How to Create a Great Business or Family Special Event

A successful event requires careful and thoughtful planning and preparation, if it’s to go off without a hitch. This applies regardless of whether the event in question is for business or for pleasure. Here are some tips for making a business or family event truly special:

1. Define Your Event:

Every event, be it to highlight a business success, launch a product, or celebrate a family occasion, has a purpose. Are you trying to bring attention to a product with media coverage?  Or galvanize a business team with a reward well-earned? Or mark a family milestone? The clearer the purpose is defined and the better your understanding of the impact you want to achieve with your event, the easier it will be to accomplish your goals. Whether you work with a professional event planner or are putting the party together yourself, knowing your goals and purpose will carry you a long way toward a successful event.

2. Know the Scope:

You may be fundraising for a charity or launching a product or celebrating a surprise 50th wedding anniversary. No matter what the occasion, you will need to determine the scope of what you want the event to be. Is it an hour-, evening-, or day-long event, conference, or celebration? How many attendees will you have? Will there be hors d’oeuvres or a meal served? Music? Games and giveaways? Put down on paper your expectations of the event or party to get a better handle of the overall concept.

3. Timing is Everything

An essential key to a great event or party is to make sure that you have plenty of time to plan the occasion. When choosing a date, start by looking at the calendar and checking for holidays or community events that may compete with your event. Think about how much time you need to promote the event or to give notice to guests to save the date. Check for location and vendor availability, as both could affect dates that will work best.

4. Put Your Team in Place

Be it planning a corporate event or a family one, you will want to have a team in place to help you carry out the event. Have a kickoff meeting, call, or even group text to begin the organization of the specifics of event execution. Determine who will be doing what. Depending on the size and scope of your event, you may want to set up committees and assign ownership of details among your family or employees. Make a master list of all tasks and be sure they are all assigned to be carried out.

5. Think Through the Details

From location rental, to hiring a band and renting sound system, to hiring a caterer, to having the chairs, tables, and place settings, think through every detail of your party or event. Draw up a timeline of the day or night’s schedule and get a clear picture of the event goers or partygoers experience. Don’t forget the giveaways. Special items that mark an event will make it memorable.

6. Set Your Budget

Create an itemized budget that will provide a clear idea of all the costs associated with the event from location to food to entertainment to gift items. Remember that there will always be unexpected line items. Be sure to add in a little extra to the budget, about 10%, above the estimated price tag to account for any unexpected costs.

7. Make it Special

For any great event, there is always great swag. With convenience kits, you can put your corporate logo, monogram, or family crest, plus the event name and date, on a pre-packaged TSA-compliant travel kit and provide a gift to mark the occasion that is useful for anyone. Kits are available with personal travel items for men, women, children, and babies. You can even create customizedkits to order, stocked with name brand items of your choosing. Create a giveaway that they will always remember to mark the occasion.

For more great event kits ideas, visit the Convenience KitsInternational web site.