Module 4

Event Management Planning

Objectives
At the end of this module, students are expected to:
1. Identify the event planning;

2. Appreciate the value of contingency planning;

3. Draft an event vision.

Module 4 covers the following topics:

A. Event Planning: Envision
1. Creating the event vision
2. Setting event objectives
3. Drafting the event vision
4. The event concept, format, experience, invitation
5. The venue, atmosphere, event site plan, arrangement of space

6. Setting-up the meeting room

7. Planning for sensory cues and treats
B. Contingency Planning
1. Safety and security
2. Problem analysis and contingency planning
3. Crisis management plan

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 EVENT MANAGEMENT PLANNING

EVENT PLANNING: ENVISION

CREATING THE EVENT VISION

Steps and Definition of How to Create Event Vision

What is Event?

An event can be described as a public assembly for the purpose of celebration, education,
marketing or reunion. Events can be classified on the basis of their size, type and context.

An Event is an investment of time that of the organizers, the audience and other stakeholders and
money or a similar resource provided by these same people.

Also to be more efficiently and effectively successful the event must have an organizer and the
planner, the person behind of a successful event is the Event Manager they are visionaries and
not illusional or delusional sort, but persons who have vivid, distinct and detailed vision of some
future happening.

Questions that will Fulfill the Information to Create an Event Vision:

Ask About the Past

Ask what would delight the expected attendees. Aim for the events that serve a need or a desire
of a particular group of people. They are the ones that should be pleased, and therefore, their
needs must be understood and satisfied - exceedingly, to the highest degree possible.

Knowing why, who, what, how, where and when will help you determine where it would be best
to have the event - that is, if venue has not yet been decided at this point. Venue decisions should
always consider the purpose of the vent, people involved in the event, their expectations, and the
schedule of the event.

1. "WHY?" - Why must this event be held? This will define the purpose of the unique
happening that is about to happen. Knowing the purpose helps the event manager create the
vision that will realize the mission, and to put together the elements necessary to make the vision
reality.

2. “WHAT?” - Ask what would delight the expected attendees. Aim for the events that serve
a need or a desire of a particular group of people. They are the ones that should be pleased, and
therefore, their needs must be understood and satisfied exceedingly to the highest degree
possible.

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3. “WHEN?” - if the client has already decided on the date and time for the event then use
this as a basis for how much time do you have to plan and prepare for the event. Event elements
vary depending on the complexity of the event and what must achieve.

4. “WHERE?” - Knowing why who what and when will help you determine where would be
the best to have the event and that is Venue. Venue decisions should always consider the purpose
of the event, people involved in the event, their expectations and the schedule of the event.

5. “HOW?” - Check on how many participants are expected or are desired. This information
will help the magnitude of work involved and may also provide a basis for budget estimate.

6. “WHO?” - Know who will be in the audience pr who will be participating in the event. At
this stage in the planning process. the type of audience or participants expected to attend may
still be undetermined.

SETTING EVENT OBJECTIVE

Setting an Event Objective

Before you start planning any kind of event, the first thing to do is define your event goals and
objectives. Many planners dive right into planning without even considering this crucial bit of
information. Setting event goals and objectives will actually make planning your event much
easier.

Having a clear, concise, and concrete set of aims and objectives for your event in terms of what
it is to achieve is critical for a host of reasons. It is very essential that the aims and objectives of
your event are defined and agreed at the outset, although they may also be developed and refined
as the project progresses.

Aims are related to the overall intent, strategic direction and purpose of your event (i.e. the primary
motivations). Objectives are essentially aims broken down into specific targets, to facilitate event
delivery and evaluation.

Setting Event Objectives

Once the overall aims of the event have been established you can then move onto setting
objectives. These should be set in relation to the different areas of the event (e.g. financial
objectives, marketing objectives, participation, etc.). Objectives are important as they provide
benchmarks and targets to aim for and performance indicators, which facilitate monitoring and
measures for feedback and evaluation.

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To enable this, objectives should conform to the SMART acronym:

  Specific to areas of the event.

