How to Plan a Successful and Safe Event

A well-planned event can feel like a magic trick, with enchanted guests left wondering how the team behind it managed to pull it all together.

But successful event planning has nothing to do with magic. It’s about tried-and-true basics like smart budgeting, effective crowd control, and seamless coordination.

It’s also about understanding that efficient event planning happens in stages. In this quick-start guide, we’ll go over a little of everything you need to know about how to plan an event to perfection at every stage.

Define the Goals of The Event

Fantastic events guests will remember for years to come start with clear visions and specific goals, so start there. What is the ultimate objective of your event?

For example, is the goal to support an important product launch or attract new clients? Are you looking to raise awareness of a pet cause or strengthen connections between members of your current team?

You’ll also want to consider your target audience, as their needs and expectations should be at the heart of your event-planning process from start to finish. What demographics do they belong to? Why might a member of your audience choose to attend your event, and what value can they expect to gain by coming?

Setting an Event Budget

When it comes to how to start event planning, working within a well-considered budget from day one is key. Start by putting together a detailed project plan for your event.

List all the steps you’ll need to tackle, including finding a venue, taking care of catering, booking speakers or entertainment, and marketing the event itself.

Then break each large task down into bite-sized milestones and actionable steps. Be sure to include details on which members of your team will be responsible for each one.

Include potential expenses attached to each task, as well. Note which expenses are fixed and which are variable and be sure to incorporate a contingency fund into your budget to cover unforeseen expenses. (Between 10 and 15 percent is a good amount to set aside for unexpected costs.)

Venue Selection and Layout Planning

Once you’ve got a solid event plan and budget to work from, it’s time to start bringing your vision to life. The venue you ultimately select will affect many other aspects of how the planning process moves forward, so start there. The following are some of the most important factors to consider. 

Venue Accessibility

Choose a venue that will be easy for your guests to get to. Is it close to major transportation routes, as well as public transportation? Will there be ample parking available once they arrive? Does it offer easy access to wheelchair users? Should you implement a shuttle system to help guests navigate larger venues or locations?

Atmosphere

The bigger and more important your event, the more crucial it will be to meet expectations by creating an alluring and appealing ambiance. Choose a venue that suits the atmosphere you want to create, as well as the overall theme and goal of your event.

Accommodation

Appropriate event venues can accommodate the number of attendees you expect and facilitate smooth traffic flow from one area to another. Carefully examine the floor plans of the places you’re considering to ensure this is possible.

It’s also a good idea to start thinking about the logistics of crowd control at this stage. For outdoor venues, establish clear boundaries for the event perimeter. Consider your options when it comes to fencing or security barricades, as well as how you’ll incorporate these items into your layout.

Will you need metal barricades, stage barriers, event-specific fencing, or other unique items? Each event and venue are unique and will come attached to different needs, so it's important to fully understand your choices and have the right equipment on hand.

Evaluation

Be sure to visit each venue in person to confirm that it meets all of your criteria. Will it be able to provide all the amenities you’ll need (e.g., Wi-Fi, stages, or audiovisual equipment)? Is it clean and well-maintained? Can you “see” your event coming to life here?

Developing an Event Timeline

Now it’s time to start planning the timeline of the event itself. Create a coordinated schedule that includes all of your speakers, activities, and entertainment options. Be sure to incorporate factors like when meals and other catering options will be served or otherwise made available.

Carefully consider safety factors like event security and crowd management options for each stage within your timeline, as well. What equipment and personnel will you need to keep traffic flowing naturally and safely as guests navigate their way from one gathering spot to the next?  

Conclude this stage by assigning responsibility for each portion of your timeline and execution to appropriate team members. Ensure all members of your staff fully understand what’s expected of them and by when.

Communication and Coordination

Communication is the key to ensuring big events run smoothly from start to finish, as well as helping the teams behind them achieve their objectives. Coordinate your efforts with those of each member of your team to finalize and confirm each detail of your event before start time. Examples to consider include:

• Finalizing speakers, entertainment, and other special guests
• Confirming catering options, vendors, support staff, etc.
• Establishing and implementing a plan to keep team members coordinated during the event

How will members of your team keep in contact while the event is in progress, especially while they’re on the go? Consider options like radios, mobile apps, etc. Double-check that all necessary equipment is present and operational before the event. Make sure you include security personnel, hired team members, or volunteers who will also be present.

Consider the details of how you’ll manage the overall guest experience while the event is in progress, as well. Implement planning and allocate staff to ensure guests are warmly greeted, registered, and provided with assistance as needed throughout the event. Successful events leave attendees feeling accommodated and catered to on every possible level.

Contingency Planning

Contingency planning isn’t just important during the budgeting phase of event planning. You and your team should be fully prepared to respond to the unexpected at every stage of the actual event itself. Some key factors to consider include but aren’t necessarily limited to:

• Weather-related issues: How will you handle unexpected inclement weather or potential weather emergencies (e.g., floods, tornadoes, or severe thunderstorms)?
• Power outages: Do you have backup power sources, emergency lighting, etc. available and ready to go?
• Fires or gas leaks: Have a plan in place for not only monitoring for issues like these but also safe crowd management and evacuation.
• Security threats: Develop a plan of action in case of security threats like shooters, acts of terrorism, etc. Be sure your choices in crowd management equipment and security assurance are capable of accommodating these possibilities.

Make sure your entire team is fully prepared for possibilities like these. Train each person on how to spot and handle potential emergencies. Establish a chain of command for communicating possible issues. Schedule drills and run-throughs leading up to your event to ensure a safe, level-headed response when it will count the most.

Crowd Management for Events

Managing large crowds is vital for the safety and success of any event. Staff must be prepared to handle groups effectively and assert authority when needed. Here are some tips for security workers:

• Maintain Order: Monitor registration lines to prevent cutting and keep them organized with tools like cones, tape, or stanchions. Ask guests to move if they block exits.
• Enforce Boundaries: Keep guests out of staff-only and VIP areas with clear signage and attentive staff.
• Watch Capacity: Keep the crowd size within the venue's limits, including staff and security personnel. Overcrowding can lead to fines and safety issues.
• Spot Suspicious Behavior: Be alert to unusual actions, such as constant staring at staff, lack of engagement, or surveying the venue layout. These may indicate potential security concerns. 

Analyze and Reflect

Wise, thorough event planning doesn’t stop when an event concludes. Ensure the planning process for your next event goes as smoothly as possible by fully evaluating how this one went.

• Collect feedback from everyone involved in planning and executing your event, as well as the attendees, via surveys, feedback forms, etc. What did they consider most successful about your event? Where was there room for improvement?
• Organize and analyze event results. Compare the actual outcome to your initial goals. Did you attract the number of attendees you expected, raise the desired amount of funds, etc.?
• Were there any areas you failed to adequately cover during the planning process? What could you do differently next time to ensure your next event is even more successful?

Ultimately, next-level events are all about delivering a seamless experience for your guests and attendees, as well as your team.

Remember, this is about more than simply ensuring everyone is adequately entertained and that the catering is on point. Thoughtful security measures and ample crowd management that keep traffic flowing safely and smoothly are also a huge part of creating an all-around fantastic event experience.

Learn more about how to master crowd management for all your most important events today, and take your event planning abilities to the next level!