Introduction
The event planning industry has been on the rise for the last ten years. People are gradually more willing to outsource chores related to event organizing and managing, which led us to the creation of “We Manage Better”. Our company specializes in organizing events and looking after their design, planning, and management for our clients. We have several departments, each of which is assigned a specific role in event preparations and managing:
- the organizational department;
- the hospitality coordination department;
- the promotion department.
Event Summary
The type of event we chose to present to the students and personnel of Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University is an open microphone event. The main action will consist of poets, musicians, and other performers taking the stage and dazzling the audience with their talents. After the event, all guests and performers will be invited for dinner to further improve the sense of community.
Vision/Mission
We believe that there are many talented people in the university who would like to present their skills and works to the public, and this event will allow them to do so. Its purpose is not only to serve as a showcase of talents but also to bring people closer together. This event will allow participants and attendees to make new acquaintances and to learn more about people whom they already know. Therefore, this event focuses on creating a friendly atmosphere that would promote student and staff interactions and bonding experiences.
Objectives and Key Performance Indicators
The success of this event will be measured in the positive feelings it will leave in all participants. To obtain adequate information on our performance and ensure that the quality of future events will be kept at the highest level, our company will conduct several types of research after the event. The feedback analysis produces business data that enhances companies’ growth rates by allowing them to find ways to improve their effectiveness.
Therefore, it is important to ask for the opinion of every involved party. A carefully planned questionnaire will be included in thank-you letters that will be sent to attendees. It will allow us to assess their satisfaction with the event and should consist of several key questions on reception, accommodation, hospitality, engagement, and quality of the event. A short survey of volunteer workers and performers after the show could reveal any flaws in our inner structure and preparations. It is important to thank every guest and performer for participating and conclude on good terms.
Key Strategies and Initiatives
Several important preparations are to be made before the event. The first step would require conducting research about the potential audience and performers, who can fill the program. It would allow us to appraise the approximate length of the event, the necessary space for it, and what preparations require our additional attention. It would also give us an insight into the target audience, their preferences, expectations, and general attitude toward open mic events. However, the preparations for the event should not be hurried, and other company departments should perform their activities after the promotion department will provide the results of their work. It is advised to spend more time on this stage prior to announcing the event to the public.
The second step is the creation and presentation of the plan for the event. We are going to create a presentation with a quick summary of planned activities before, during, and after the event, and present it to the administrators of the PMU for their approval and possible revision. Several locations for the event will be considered according to the event scale and included in the presentation. The vision of the event should be completed by this moment and tasks will be delegated to various company departments for execution. This presentation should be done at least a month prior to the event date.
The third part will consist of preparations required to successfully conduct an interesting and engaging event. The fourth step is to prepare a physical location to accommodate the event. The hospitality coordination department will take responsibility for food, decor, and location arrangements. After considering a tentative list of entertainers and performers, the equipment department will make the necessary preparations for artists, such as providing musical instruments, lights, and sound equipment. The organizational department will supervise the ongoing preparations and provide the necessary help, such as ensuring that each department keeps within the schedule and has no shortages of personnel, otherwise it should seek volunteers.
If the research will show that the number of females who would like to attend this event is close or on par with male guests, two separate days should be selected. This would allow us to use the same location twice without taking up additional space or enlisting a high number of volunteers. However, if the number of female attendees is small enough for personnel to handle both audiences at the same time, it will be possible to conduct this event for both genders simultaneously.
After the preparations are done, it is important to revise the plan and make sure that all steps are executed. The organizational department should create a checklist and appoint a staff member who would secure that all necessary steps were taken by questioning other department managers. Possible oversights in the preparations are to be fixed by this point.
Organizers also have to make sure that the artists know and follow the rules before the event starts. These rules should address the suitable content for the stage, adherence to respectable behavior by the event staff and the audience, and the amount of time each participant is given for their performance. It is considered a good gesture among performers to stay throughout the entire open mic event to show respect to other participants, therefore, they should be provided with their own lounge. A regular practice in conducting open microphone events is to create a schedule for performers directly before the beginning of the show. This will ensure that none of the artists who enlisted for participation days before the event will disappear and cause chaos in the schedule.
The audience should be also mindful of the performers, the personnel, and each other. Before the beginning, a polite reminder about phones’ volumes and chatter will help immensely with performers’ concentration. While communication between the artist and the audience is encouraged, it should be kept in a positive and respectful manner.
The provisions for the event should include a special lounge for professors and university staff who would wish to attend. Volunteers could take the job of referring the attendees to their appropriate seats, as well as ensuring that all necessary supplies are provided. A friendly and charismatic open microphone host should be appointed to communicate with the audience. The event should take no more than two hours, with each performer taking no longer than 5-8 minutes, or approximately two songs. The organizers are encouraged to interrupt performers who take too long to conclude their activities and ensure that everyone has a chance to showcase their talents.
The fairness of the process is important in creating positive memories for performers and enhancing the enjoyment of the public. The organizers’ task at this stage is to make every attendee feel welcome and worthy. Our company keeps in mind the main reason for this event, therefore, to create a sense of community, guests and performers are encouraged to stay afterward for dinner and conversation.
Recording the entire event and/or taking photos during it would allow us to create lasting memories for every attendee, as well as share them with people who were not present. This material can be used in future promotions and builds up the company’s reputation, assuming the event was a success. The recorded video of the event can be posted on the PMU YouTube channel for further highlights of student activities. It is also possible to sell DVDs with the video on demand.
Event Marketing and PR Budgetary Information
The promotion department will have the most important task of making sure that adequate information about the event reaches the target audience. In our case, the target audience consists of socially active students, university staff, and talented people who want to make their talents visible, or simply try something new. Proper event marketing should focus on increasing demand, building recognition, and expanding the potential circle of attendees.
Nowadays, the most important channel for spreading information is social media websites and applications. Therefore, to reach the main audience, our company should be given access to posting event advertisements on the PMU’s website and official social media pages, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. For example, Facebook can be used to create an event page where our company can share updates, announce performers, and engage in discussions with followers. It is possible to share photos and video stories of all stages of event preparation to attract a larger audience. Twitter allows the creation and promotion of hashtags usage, which helps in building excitement about the event. Additional platforms for advertising can include specialized sites such as meetup.com and eventbrite.com. Inviting a featured guest to open the event, for example, a locally famous musician/reader would allow the company to reach a bigger audience.
Personal invitations should be sent directly to honored guests, such as the director’s board and the university council. However, it is important to account for people who are less tech-savvy, especially if the event includes senior members of the university. The message boards across the university should be considered as valid advertisement locations, as well as student dorms. Therefore, the promotion department will create printed promotional material, such as posters and flyers. It is advised to plan the event date for at least two weeks after the initial wave of advertisement to allow news about it to reach a bigger audience. It would also give performers enough time to prepare material, and personnel to secure all props and bookings.
If the option to invite a featured performer is chosen, then the main budgetary stress will be their royalty fees. Otherwise, the costs of printing, hanging posters, and delivering flyers are negligible. It is also possible to purchase showing targeted advertisements over social media to the public, which significantly increases the visibility of the event. Further information on the exact costs of conducting the planned event will be determined after necessary research and plan approval.