  Measurable quantitatively (i.e. through numbers).
  Agreed / achievable by organizers and those assigned the tasks.
  Relevant to the overall aims of the event.
 Timed within the event schedule.
An event should be a means to an end, rather than an end in itself – and different events are put
on for different reasons. It’s clearly important, therefore, that whenever organizers or other
interested parties are looking to measure the impact of an event, they do so in relation to the
original objectives of that event.

Organizers should be clear about their objectives at the very earliest stages of planning and/or
bidding for an event. By the same token, there is little point in setting objectives if, in doing so,
there is no accompanying commitment to measure those objectives. Objectives must therefore
be measurable: organizers should have a clear sense of how they would go about evaluating the
intended impact of their event; what information they would need in order for the evaluation to be
made; and how costly and time-intensive it might be for them, or an outside contractor, to actually
carry out that evaluation.

In summary, any impact evaluation exercise should be underpinned by a statement of the

strategic objectives that the organizers of an event intend to achieve or make a contribution
towards, plus details of the specific resources being invested in order to deliver those objectives.

DRAFTING THE EVENT VISION

Event Vision
In order to create an event designed to fulfil your client’s objectives and be everything that they
hoped it would be, it is important to begin with their initial event vision. This is where you will be
able to determine what is most important to them.

An event vision is an idealized picture of the event outcome and it expresses the event’s reason
for existence. It outlines what an organization would like to ultimately achieve and gives purpose
to the existence of the organization. A good vision statement should be short, simple, specific to
your business, leave nothing open to interpretation. It should also have some ambition.

Drafting the Event Vision

In order to create an organized event vision, it must start by considering and understanding the
event to be executed, the purpose of it, the persons involved, the timing and the setting. There
will be an endless set of questions so we must really be prepared for it. Before getting excited at
the new prospect, let’s get organized.

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You should know better and be clear on the following questions such as:

WHY?
Why must this event be held?
Why would audience want to participate in this event?

WHO?
Who are the expected to attend the event?
Who would want to come to the event?

WHAT?
What will delight the audience?
What are the expectations of the persons involved?

WHEN?
When will the event be held?
When is the best time to hold this event?

WHERE?
Where will the event be held?
Where will be the attendees coming from?
HOW?
How many attendees are expected?
How will the budget be set for this event?

But it should be clear that you know:

Why must the event be held? -THE PURPOSE

What must the event achieve, or what are the results expected? -THE OBJECTIVES

Who are the people whose needs you must satisfy? -THE AUDIENCE

On what budget will you be operating? -THE BUDGET

How success will be measured? -THE MEASURES EVALUATION

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Figure 1. The event vision basis

Draft the event vision based on the following:

THE PURPOSE

Write a brief background or a statement on the purpose of the event. Many events may
have many different purposes. Some examples of the event purposes are competitive or non-
competitive sport and recreation event, promotional events, conferences, fundraising events and
even personal events.

THE OBJECTIVES

List the objectives of the event. Include how will the audience feel, what will the attendees do as
a result of coming in the event. Financial or revenue objectives might also be included.

THE AUDIENCE

Describe the target audience. Describe who will be the target spectators or the participants of
your event. It can be the young ones, young adults, adults and the older ones.

THE BUDGET

State the initial estimated cost of the event or the budget remarked for it. Money dictates what
kind of event you can have, so you have to be careful in terms of financial estimations and costs.
In the planning stages, the budget may be based on:

  Budget of previous event or similar events

 General economic forecast – you are making predictions about the economy. Examples
are the GDP or Gross Domestic Product, the inflation rate of the locality, unemployment
rate of the fiscal deficit.

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  Marketing projections and estimates – this is the component of marketing analysis that
provides the event manager/holder the anticipated figures and calculations based upon
market researches. It may include projections for a product type, company, sector,
 industry, or overall population.
 Expected return on investment- it is the profit or loss an investor anticipates on an
investment. Expected return on investment may also measure the performance of the
 event if it was efficient or not.
 Type of financing used for the event – financing the event has different type. It can be
through government grants, sponsorship. It can also be through merchandising sales
where there’s a production of t-shirts, caps and other merch or other form of clothing with
 trademarks/ design of the event.
 What the host can afford – you have to stick to your budget and focus only on what your
money can afford. You can’t force to make a majestic event when you are short of funds.

