Event Planning 101
The Coachella Valley has never lacked for an event to attend. Business, social, philanthropic – the choices are ample. Along with many others, I have been a veteran attendee. I have also done a great deal of event planning behind the scenes.
Here are some some basic event planning “dos” I have learned over the years.
Acknowledgement of Elected Officials
At almost every event I have been to, our many elected officials are individually acknowledged and asked to stand. When someone gets left out, embarrassing and belated introductions follow. Awkward, right? A simple “will all our elected officials please stand so we may acknowledge them?” does not leave anyone out. This also serves to properly acknowledge our hard-working elected officials.
Check, Check – Audio & Visual
Check, check and double check! Doing a dry run of your audio and visual content prior to the event is a great way to head off any issues. Avoid those unfortunate moments where someone can’t get their presentation to work and a tech guy has to jump on stage. Also, a well-rehearsed script is sure to be more relevant and concise.
Do a last visual check of the venue in advance to ensure the tables are neat and well presented. Often event sponsors want their collateral material displayed – just make sure it is not haphazardly tossed on the table.
Presentation of Awards
How many times has this happened? The award winner is announced and they slowly make their way from the back of the room. By the time award winner gets to the stage, the applause has significantly dwindled. Put your award winners in the front of the room, or have a runner that can get the next winner cued up. This ensures a smooth transition from one award to another.
A smooth and well-presented event reflects well on the hosting organization. Best of all, your skillful event planning will encourage attendees to come to your next event!
CVEP produces, in-house, the largest business event in the Coachella Valley, now simply known as The Summit. This year’s event will be held on November 19th, 8 am, at the Palm Springs Convention Center. Go to cvep.com, or call 760.340.1575 for further information on sponsorships and event registration.
