Special Event Management

The term special event is used as an umbrella term that includes all functions
that bring people together for a unique purpose. Most events require planning by an
organizer. A Special event, such as a city fair or festival, can mean working with
community infrastructure, merchandising, promoting, and in some cases, dealing
with the media. The event can be as small as a local rotary picnic or as large as an
international film festival. Special events are imbedded in meetings and conventions
and at amusement parks, parades, festivals, fairs, and exhibits.

Definition of a Special Event

According to the Convention Industry Council (CIC), a special event is a one-

time event that is for the purpose of celebration; a unique activity.

Gold blatt defines a special event as a unique moment in time celebrated with
ceremony and ritual to satisfy specific needs.

Kinds of Special Events

1. Civic wants
a. Centennials
b. Founders Day
 2. Mega-Events
a. Olympics
b. America's Cup
c. World Fairs

3. Festivals and Fairs

a. Community Events
b. Fairs (not-for-profit)
c. Festivals (for-profit)

4.
Expositions
a. Meeting place for suppliers and buyers
b. Education
c. Entertainment

5. Sporting Events
a. Super Bowl
b. World Series
c. Masters Golf Tournament

6. Social Life Cycle Events

a. Weddings
b. Anniversaries
c. Birthdays
d. Reunions
 7. Meetings and Conventions

a. Political National Conventions

b. National Restaurant Association
Convention
c. Professional Convention Management
Association Annual Conference

8. Religious events
a. Papal inaugurations
b. Haij (Mecca)
c. Easter 178

History and Background of Events

Special events have been part of human

history since ancient times. People celebrated births,
weddings, and deaths throughout history and hold
special gatherings such as the Olympic games and
gladiatorial contests. modern historians credit the
use of the term "special event" to Robert Janni, M
Disney imaginer. The problem Walt Disney faced
was that families who visited the theme park were
tired after a day of adventure. Most of them left the
park at 5 p.m. each day even though the park stayed
open many hours longer. To keep the attendees at
the park, Robert Janni proposed producing a nightly
parade called the "Main Street Electric Parade" with
many floats decorated with lights. It was successful
in keeping people in the park at night. When asked by a reporter what he called the
parade, he answered "A Special Event," Since then, the use of special events to attract
or to maintain crowds has become a mainstay.
 Events protocol

The term protocol is used to describe the traditional form of behavior in a

ceremony and etiquette observed by diplomats and heads of state. The term is also
used to describe a code of correct conduct. Functions where protocols need to be
used are:
1. civic receptions;
2. formal parade;
3. national day receptions;
4. citizenship ceremonies; and
5. private functions.

Sources of information on protocols are:

1. libraries;
2. Internet;
3. federal, state, and local government protocol departments; and
4. Office of the United Nations. 179

Order of precedence

Event planner should consult the order of precedence in order to the seating
and other arrangements and should contact state or federal 8overnment protocol
officers for specific information on the protocol.

In addition to government officials

and members of parliament, the
involvement of the following personnel
and officials would require research on
the protocol requirements:

1. Diplomats and foreign officials

2. Religious officials
3. Military personnel
4. Academic officials
5. Nobility
6. Royalty
 titles

Style guides, which are available in most public libraries, provide guidelines
on the correct titles for people such as Prime Ministers and Ministers. If high-
ranking overseas visitors are attending an event, the event organizer should contact
the relevant embassy to get information on the table of precedence and the titles to
be used.

Dress for formal occasions

The appropriate dress for

formal occasions should be included
in the invitation. This may include
morning dress for formal day
functions or black tie for formal
evening events. Protocol also needs
to be observe with regard to the
correct insignia to be worn at
ceremonial events.

Setting plans for formal occasions

Seating Plans for Formal Occasions must be observed by the event organizer.
The guest of honor always Sits at the right of the host. If other government
dignitaries are present, the order of precedence is outlined in Table 1. If dignitaries
are males and accompanied by their spouses, the plan is outlined in Table 1 In
general, those with higher rank sit closer to the official party and the guest of honor
sits at the right of the host.
 Table 1

1G Host and 1W Host Wife

2G Guest of Honor and 2W Wife
3 – 6G Gentlemen in order of precedence
3 – 6W Wives in order of precedence

6G 4W 3G 1W 2G 1G 2W 4G 3W 5G

5W 6W
6

Seating plan for male dignitaries accompanied by their spouses

Dinning

The event organizer should plan the style of food service according to protocol.
Formal service for a sit-down dinner may be appropriate for an occasion involving
local dignitaries. If there are many visitors from overseas, a buffet may be a more
suitable option.
 Planning tools for a special event

Special events management requires planning tools. The first of these tools is
a vision statement of the event. The vision statement should identify tool he who,
what, when, where, and why of the event. Though involved, the event should focus on
the vision. This can be done by continuously monitoring, evaluating, and measuring
the progress toward the goals of the event.