THE MEASURES

Describe how the objectives will be checked and measured. In this part, you are being evaluated
by what you have done in your event. You’ll have to measure how successful you are by your
audience and how your objectives have thrived.

THE EVENT CONCEPT, FORMAT, EXPERIENCE, INVITATION

Concepts

Defined as abstract ideas or general notions that occur in the mind, in speech, or in thought.

3 Steps to a Stand-Out Event Concept

Step 1: Start with your audience

It goes without saying that different themes appeal to different people. The concept that worked
perfectly for a craft brewery crowd might be all wrong for your fundraising gala. Understanding
your audience is key to designing an event attendees love

Ask yourself:

• What did your previous attendees like most (and least) about your events?
• Who is your target demographic? (Hint: start by identifying your most valuable
attendees.)
• What interests do your potential attendees share? Why do they attend events like yours?
• Should your event be child-friendly, or 21+? Is this a night out, or a day with the family?

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Step 2: Build your event concept around your main attraction

Your event concept should be built around two things: your audience and your main attraction.

Ask yourself:

• What would enhance the main attraction at my event?

• Is there an era or style that I could reference?
• What kind of food or drink would fit the theme?
• How can I involve sponsors in this work?

Step 3: Heighten your event concept with a unique venue

Once you have your event concept built out, choose a venue (traditional or otherwise) that
reflects your selection.

Here are some examples to get the wheels turning:

• Warehouses and studies

• Museums — both highbrow and low
• Botanical gardens
• Historical theaters
• Airplane hangars

Event Invitation

An event invitation email is an email that is sent to the subscribers to announce an upcoming
event like a webinar, conference, presentation, etc., and convince people that it is worth visiting.

What to include?

Attendee invited
Day, Date and Time of the event
Name of the location and the address.
Dress Code
Theme

The Event Planning Template Step-by-Step

Step 1: Set up the Template

Step 2: Determine Your Event Timeline

How much time do you have to plan the event? More time is generally better, although you may
be asked to plan an event in as little as 2 weeks!

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Step 3: Fill In Your Event Details

Once you have selected the best template version for your event, it’s time to fill in the Event
details:

• Event Title
• Date of the Event
• Time of the Event
• Location of the Event
• The Event Organizer and Contact No. (i.e. you or a colleague)

Step 4: Specify Tasks: What, When, Who

An event planning template is a specialized project management tool. It’s designed so you can
clearly identify:

• Groups of tasks that need to be undertaken within a similar timeframe. For example, the
90-Day Timeframe is divided into tasks that need to occur 60-90 days prior, 30-60
days prior and 14-30 days prior.
• Every specific task that needs to occur. For instance: define the purpose of the event,
prepare a guest list, book a venue, book an entertainer, identify AV requirements etc.
• Who is responsible for delivering each task.
• Deadline for each task.
• Whether or not the task has been completed.

Step 5: Using the Template

Category

There are countless individual tasks to be performed in the lead up to an event. To help keep
you organized and on track, tasks have been categorized as:

  Venue
  Catering
  Run Sheet
  MC/Speaker
  Entertainment
  AV/ Lighting/ Staging
  Promotion/ Signage
  Set Up
 Evaluation

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 THE VENUE, ATMOSPHERE, EVENT SITE PLAN, ARRANGEMENT OF SPACE

Event Planning

It involves the coordination of every detail of events such as meetings, conventions, trade shows,
ceremony, retreats, or parties. An event plan is a key document that outlines all of the elements
of an event.

Event planning includes but it not limited to budgeting, establishing timelines, selecting event
location, arranging for equipment, acquiring the appropriate permits, planning menus,
transportation, developing a theme, hiring entertainment, selecting speakers, managing risks, and
developing contingency plans. The event plan is essentially the one-stop shop to manage all of
the moving parts involved in the event. In some cases, it may prove beneficial to share portions
of the event plan with certain vendors in order to ensure goals and expectations are in alignment.

It is very important that while planning your event you take great consideration into planning to
achieve the perfect atmosphere. An atmosphere that would enable your guests to relax, interact
with each other and enjoy the event’s proceedings. There is no single action you can take to
achieve this but rather, it takes a combination of factors, skillfully coordinated and managed
together to ensure your event is everything you want it to be.

