Byrider

Hannah Van Nortwick

Execution Readiness Advisor

Benjamin Franklin once said, "by failing to plan, you are preparing to fail," and truer words, at least in the events space, could not be said. Events of all sizes, whether it be 10, 500, or 10,000 guests are, at their core, the same, they require a plan. A timeline is a critical ingredient to effective event planning strategy Without a timeline, an event will run away from itself much to the dismay of the event planner, but most importantly to the disappointment of your willing attendees.

Not always obvious, but I have witnessed many people try and fail to execute a large corporate event without planning. A timeline is your start-to-finish plan. Write down a minute-to-minute from when you arrive at your event space to the day you leave the event, and in some cases for post-event followup. Planners should include everything from VIP flight arrivals to registration desk set-up time, to event vendor arrivals and departures, and what time I will go to the bathroom (only kidding, but there are days!). Also, include the room locations, and most importantly, the square footage of the room andhow many people can fit in the room in your desired layout (classroom, u-shape, theater). Having all of this on one sheet, in one place, and accessible at all times is a must.

“We Practice In Order To Create Problems Needing To Be Solved Before They Are Actual Problems, Whether That's Timing Or Logistics”

When your timeline is complete, although there will always be surprises along the way (leave buffer room), it is time to rehearse. Practice with different groups of people. Run the timeline by key representatives from all attendee groups, or at the minimum, those with buy-in. We practice in order to create problems needing to be solved before they are actual problems, whether that's timing or logistics. Practice is crucial and should be practiced weekly for the month leading up to larger events.

Your event has arrived, and it's time to execute. Make the trains run on time— that's your number one job. If you fall off script, you will have problems, often hard to solve without losing your event vision. Prepare your support teams with copies of the timeline. Assume nothing, direct your teams, and lead until the end. There should be nothing that needs your attention for too long once you are at the event. Prepare yourself to walk into the event without needing to print more badges, edit something on the computer, or make a presentation. If there are time-sensitive items that cannot be added a week in advance, that is when your timeline becomes crucial, and you will know the gaps that you can do that work.

If you plan, practice, and execute to plan, no matter what kind of event you have, you will succeed. This is also true in your business, and these principles are transferable to your business plan. As we head into 2023, it is time to create a plan that will lead to your success, whether it is for a team, your business, or just yourself. Get detailed, find what works best for you, and then rehearse the plan. When it comes time to execute, you will be ahead of the game, delivering an engaging event for your attendees.