There’s nothing like the turn of a new year to focus your mind. So if you have a big event in 2022, now is the time to start planning it!

Whatever the reason for gathering people together, make your event a success by preparing for it well in advance.

Follow our planning an event checklist to ensure you’ve got everything covered, from finding the right venue right down to the little details to make it memorable long after it’s finished!

1. Set up a planning group

An event will owe a lot of its success to team effort. So the very first thing you should do is to assemble a planning group, made up of people with a broad range of skills and experience.

Essential roles include:

  • Event manager
  • Treasurer
  • Marketing manager and team
  • Volunteer coordinator
  • Admin support

Once roles have been assigned, each group member should be given their responsibilities and understand the deadlines needed to achieve tasks.

Meet on a regular basis to check progress and discuss issues as they come up.

2. Save the date

When planning your event, first steps should include finding a suitable date. You’ll need to do your research to ensure that your proposed date doesn’t clash with another big event in your location or an important sports fixture that could mean that people won’t want to come.

You should also avoid peak holiday season to ensure that as many people as possible are free to attend.

Once you’ve decided on the date, get your marketing team to communicate it as far and wide as possible!

3. Find a venue

Your next task is to find the perfect venue for your event. To find a suitable setting, you’ll need to think about things like:

  • Is it big enough for the number of people likely to attend?
  • Can delegates access the venue by public transport? Is there enough car parking?
  • Can the venue provide catering?
  • What about accommodation if the event takes place over several days?
  • Does it have the right tech for your event?

You could also consider hosting a hybrid event. This combines a live, in-person event at a physical venue with some attendees joining by video conference.

Hybrid events are an excellent way of including a wider range of participants with distance being no object! They also give delegates more chances to engage by including features such as live chats and polls.

4. Book speakers

If you’re planning on having speakers at your event, start your research as soon as possible. The best speakers get booked up months in advance, so allow plenty of time to find people who are both suitable and available to attend your event.

Search out personal recommendations. Or, if you belong to a professional association, check out other members.

5. Keep your event safe

Safety should be one of your top considerations when it comes to planning your event.

Be aware of the regulations around coronavirus in your area and make sure that your event complies with safety rules.

Have plenty of health and safety supplies like facemasks and hand sanitiser available for participants to use.

Aside from health regulations, you’ll need to make sure your venue is safe and in good repair.

Know what to do in the event of a fire and ensure that exits are easy to find. You will need to communicate this information to delegates at the event itself.

Have allocated first aiders on hand during the event and make sure that staff know how to contact the emergency services.

And nearer the time of your event, keep an eye on the weather forecast so you can plan ahead if extreme weather is expected.

6. Make your event memorable

Now that you have the essential elements of your event planned out, it’s time to focus on those little details that will make it talked about months later!

Get your event noticed even before it’s started by creating a social media hashtag and encourage delegates to use it.

Provide some useful freebies, such as branded wristbands, which can be worn during and after the event. Choose silicone wristbands for their durability and variety of colours that will fit right in with your corporate branding.

For big events, it makes sense to buy wristbands in bulk for the best possible value.

Or why not offer customised coffee cup sleeves that will remind people of your event every time they take a sip of their favourite drink?

At the event, make sure participants have everything they need to hand. This includes providing plenty of power and charging points so they can work on the go.

Make your event in 2022 a success!

If you want your event to hit all your goals, start your planning early. This means you’ll be prepared to host a successful and memorable event that will be the talk of 2022!

Why not stock up now on the extras you need, including coffee cup sleeves and wristbands? With Australia-wide delivery, our quality products are the perfect finishing touch for your event.

Match them to your corporate branding, add contact details or simply get your message across by customising our products to your business — it’s those thoughtful details that make all the difference.