The "who" of the event are the people or organizations who would like to
host and organize it. The "what" is a parade which demonstrates the pride and local
tradition of the people of the city. The "where" of the parade is the downtown area
of the city with the floats and bands marching down the main avenue. The "why" is
the tradition, fun, pride, and tourism that promotes the city and brings revenues to
local businesses. Hence, when a city decides to host a special event, it needs to
incorporate the tools of special events management.

The following are some management tools that are used in staging events:

1. Flow charts and graphs are used for scheduling such as the start of the
meeting, the time for coffee breaks, time for the meeting to resume and to
end. The chart can also be the order of floats for a parade, the program for
a talent show, or the sequence for an international conference held for one
week. A flow chart is used to schedule an event's activities, to guide
attendees and guests, and to help in the smooth execution of the event.

2. There should be a well-defined set up and break down schedules. This will
give the event manager an opportunity to know the tasks that may have
been overlooked at the start of the planning process.

3. Policy statements should be made to guide in the decision- making

process. Policy statements give a clear understanding of commitments and
how to achieve them. Examples of commitments are human resources,
Merchandising
sponsors, andvolunteers,
security, ticketing, Promotion andofpaid
special events
employees
 Merchandising and Promotion of Special Events Merchandising and
promotion of special events are other planning tools to attract attendance and
increase the profitability of the event. The two main objectives of a special event are
profit for the vendors and a memorable experience for the attendees. The elements of
the promotional mix for successful special event management is shown in Figure 1

Figure 1 The Promotional Mix

Direct Sales Personal

Advertising Interactive Publicity
Marketing Promotion selling

Internet Public
Marketing Relations

Distinctive Roles of the Promotional Mix Model

A. Advertising - is any paid form of no personal

communication about the event. No personal
advertising involves mass media such as TV, radio,
magazines, and newspapers. Advertising is a well-
known form of promotion because it is very persuasive
especially if it targets mass consumers such as a home
or garden show. It can be used to create brand images
and can produce immediate responses from the
prospective attendees.

B. Direct marketing - is a form or advertising that

communicates directly to the target consumer order
to get a response. It involves various activities such
as database management, direct selling,
telemarketing, direct response ads, the Internet, and
several broadcast and print media. An example is the Tupperware Company. The
company relies on independent contractors to sell their products directly to the
customer. The contractors communicate directly to the customers, maintain their
own database, and bring their products directly to the customers.

C. Interactive or Internet marketing - allows a

back-and-forth flow of information. Users can
participate and change the form and content
information they receive. Unlike traditional forms of
marketing which are one-way forms of marketing, this
type of media allows users to perform several functions.
It enables users to receive and modify information and
images, make inquiries, answer questions, and make
purchases. For a special event such as the Colorado
Music Festival, attendees can go to the festival’s official
area, buy tickets, and ask additional information.
Besides the Internet, other forms of interactive media
include CD-ROMs, kiosks, and interactive television.

D. Sales promotion - is defined as those

marketing activities that give extra value or
incentives to the sales force, distributors, and
consumers to encourage sales. A popular form of
sales promotion is the coupon. Several events use
a two-for-one coupon to encourage attendance
particularly on slower days.

E. Publicity and
Public Relations -
are two separate
components.
Publicity is the
component that is not directly paid for and does not
have an identified sponsor. Publicity is regarded as a
credible form of promotion, but it is not always under
the control of the organization or host of the event.
However, the opposite is also true. Planners have little
control over the result. The purpose of public relations is
to plan and distribute information systematically in
order to control or manage the image and/or publicity of
an event. It has a broader objective than publicity because its aim is to establish a
positive image of the special event.

F. Personal Selling - is a form of person-to-

person communication in which a seller tries to
help or persuade prospective event attendees.
Group tour sales are personal selling of a special
event. There are many tour companies that buy a
large number of tickets for special events. Unlike
advertising, personal selling involves direct contact
between the buyer and the seller of the event,
usually through face-to-face sales. Personal selling
is more appropriate and feasible by meeting face-
to-face with a group of representatives instead of
meeting face-to-face with each individual
prospective attendee.

