The 7 Biggest Special Event Planning Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Have you ever heard the expression: “You can never be too rich or too thin”? In the case of special events planning, you can never be too organized.

Events are critical in providing outreach and exposure for an organization, and some can often be an excellent fundraising and friend-raising tool. It’s easy to make a mistake when there are so many details and those mistakes could cost your reputation and customers if you’re not on top of every detail.

Here are the most common mistakes made and the solutions to help avoid such problems.

Mistake #1: Failing to identify meeting objectives.

Be sure you know what your management expects from this event.

Mistake #2: Failing to budget properly.

Many planners make this mistake by overlooking some very costly items.

Mistake #3: Failing to have a plan.

Many planners try to run an event without a plan and a detailed checklist. They often miss important details that could make or break the event.

Mistake #4: Failing to select the right facility.

Depending on the locale of your attendees, proximity to the airport, sleeping room costs, freeways, major thoroughfares, and traffic patterns are critical. Meeting room location, meeting room size, and parking fees all affect your attendance.

Mistake #5: Failing to work out who should be coming and how to reach them.

Be sure your list has all names, titles, mailing addresses, fax numbers, and e-mail addresses.

Mistake #6: Failing to secure contracts.

Do NOT promote your event without legible, signed contracts for everything including your speaker, facility, and other contractors.

Mistake #7: Failing to market the event properly.

Once you’ve created your marketing plan, stick to it! Remember to use every means to reach your attendees. One method alone doesn’t reach everyone because we all communicate differently.