Venue

A venue is the place where an event or meeting is happening. If you're going to see the best band
ever, you should get to the venue early to get a good seat. It derived from the Latin for "come"
(venire), and it's a place people come to.

What to Consider when Searching for a Venue

Location

If you want to reduce the chance for your attendees to be late, provide them with a mobile event
app, which is essentially a standard these days.

Parking

Does the venue have a parking lot or valet parking? A venue with a parking lot is what dreams
are made of. If that’s not the case, there are parking lots nearby which attendees can access and
use. If there is no parking available, there are few alternatives.

Capacity and Minimums

  What’s the capacity?

 What are the F&B Minimums?

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Services and Amenities

  Does the venue have a kitchen and can it provide catering to your event?
  Does it have tables, chairs and linens you can use?
 Does it have a setup/clean up crew?

ATMOSPHERE

One of the most important parts of a successful event is the atmosphere! A great atmosphere
allows your guests the ability to relax, interact with other guests and enjoy the festivities of the
events.

What to Consider Creating the Perfect Atmosphere at Your Event

Choose the Right Location

It is extremely important to choose the right venue and location for your event. Having the right
venue for the type of event you are holding will enhance the atmosphere in itself. Ensure your
venue is conveniently located close to all major transport links (airports, motorways, tube, trains
and buses) and has sufficient parking space for the projected guest/delegate numbers.

Greet Your Guests with a Friendly Welcome

First impressions count, so provide your guests/delegates with a positive one. Your hosts
/hostesses should welcome every guest/delegate with a warm greeting and smile and be
knowledgeable about the venue facilities.

Set the Mood with Lighting

Setting an atmosphere and creating a dramatic first impression is why mood lighting is so vital to
any event. Get the lighting (and sound) right and you are well on your way to creating a dynamic
event.

Talk to the professionals about what you want to achieve and let them guide you on the latest
technology or tricks of the trade to get this all-important aspect right.

Create Ambiance with Music

Choose a style or genre of music that suits all tastes. Calm classical music is a good choice, or
some relaxed jazz. Leave the techno music for the nightclubs, unless you are holding a DJ event
of course!

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Choose a Great Master of Ceremonies

The host can make or break the occasion, so choose who will take control of the audience and
manage the proceedings in a professional manner. The host must set the atmosphere of the
event, striking the right tone according to the subject and objective of the event.

Dressing the Tables

Your guests/delegates will be seated for most of an event, so make sure they are comfortable
and have water throughout the proceedings. For the perfect tables and chairs arrangement you
can contact us.

Say Thank You and Farewell

You’ve put a lot of time and effort into creating the perfect atmosphere at your event. Now that it
has come to an end you must endeavor to give each and every guest/delegate a hearty thank
you and farewell. It is a nice gesture to have the same person who greeted the guests give a
warm goodbye as it creates a pleasant sense of continuity.
Site Plan

It usually shows a building footprint.

It is a graphic representation of the arrangement of buildings, parking, drives, landscaping and

any other structure that is part of a development project.

Best Practices When Creating an Event Plan

Determine the objective

Determine what the client or sponsoring organization hopes to achieve with the event.

Establish a budget.

A budget should include true estimates of key elements of the event. Provide an outline of the
budget in the event plan. Include travel and accommodation costs for the site scouting team,
speakers, presenters, and special guests from out of town.

Organize a team

A successful event plan requires a concerted team effort. Among your event project team you
may choose to identify an event manager or event chair as well as chairpersons for
subcommittees. Subcommittees may include venue selection, speakers, entertainment,
sponsors, volunteer management, and marketing.

