Top 4 "First Things First"

Getting ready to manage your company's next big event?

Whether it's a small internal summit for executives, or a large customer user group meeting; whether your new to the event management biz or a seasoned pro, here's the top four "First Things First" the smart event manager does right up-front:

1) Define your event management team
No matter how hard you try, you can't do it alone. Who is going to help you make your event a reality? List each person and his or her responsibilities. Make sure your “core team” is aware of all aspects of the event, not just their individual segment of responsibility. This will help to make your event more cohesive.

2) Get going on an initial budget
Maybe you don't even know how much you've got to spend - maybe you're operating on a shoestring. The best way to manage it is to get everything you need into a spreadsheet, and update items as you determine the costs. The budget is also a great tool to keep you on schedule, and to make sure you don't forget anything. Refer to it often!

3) Determine resource availability
What outside suppliers do you need to make your event happen? You may have design in-house, but need to outsource copywriting, print production and mailing/fulfillment. Perhaps you've got some left-over incentive gifts from another show, or you need to contact a vendor to get some more. As you identify a resource for each item that you need, list them in a "resource" column of your budget.

4) Get buy-off from above
Don't get bogged down in committee meetings, and don't get caught in the never-ending email-respond trap. Instead, have your managers give you some independence to make decisions on your own showing them your plan. You've got an event team, external resources lined-up, and your budget in place. Make it happen!