendees. This may include devising a media plan, utilising social media or rolling out a creative targeted advertising campaign. Use your email database if you have one or take the opportunity to build one if you don’t. Leverage your existing relationships with stakeholders and seek out influencers to join your campaign.

 STAY ON TRACK

When organising events, we use multiple tools for project management, media, content planning and internal communications to ensure our projects stay on track. Use technology – we are particular fans of Trello, Smartsheet, Formstack and Survey Monkey when it comes to planning and executing events from start to finish. Hope for the best, plan for the worst and always be prepared for bumps in the road. Stay flexible and always have a Plan B at the ready.

DELIVER / ENGAGE

Our goal is increasingly moving towards delivering experiences for our event attendees rather than simply executing the logistics. We believe in creating events that are unique, memorable and shareable. Consider how you will engage attendees at your event and make it one to remember. Use an event hashtag to increase engagement and generate a buzz on social media.

EVALUATE / DEBRIEF

It is important to document your event. Gain feedback from attendees and stakeholders to evaluate what worked and what didn’t. A post event attendee survey is a great way to do this. Prepare post event reports for all relevant stakeholders to show off your great results.