Set a date

If it's a reoccurring event, the date may already be established. If this is a new event, there are a
few things to consider before finalizing the date:

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• Allow enough time to prepare. Larger events may require four to six months, perhaps even
longer, to execute an event plan. Obviously, the selection of the lead time is dependent on the
size, nature, and timing of your event.
• Be mindful of national and religious holidays.
• Check availability of key participants such as honored or VIP guests,
speakers, presenters, entertainment, etc.
Create a plan. The event plan must encompass all aspects of the event, including:
• Venue, logistics, catering
• Presenters, key note speakers
• Entertainment and activities
• Marketing efforts
• Registration logistics
• Sponsorship or partnership management
• Volunteer management

SETTING-UP THE MEETING ROOM

How to Set Up the Meeting Room

Having an established meeting room can make positive impressions especially on the meeting
attendees. A more professional meeting room setup helps to eliminate non-work related
distractions and boost productivity. It can also encourage the executive team and other
employees to be more professional while influencing others to take them seriously. To have a
more comfortable yet professional meeting room there are some specific things and necessities
that are needed.

The Main Necessities Needed In The Conference Rooms:

Whiteboard with pens

These are needed to make some visual aids and take notes of the highlights of the meeting
discussion. It also helps to explain the topic in more details.

Chairs and Tables

To have a more comfortable meeting place, it is nice to have the right chairs and table where the
attendees will be more comfortable. Also, we should consider the place if the chairs and tables
will fit the room and if it won’t be narrowed. Having a comfortable chairs, table and wide space
can help the meeting attendees focus on the discussion.

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Projector and Viewport

Before starting the meeting, it is required to check the technologies or gadgets that we will use.
We should always check if the projector and other technologies are working and functioning well.
Always check if we have the right equipment before starting the meeting.

Cable and Cords

We should have almost all the types of cable and cords or the specific cable and cords that we
will be needing in the meeting. We can stock those cable and cords beforehand or double check
the cable and cords that we brought before going to the room. Also, we should check if the cords
are functioning well and is compatible with the other gadgets and technologies ahead of time so
we can avoid having connectivity issues.

Functioning A/V Equipment

If the presentation requires an audio, we will need an equipment for that. We should always check
if the speaker is functioning before the time of the meeting.

Audio or Video Conferencing Equipment

If we will have attendees coming in virtually or phone we should ensure that the conferencing
equipment is set up beforehand so that no one misses out on important parts of the meeting.

A Coffee Maker and/or Hot Water Boiler for Tea

We should have these so the attendees will be more focused and it can help them pay more
attention to the topic and discussion.

PLANNING FOR SENSORY CUES AND TREATS

Engaging 5 Senses (Planning On Sensory and Treats)

We agree that engaging the five senses in event planning takes a lot of thought. Deciding on how
to best feature the senses can be challenging. But it doesn’t have to break the bank or offer too
many complexities that might jumble the message.

A company’s ultimate goal is to create a meaningful and memorable impact on their audience.
The hope is that the message influences how person thinks and behaves towards an organization,
brand, product or services. However, there is no other part of the marketing matrix as powerful
as an event. This is because it brings you face-to-face with your audience. The key is building
your event or meeting to achieve maximum effect. The best way to accomplish this is by engaging
the five senses in event planning.

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Sight

Appeal to your event attendees’ sense of sight by making effective use of stimulating visual
content. Picture booths and virtual reality, continue to gain momentum and popularity as creative
ways to engage guest visually. You can also bring the sensorial emotional appeal by using a video
and creative lightning techniques.

Sight is probably the sense that gets the most use at events (although hearing may have
something to say about that).

Sound/Hearing

Selecting the appropriate soundtrack for the atmosphere at your event helps to build a fully
immersive world rather than something that feels like an exhibit. Be sensitive to the effects of
different styles and preparations of music on your attendees. Jazz, for instance, has been shown
to reduce stress levels. Also, music performed live excites audiences and creates an incredibly
memorable experience. You can design and orchestrate a “score”, if you will, that accompanies
different parts of your event. The subtle tempo of musical accompaniment can take a moment
from “special” to “unforgettable.”

TASTE

Taste isn’t just about great tasting food. It is also about how you integrate the food into the event
itself. You want to align the taste component with the attendees and locations. Taste should be
as much about the experience of eating as the eating itself.

SMELL

We all have that one smell that automatically transport us back in time.

As mentioned above, smell is inexorably tied to memory.

Anyway, event marketers are getting wise to the power of smell on our feelings. A newer vehicle
for brand-to-consumer engagement known as “Scent Marketing” targets our sense of smell and
the way we attach emotions to memories.