Preparation for special events

The following steps need to be followed in preparing a special event:

1. Choose a venue.

2. Obtain permits.
a. Parade permits
b. Liquor permits
C. Sanitation permits
d. Sales permits or licenses
e. Fire safety permits

3. Involve the necessary government agencies. For example, to use the city recreation
facilities, work with the Department of Parks

4. Involve the health department if there will be food and beverage

5. Meet all pertinent parties in person to learn up any misconceptions and

Recreation. at the event. early on.
 6. Be aware of the complexities of dealing with the public sector. Many times, public
agencies have a difficult time making decisions.

7. Acknowledge the logistics that a community must contend with for certain types of
special events such as street closures for a marathon.

8. Establish a security plan which may include the security given by the venue and
professional law enforcement.

9. Obtain liability insurance. The most vulnerable area is the liability regarding
liquor and liquor laws.

10. Determine ticket prices if the special event involves ticketing.

11. Determine ticket sale distribution if the special event involves ticketing.

12. Take charge of the following basic businesses that support the function:

a. Accounting systems such as general ledger, financial reporting, accounts payable

accounts receivable, and payroll
b. Human resources system such as recruitment, personal records, job classification,
and description
c. Registration
d. ticketing which includes mail order, seat inventories, seat assignments, and gate
sales
e. scoring and results which include scoreboard and displays

The degree of preparation will depend on the type of special event being held.
A well-prepared event will produce more profit.

Budget for a Special Event

A special event must be both successful and

profitable. Profitability requires an understanding of
the important areas involved in the cost of an event.
These six areas are rental costs, security costs,
production costs, labor costs, marketing costs, and
talent costs.
 Rental Costs

Renting a facility, such as a convention

center or ground space to put up a tent, requires
payment of a daily rental charge. Convention
‘centers sell space based on a per square footage
used. Many facilities charge for space even on the
move-in and move-out days. Events can usually
negotiate a discount.

Security Costs

Several convention centers, rental halls, and

hotels provide limited security. This means that a
guard is stationed at the front and rear entrances
of the venue. Security costs will depend on the type
of event. For example, a rock concert or a
European football match will require more
security. Security cost will depend on the amount
of security needed.

Production Costs

Production costs are those that are

connected with a special event. They differ
depending on the type of event. For example, if
the special event is a large home and a garden
show, there are costs that are associated with the
setup of the trade show booths such as elaborate
garden landscape, electrical and water fees, signage or banners, and pipe and drape
fees.

Labor Costs

The labor costs involved in the setup and

breakdown of the event will depend on the city
where the special event will be held. In very strict
union cities. In some cities, the union allows the
exhibitor to bring his own cart with brochures and
merchandise. In other cities, exhibitors are not
allowed to carry labor costs will be higher because of
the higher wages of the union anything except their
own briefcase.

Marketing Costs

Marketing Costs event make up a large

part of the budget. attendees. All these need to be
budgeted. The marketing costs associated with
attracting attendants to a special Several event
organizers use a combination of promotions to
attract attendees. All these needs to be budgeted.

Talent Costs

All special events use some type of talent or

performance such as keynote speakers, a band or
orchestra, a sports team, a singer, etc. to attract
attendees to the event. The costs will depend on the
popularity of the performance. The talent fee of
Madonna will be much higher than that of an ordinary singer. Before an event, it is
the duty of the event planner to do a projection of all costs and revenues. These
projections are important for a community to decide whether to host another event.
Repeat events are much easier to promote, especially when the organizers have made
a profit.
 THE EVENT BRIEF

An event brief is a complete overview of the event you are planning to run.
Written before any practical plans are made and long before the date of the event. It
includes any details relevant to the event and how you expect it to run such as key
dates, limitations, etc. It contains background information about the event and the
data that the supplier must provide in its proposal, as well as information on the
proposal evaluation process.
EVENT CONTENT
 Think of conference planners as the ring leaders of a circus. They find a way to
let the crowds know the circus is coming to town, herd the big cats, jungle multiple
balls in the air, sell tickets to see the bearded lady and walk a tightrope without
falling (metaphorically speaking, of course).
To make it all work, you’ve you got to hire your entertainers, promote the
event, sell tickets, keep audiences entertained and pointed towards all the best
attractions so that they’ll come back again. At the heart of all this is content- your
story. How and when and where you tell your story matters. Let us to take you on a
journey. The journey or event content, from collecting it (finding speakers),
organizing it (building your program schedule), marketing it (tell your story to the
right people) and sharing it onsite (through signage, mobile apps and agendas).

