Whether it is a 40-person workshop or a 2 000-delegate conference, learning how to plan an event comes down to the same steps in the same order. Skip one and it comes back to bite you on the day. This checklist walks through each step, with the questions to answer and the decisions to make.
1. Set the goal of the event
Every decision that follows depends on why the event exists. Write down one main goal and how you will measure it:
- Revenue: ticket sales, sponsorship and exhibition income.
- Leads: number of qualified contacts for your sales team.
- Learning: attendance, session ratings and CPD points earned.
- Community: returning guests and engagement after the event.
With a clear goal, it becomes easy to say no to the extras that don't serve it.
2. Know your audience
Who is coming, and what will make them say yes? Think about their job, their budget, how far they will travel and what time of day suits them. A breakfast seminar for accountants and a weekend festival for students need very different plans.
3. Build the budget
List every cost before you set a ticket price. The usual lines are venue, catering, audio-visual, staff, speakers, marketing, printing (badges, banners), insurance and payment processing fees. Add 10 to 15% for the unexpected. Then work out your income: tickets, sponsors, exhibitors and grants. Our guide to selling event tickets online covers pricing in more detail.
4. Pick the date and the venue
Check public holidays, school holidays and other events your audience may attend. Book the venue early: popular venues in big cities are often booked months ahead. When you visit, check capacity, parking, accessibility, backup power, Wi-Fi and how guests will get there.
5. Plan the programme
Draft the agenda, then confirm speakers, facilitators or performers. Leave breaks long enough for people to network and get coffee: a programme that runs back to back always overruns. Publish speaker profiles early, because speakers share them with their own networks.
6. Set up registration and tickets
Decide on your ticket types (early-bird, standard, VIP, group, day tickets) and what you need to ask each guest. Keep the form short: every extra question loses a few registrations. Use event registration software so confirmations, tickets and invoices go out automatically and your guest list stays in one place.
7. Market the event
Start promoting six to eight weeks out for most events, and three to six months out for conferences. Use an early-bird deadline to create urgency, email your past attendees first and give speakers and sponsors ready-made posts to share. See our event marketing ideas for more.
8. Prepare the day
A week before the event, confirm final numbers with the venue and caterer, print or prepare name badges and send guests a reminder with the address, parking and their ticket. Brief your team on who does what, and do a run-through of check-in. A QR code check-in keeps the queue short.
9. Run the event
Arrive early, test the sound and the screens, and keep a printed copy of the run sheet. Watch attendance numbers as guests arrive so you can adjust catering and seating. Have one person whose only job is to solve problems.
10. Follow up
Within 48 hours, thank guests, share slides or photos and send certificates if you promised them. Send a short survey while the event is fresh. Then compare the results with the goal you set in step 1, and write down what you would change next time.
Plan it all in one place
Event Star brings registration, ticketing, check-in, badges and reporting into one event management platform, so this checklist becomes a lot shorter. Book a demo to see how.
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should I plan an event?
Small events and workshops need four to eight weeks. Conferences, expos and large corporate events usually need four to twelve months, mainly to secure the venue, speakers and sponsors.
What are the first steps in planning an event?
Start by setting the goal of the event and understanding your audience, then build a budget. The date, venue and programme follow from those three decisions.
How much contingency should an event budget have?
Most organisers add 10 to 15% of total costs as a contingency for price increases, extra equipment and last-minute changes.
What software do I need to plan an event?
At minimum you need a way to take registrations or sell tickets, collect payments, communicate with guests and check them in. Event management software such as Event Star does all four in one place.