TOUCH

Touch is also a great way to introduce a new sensory experience to your guests. Invite attendees
to use their sense of touch to explore an installation or space.

One of the new trends for events on 2019., incorporates touch into an augmented reality
experience. For instance, event AV can use touchable water surfaces in their AR experience to
create an experience that guests will never forget! Another way to incorporate touch for a multi-
sensory events is to use life-size props or games with parts that guests can pick up and feel their
way around the space.

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 CONTINGENCY PLANNING

SAFETY AND SECURITY

Safety and Security

In today’s event environment there is an ever increasing demand for security infrastructure
systems to be defined, managed and implemented. An appropriate security infrastructure solution
depends on the level of risk accepted by you as the event owner and your key stakeholders.

Difference between Security & Safety

Security:
• Protection against external threat
• It is a physical aspect
• Deliberate threat
• Broad Coverage (Border etc.)

Safety:
• Protection against internal threat
• Emotional Aspect
• Unintended Threat
• Narrow Coverage (Building etc.)

The Pre -Planning Phase

Determining and Acquiring the Security Workforce

1. Most event organizers will hire a professional security firm to provide services prior to
and during their event.
2. The security firm should be responsible for providing an adequate number of qualified
security personnel.
3. If staffing questions arise, it may be prudent to obtain the opinion of your local law
enforcement agency to assure adequate resources are being deployed.
4. In estimating the number of security personnel needed for a special event, it is always
best to err on the side of having too many rather than not having enough.

Crowd Control

1. Crowd control practices are critical to the success of your event for comfort and safety.
Inadequate controls could lead to injuries from slips, trips and falls, altercations, children
being separated from their parents and patrons being injured by the crowd.

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 2. Consideration needs to be given to paths of travel for access to and egress from the
event.
3. It should also be given to how patrons will move from one activity to another during the
event.
4. One way traffic patterns and temporarily stopping opposing foot traffic are often helpful.
Access, egress and travel paths should be well delineated, smooth, and free of trip/slip
hazards.
5. Fencing, barricades, ropes, or uniformed security staff may be helpful in delineating
travel paths.
6. These practices should also be employed to keep patrons from travelling through areas
that present hazards such as uneven ground, traffic, equipment or other concerns.

Transportation / Traffic

In developing security plans for major special events, all transportation modes
that may have an impact on the security of the venue need to be reviewed. Working with
transportation officials, traffic engineering, fire/EMS, and others, decision may be made to close
streets, re-route traffic patterns, close transit stops, and the like for security purposes.

Surveillance and Observation.

The use of security video cameras has increased at special events because Cameras can double
as logistical and security tools as well as an aid in claim defense.

1. Staff can monitor the cameras to detect and record attempted security breaches and also
to observe the movements of dignitaries, performers, or speakers to ensure the timing of
events.
2. Security personnel can also use video cameras to identify someone who commits a crime
(spectator, protester) and arrest them later when it might cause less of a disruptive scene.
3. Digital videos store and search long after the event. In addition to using video cameras,
many law enforcement agencies position officers on rooftops or other high vantage points
to observe crowd behavior during special events.

PROBLEM ANALYSIS AND CONTINGENCY PLANNING

Problem Analysis

A problem analysis is an investigation of the causes of an incident, issue or failure.

Contingency Planning

Contingency

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A future event or circumstance which is possible but cannot be predicted with certainty.

Contingency Plan

A plan that will direct your activities in the case of any major or minor trouble. This plan not only
works as a predictor of emergencies but will also help you to be equipped enough to cope with
them.

Some Areas That Might Cause Troubles During The Event

Technology

Facing a technological problem is an extremely common yet troublesome issue for events. The
best way out is:

• Check every single tech device before the event starts;

• Have backups for as many equipment as possible;
• If there are any videos, audios, images, etc. to be displayed during the event, play them
completely before the event starts in order to prevent glitches;
• Have an efficient team ready for handling all sorts of tech problems.