WHAT IS EVENT CONTENT?

EVENT PROPOSAL
 When writing an event proposal, the amount of detailed required will depend
on the scale and importance of the event. However, event proposals generally share
may common components. The information that event proposals should convey
includes but is not limited to the following:

 Description of the Event

 Experience of the Event Bidder
 Venue and Facilities Offered
 The Event Program
 The proposed Event Budget

Description of the Event

It is important to provide the reader

of the event proposal with an overview of
what the event is about. Some events need
very little explaining because they are
commonplace. However, it is unwise to
rely on the tittle of the event alone to
explain it purpose. In providing an
overview for the reader, it may be
important to describe the main participant
target groups, the main goals to be
achieved in running the event and, if the
event is somewhat unusual, one or two
sentence that provide the reader with mental picture of what the event will be. A
more full description of the event program is dealt with separately

Experience of the Event Bidder

 The organization or entity bidding for the
event should extol its experience and capability.
It is crucial that whoever assess the bids firmly
believes the bidding organization will be able to
put on a good show. The proposal should contain
succinct information about the event
management experience of the proposed event
team. If experience in staging events is limited
then it is useful to mention any managerial,
project management or co –ordination
experience in any other field. Qualifications of
persons in the event management team may also
prove useful to mention. The proposal should
also describe any training that will be given to event volunteers.

The Bid Process

It is normal practice for any representative body, at any level, that has the
responsibility to select with organization will stage an event, to ask each and every
rival organization to supply a proposal detailing how they will organize and stage the
event. This process of supplying a proposal is often referred to as the “bid process”.
The main purpose of the bid process is to:
 Demonstrate that the bidding organization has the capability and resources to
stage the event.
 Provide additional reasons why the bidding organization should be selected
over other rival bidders. For example, these additional reasons may include:
 Participants will have better facilities than other rival bidders
 The event has greater financial backing than rival bids
 Public support is more assured
 Spectators will have better facilities
 It’s their turn
When organizations are required to enter into a formal bid process in order to
win the right to stage an event, there are two tasks. The first task is to develop a bid
proposal and submit the document to the selecting authority by the required date.
 EVENT BUDGET AND TIMELINESS

Time and money are two important

resources for events. Monitor how the money
flows in as revenues, and how money is spent for
expenses. Account for revenues and expenses
and maintain up to date accounting records. Also
have receipts and other support documents on
file. Having neat records that are readily
accessible will make post event reporting easier.

The club or organization bidding for the

event should draft a budget of probable income
and expenditure. It is important that such a
budget is realistic and therefore some care and
consideration needs to be given to suggesting
sponsors that have not yet formalized any sponsorship agreement. The event budget
should not show a loss when all projected income and expenditure has been taken
into account. If the budget predicts a loss, there will be a major concern in the minds
of those who assess the event bid proposal. The club or organization that wins the bid
may be entitled to an amount of funding from the sport governing body to alleviate
certain costs that will likely be incurred. However, there is also an expectancy that
the host club or organization will have an opportunity to make money through the
canteen, bar, fundraising raffles and merchandising. These forms of income should
be reflected in the budget in the event proposal. An event manager works with two
very important resources: money and time. Both seem scarce, no matter how one
attempts to stretch them.

Revenue minus Expenses= Profits

The importance of each element is this

equation depends on what the events financial
objective is. For hosted events, the event
manager’s objective is to maximize the budget to
cover all expenses and achieve event objectives.
For break- even events, aim to recover all
expenses thru revenues generated, Lastly, for
profit- oriented events, the objective is to increase
revenue to level much higher than expenses.
 EVENT TIMETABLE

work and time. This can be drawn as a Gantt chart or a software on project
management may be used. Use this tool for pre-event planning and preparations.
1. List all task that are to be completed before the event.
2. Determine the number of days needed to complete each task.
3. Ascertain the chronology of each task and which task may have done
simultaneously.
4. Assign responsibilities to team members.
5. Plot these task in a table similar to the one below.
6. The event sequence guide details the timing of each sequence in the event
program. It serves as a planning before the event and the control tool
during the event itself.
7. How much time will it take to compete each activity? Will the timing be
complete to the audience? Will it hold their attention? What adjustment
have to made?
8. Make timing precise, and avoid gaps or lulls in between activities.
9. Identify people concerned with each activity-those who will be onstage and
those who will be assisting at the wings, back stage or at the technical
console.
10. List logistic requirements for the activity: props, sound equipment, music,
lighting, etc.

