The 5 C’s of Event Management That Everyone Should Know About

Event management is one of the most thrilling careers available. The average event planner is a busybody in charge of creating a great experience for attendees.

Have you ever thought about going into event management yourself?

It is an exciting career choice, but it can also be daunting. You need to make sure you know what you’re doing if you wish to succeed at event management.

For this, you’ll have to know the 5 C’s of Event Management.

If you have the creativity and willingness to pursue event management, then you’ve got a lot of the work out of the way.

But, there’s still a lot more to learn to pull off a successful event.

These additional tips are known as the 5 C’s, and they are as follows:

1. Concept

The first step for planning a successful event is the event concept. Think about what the event will be held for. One of the best ways is to think about the greatest concerts ever held. Even if your event is not a concert, this gives you an idea of how you want your event to make attendees feel.

There is bound to be an event that you have attended that has created everlasting memories in your mind. This is what you want to do with your event.

Think about why you are planning this event. What is the purpose of the event?

You may wish to host an event to entertain others. Maybe the event is a fundraiser for a charitable cause. Or maybe this is a seminar to teach a particular subject.

Once you have figured out the ‘why’ you want to figure out who the event is targeted to. You want to find your target audience who will enjoy and benefit the most from your event. This will help you determine the ‘what’ of the event. This means that you will be able to determine what the event should consist of – speakers, performances, activities, catering, etc.

Finally, you have to determine when the event will take place and what the best venue is for it.

2. Coordination

We hope you know how to properly plan a schedule. The next step once you’ve conceptualized your event is to coordinate it.

This will include coming up with a theme or general idea for the event. Once you find a theme, you will have a better idea for the venue, decorations (if appropriate), and any additional needs for the event – whether it is hiring a speaker, using audio/visual equipment, etc.

You need to make sure you reserve the date(s) and venue much in advance. Make sure you have flexibility with the date(s) and venue if you aren’t able to find the perfect time and location at first. Once these are confirmed, you can start advertising the event to your potential attendees.

This is also the step when you delegate tasks to your team members. Among these tasks will include reaching out to speakers/performers. Other tasks will include purchasing or renting the required technology and equipment. You may wish to ask your team members to coordinate transportation, catering, and marketing.

You also want to sit down with an accountant/bookkeeper to decide the event budget. Make sure to check with the accountant/bookkeeper that no one is exceeding their budget.

3. Control

This is one of the most overlooked and often neglected stages of event management. This is best managed if you do a run-through of the event.

You want to make sure everything is on track. Show up to the venue and see if there is ample space for all of the confirmed attendees. You also need to see if there is ample space for the catering company to lay out the food.

You also want to be on top of everything and plan for possible changes. For example, if a speaker were to cancel, do you have an alternate speaker? If the caterers have an issue, have you prepared a list of other options?

Have you considered what to do if the budget is running low? Make sure to always consider what the worst-case scenario will be so that you can always be on top of your event.

4. Culmination

This is the ‘D-Day’ so to speak. This is when the event takes place. On this day, you and your team need to be on top of everything.

You want to develop an itinerary for everyone involved with the event. You want to make sure that the team has access to the venue before the event begins – so that you can set up and possibly ‘rehearse’ the event before it begins.

As the event is progressing, you have to make sure the itinerary is continuously being followed. If one speaker is speaking, you have to make sure the second speaker is ready for their speech.

As the reception is checking in guests, you want to make sure that the caterers are preparing the food and that it will be ready at the allotted time. In short, you need to always be alert at all times during the event.

5. Closeout

Once the event successfully ends, there is still work to be done. You want to make sure that all payments and termination of contracts with the vendors, caterers, speakers, etc. are completed.

You also want to give feedback to your team. If they did a great job, let them know. If there were any issues, make sure they are addressed right away so that they can do a better job for your next event. Make sure you also ask them for feedback on how you fared as an event manager.

Finally, make sure you reach out to the speakers/performers, vendors, and caterers. Ask them if they enjoyed the event and what could be done better. You should also reach out to your attendees and ask them for feedback on the event.

The 5 C’s of Event Management: See You There

Now that you know the 5 C’s of event management, you are ready to plan your next great event. As long as you follow these 5 rules, you will always plan an unforgettable event.

And if you want to host an event at the Midlothian Conference Center, why not reach out to us?