Security

In order to prevent trespassers from entering your event venue, you need to make appropriate
event security arrangements. Some venues also provide security arrangements. If not, you can
arrange a team on your own. Either ways, ensure that:

• There are enough capable members on the event security team;

• The venue is well equipped with CCTVs, metal detectors, etc. according to
the requirement;
• A special event security team is arranged for any VIP guest that you are expecting;

Medical

Medical emergencies can take place anywhere, anytime. As an event planner, you need to ensure
that there are sample arrangements for providing medical services for all your guests and
attendees.

You need to arrange:

• At least 2–3 team members who can provide first-aid care and CPR;
• A complete first-aid kit (including some basic medicines);
• Quick access to an ambulance for extreme cases.

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Accidents/Disasters

• Fire outbreaks, earthquakes and other accidents and disasters come totally uninvited.
However, they are not so common, you need to be ready to tackle the situation if the need arises.
To prepare for such situations:
• Acquaint all your team members with the emergency exit routes;
• Keep equipment like fire extinguishers handy.

Team

All your team members are susceptible to health issues, family emergencies or anything else that
might prevent them from reporting on time and carrying out their work.

Guests/Speakers/Performers

Just like your team members, your guests or speakers might also need to cancel their attendance
at the last moment. In order to prevent chaos or problems in such situations, you can take the
following measures:

• Try and make arrangements in a way that your guests or speakers report to the venue a
few hours before they need to be present publicly;
• If the guests might run a little late, prepare some alterations that can be made to the
event schedule accordingly;

Budget

While planning the overall budget for your event, save some appropriate amount for dealing with
contingencies as well. The point here is not to go paranoid with every single thing related to your
event and overspend on prevention and cure. You only need to take care of the bare minimum
and you will be good to go.

CRISIS MANAGEMENT PLAN

What is Crisis?

According to Merriam-Webster, crisis is an unstable or crucial time or state of affairs in which a

decisive change is impending especially one with the distinct possibility of a highly undesirable.
And according to Cambridge dictionary, crisis is an extremely dangerous or difficult situation.

Types of Crisis

Natural Disaster - Environmental phenomena like earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, landslide,

tsunamis, and storms that threaten life, property and the environment.

Man-made Disaster - Fires, stampedes, transport accidents, terrorist attacks etc.

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Confrontation Crisis - Resisting or disobeying the authority, common type is boycotts.

Crisis of Organization Misdeeds - When management takes actions it knows will harm or place
stakeholders at risk for harm without adequate precautions.

Workplace Violence - When an employee or former employee commits violence against other
employees on organizational grounds.

Rumors - False information that creates crises hurting the organization's reputation. EX. making
stories about the product or event.

Stages of Crisis

Pre-Crisis Phase

Prevention involves seeking to reduce known risks that could lead to a crisis. This is part of an
organization’s risk management program. Preparation involves creating the crisis management
plan, selecting and training the crisis management team, and conducting exercises to test the
crisis management plan and crisis management team.

Organizations are better in handling crises when:

  They have a crisis management plan that is updated at least annually,

  Have a designated crisis management team,
  Conduct exercises to test the plans and teams at least annually, and
 Pre-draft some crisis messages.
The planning and preparation allow crisis teams to react faster and to make more effective
decisions.

Crisis Response

The crisis response is what management does and says after the crisis hits. Public relations plays
a critical role in the crisis response by helping to develop the messages that are sent to various
publics. A great deal of research has examined the crisis response.

That research has been divided into two sections:

  The initial crisis response and

 Reputation repair and behavioral intentions.

Initial response

Practitioner experience and academic research have combined to create a clear set of
guidelines for how to respond once a crisis hits.

The initial crisis response guidelines focus on three points:

  Be quick,
  Be accurate, and
 Be consistent.

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Be quick seems rather simple, provide a response in the first hour after the crisis occurs.

Post-Crisis Phase

In the post-crisis phase, the organization is returning to business as usual. The crisis is no longer
the focal point of management’s attention but still requires some attention. As noted earlier,
reputation repair may be continued or initiated during this phase. There is important follow-up
communication that is required.

First, crisis managers often promise to provide additional information during the crisis phase. The
crisis managers must deliver on those informational promises or risk losing the trust of publics
wanting the information.

