By now you should have figured out the following details about your event:
WHO: Your target audience and stakeholders
WHAT: The type of event you are planning
WHEN: The date and time of your event
WHERE: The location and the venue you selected
WHY: Your event goals and objectives
Now it’s time to determine HOW you are going to make it all work.
Identify important deadlines and due dates
Venue
Vendors
Registration
Event program deadlines
Marketing plan schedule
Deadline to order promotional products
Shipping and mailing schedule
Pexels
Create an overall event timeline; identify key tasks and dates.
A good technique for developing a timeline is to start with the event date and work backwards.
Another suggestion is to identify milestones first and then add the specific tasks to each milestone.
Remember to list every task and to include:
Create a “day-of-event” timeline—a list of everything that happens the day of the event,
with times and the person(s) responsible. It includes:
When the doors will open
Information on any pre-event activities
Details about the program itself
Facility clean-up
Equipment load-out
Financial close-out
Identify important deadlines and due dates.
Matt Hrusc/Pixabay
Additional Resources
- SCORE Event Planning Checklist
- Master Planning Timeline, Keynote Resource Agency
- The Ultimate Event Checklist to Foolproof Your Planning by Rachel Grate
- Meetings and Event Planning Playbook by Debi Schol & Susan Losurdo © 2018 Barrel Maker Publishing - p.19-22: sample timeline; p. 109-122: activity checklist
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Step 5: Select the Location and Venue
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Step 7: Develop Your Budget
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