Successful event production has a lot of moving parts to it. Knowing how to get these parts coordinated can be intimidating, challenging, and time-consuming. In this article, you'll learn what you need to know about the process of planning, coordinating, and producing events.
Pre-Production
Producing an event takes a lot of planning, especially for larger events. As an event producer, it will be up to you to coordinate teams, vendors, sponsors, and participants.
During your pre-production, you will have to come up with a mock-up of the event and the event timeline. You will also have to plan for all of the logistical issues you'll encounter.
Your event will have a life cycle. With a smaller event, you'll have a one-day cycle. With a larger event, you'll have multiple stages and cycles.
The production of the event is divided into stages, each stage or cycle having its own objectives, requirements, and deliverables. Each stage is a new opportunity to deliver a positive experience to participants and customers.
If you are planning to produce an event for a company, this stage is where you will work with the client to establish their priorities and parameters for the event. This process can vary greatly depending on the client's budget and the size of the event.
On-Site
The second step in the event production process is only a few days before the event itself. This is so you can have time to deal with any last-minute issues, including but not limited to vendor coordination, equipment breakdowns, last-minute preparations, and responses to emergency situations.
When you are on-site, the following things will happen:
You will have to deliver the final event product. This may include the video and audio recording, the event signage, and the event marketing tools. You will be working with the event's sponsors, who will be helping you produce the event. You will be working with the media to get event coverage. You will also be working with the event's attendees to ensure they have all of the information they need.
With your on-site consult, you will have to be available to move equipment and people, arrange satellite locations, and run cable if needed. You should be prepared to be the on-site contact for all the vendors who are participating in the event and deal with last-minute changes to the schedule, such as speakers and panelists who are missing or people who are running late.
When the event finally launches, you will be the first point of contact for all attendees.
Show Day
Show day is the most crucial day for your event. It will be the day that all of your planning comes to reality, and you'll need to make sure everything is working properly. You will have to keep an eye on any last-minute changes you'll need to make.
Your primary objective on show day is to ensure that the event runs smoothly. This is the point where all of your hard work will pay off.
Post-Event
The post-event is the last step in the process of producing an event. This is where you will measure the event's success and determine the outcome. This process should start immediately after the event is over.
After your event, you will have to collect feedback from all attendees. You will need to know how well the event was executed, how well the audience was pleased with the content, and how much of an impact the event made on the audience.
You will also have to do a post-event analysis. In this process, you will look at all of the event's expenses. You will need to compare your costs with the event's revenues. This will give you an idea of whether or not the event was profitable or not.
After your post-event analysis, you will be able to determine the event's success, decide on your next steps, and decide if the event needs to be repeated.
The Bottomline
Event planning is a complicated process, especially for a first-time event producer. Much of your time will be spent learning the ropes of the field, including how to produce events and market them. This is why it’s best to work with a reliable event production company to make everything easier.
Planning an event? Let OPAV do it for you. We are one of the best event production companies in Orlando, with specialized experience in nationwide end-to-end production. Get in touch with us now.