Second, the organization needs to release updates on the recovery process, corrective actions,
and/or investigations of the crisis. The amount of follow-up communication required depends on
the amount of information promised during the crisis and the length of time it takes to complete
the recovery process.

Intranets are an excellent way to keep employees updated, if the employees have ways to access
the site. It reports how mass notification systems can be used as well to deliver update messages
to employees and other publics via phones, text messages, voice messages, and e-mail. Personal
e-mails and phone calls can be used too.

What is Crisis Management?

An event crisis is problem that has gone out of hand causing damage of serious magnitude.
Damage or the negative effect of this crisis may affect the person, property, or reputation.

Crisis management refers to actions taken by an organization to maintain its credibility and good
reputation after a situation has occurred that may affect it in a negative manner and therefore
reduce sales its products or services.

Goals of a Crisis Management Plan

• Protect public health

• Continue operating
• Minimize damage to reputation, brand, and image
• Minimize loss of customers
• Minimize financial losses

Importance of Crisis Management Plan

It takes time planning every detail of a trade show to make sure everything goes right; yet
oftentimes not enough thought goes into knowing what to do when something goes wrong. Worst-
case scenario wrong. It’s an uncomfortable and sometimes controversial topic, but it has

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to be addressed honestly, otherwise mistakes can be made and scenarios overlooked. Not having
a crisis management plan can result in chaos and pandemonium, or worse.

Reliable and proper communication should be at the heart of any crisis plan. It should go without
saying that if everyone is not properly trained and on the same page, implementing your plan will
be difficult. Develop your plans with the help and advice of professionals who can point out any
faulty or inadequate strategies. Once your plans have been finalized, make sure you hold a
training session for your entire staff to familiarize them with the details. There should be a chain
of command included in your plans. It is sometimes referred to as an emergency call tree. This
communication model is used to notify specific individuals in case of an emergency. It operates
something like this: The first person the Show Manager calls will be the one who initiates the call
tree. That person will notify three other individuals who will then notify four other people who will
continue to notify the rest of the contacts down the line. To ensure success, put the following into
practice

Outline of a Crisis Management Plan

A crisis management plan outline can come in different structures and presentations, as some
scopes of risk assessed may be broad and far reaching. In such cases, these types of contingency
plans include different phases. They may comprise the establishment of a command center, to
acts of mitigation, communication processes, and recovery strategies through the final phase of
disengagement from all operations.

On the other hand, there are crisis management plans that provide only for actions pertaining to
communication responses and the chain of command. They are cases where the organization
has previously decided that all actions should have prior legal consultations and professional
assessments of the current situations, including media impact, before any steps or measures are
taken.

In such cases, these types of contingency plans contain outlines of the persons to be reached in
cases of crisis. The main content is a list of emergency contacts. The important factor is the
observations of protocol, which starts with the principal figure who will make the final decision.
The next in line are his alternate, his legal counsel, his advisors, and the media.

Preparation

 The Purpose of the Crisis Management Plan- This is a definitive statement as to what the
organization considers as critical situations and a general overview of what the outline
intends to achieve. A basic outline for a crisis management plan usually presents the
 crises or threats being contemplated immediately after the purpose is stated.
 Critical Scenarios to Be Addressed by the Action Plans- This is a list of the threats
assessed and identified as requiring immediate attention, which may emanate from
natural or man-made occurrences.
All these risks have the potential to bring about permanent damages. In order to arrest their
impact and potential for greater losses, a plan of action is required to mitigate their effects and

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to communicate to the public that corrective measures are being undertaken. Thereby, the
effectiveness of these plans will allow the company to regain and maintain control over a serious
situation.

Crisis Responses

  Be honest and open—Nothi

 Keep employees informed--Maintaining an informed workforce helps ensure that business
continues to flow as smoothly as possible. It also minimizes the internal rumor mill that
 may lead to employees posting false reports on social media.
 Update early and often--It is better to over-communicate than to allow rumors to fill the
void. Issue summary statements, updated action plans and new developments as early
and as often as possible. Remember that with today's social media and cable news
outlets, we live in a time of the 24/7 news cycle. Your crisis plan must do the same.