PRODUCTION SCHEDULE

this schedule lists all the tasks that have to be

done on the day of the event. The tasks include work
that has to be completed before the event starts, for
each activity during the event, and during egress after
the event.
SAMPLE EVENT PROPOSAL
 EVENT MARKETING

MARKETING PLAN
Marketing is the process of creating a
transferring a product or service to the buyer. Good
research is crucial in making informed decisions. The
same is true in making a marketing plan. If you have
conducted a feasibility study for your event, then it
will be easier for you to layout your marketing plan.
Based on the feasibility study format, the following
information should already be available at this time:
event objectives, theme, scope (initial programming),
market characteristics, competition, possible revenue
resources and alliances/ sponsors, event date and
venue, SWOT and initial financial analysis, a general description of the target
audience, and supporting data on event’s attractiveness to the target audience.
Review the information you have and complete the study before proceeding to the
marketing plan.

The marketing plan is composed of four stages:

1. Conducting a market analysis (feasibility study);
2. Identifying the target audience and marketing objectives (e.g., revenue);
3. Defining the marketing mix and marketing strategy; and
4. Implementing, monitoring, and evaluating the marketing performance.

IDENTIFY TARGET AUDIENCE

“Begin with the end in mind”. In events management,

the end goal of marketing efforts is the number of attendees
to an event. Hence, the first step in preparing the marketing
plan is to define your target audience further through
expansion of the information from the feasibility study. The
purpose of this step is to determine whether there is a gap
between your attendance expectations and the likelihood of
the target person to go to the event. What would attract or hinder your target person
from going to the event? To Marketing efforts must fill the gap.
To do this, you must know the answer to these two questions:
(1) “Who is your target audience?” and
(2) “Where is your target audience?” Build your audience profile.

Brainstorm with the group. Set priorities on the types of audience. Example
(in order or preference): students in the university, teachers in the university,
students in other universities, and teachers in other universities. Understand your
audience more, learn about their interests, what they do (course/ profession), what
they read or listen to, where they live, how they travel, etc. If yours is annual event,
like a recognition day for the school’s athletes, last year’s audience and sponsors are
your most important asset. Your existing audience base can be ambassador for your
event spreading positive word of mouth, so take good care of them. Put your money
on existing and potential new audience and do not waste your efforts on different
people who are very unlikely to attend.

SET MARKETING OBJECTIVES

Set your marketing objectives once you have identified your audience.
Keep the objectives SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-
bound). Examples:

 To increase the level of overall attendees by 20%, from last year’s 800 to 960

 To achieve the following breakdown of attendees: 70% students of the university,

5% teachers of the university, 23% students of other universities, 2% teachers of
other universities and others

 To sell 50% of tickets to block section (consider discounted rates in budget)

 To get P90,000.00 net sales revenue at P100.00 per ticket

 To achieve national press coverage

 To achieve 95% audience satisfaction (excellent or very good in feedback sheet)

Remember that marketing objectives should be in accordance with your overall event
objectives.
SET MARKETING STRATEGY

Now that you know where you want to go, the next step is to decide how to
get there. Do this by identifying your:
(1) marketing mix
(2) marketing tools.
Here is an example of the event marketing mix from events Scotland:
 Product- what the event offers. It is the program enough to provide expected
experience?

 Price- cost of attending. Can the target audience afford the ticket price and is
there a need to offer group discounts?

 Convenience- ease of attending. Is it easy to buy the tickets and find the
venue?

 Promotion- saying the right things to the right people. Do you have the right
combination of marketing tools to communicate the event’s positioning? 
Positioning- how you present your product/ event to the public, thereby
creating expectations to an extent. Will the event be fun, purely academic,
jologs (tacky) or classy?
After providing a list of solutions to the questions above concerning the
marketing mix, select the marketing tools which befit your target audience. Here are
some commonly used marketing tools for events:
 Prints: posters, flyers, printed program, tickets, postcards, direct mail, etc.

 Mass media: media advertising (print, radio, TV), press, release, etc.

 Internet- based materials: website, blogs, social networking sites like

Facebook and email (personalized or mass mail), etc.

 Outdoor advertising: billboards, streamers, etc.

  Person- to- person: telemarketing, door-to-door campaigns, referral
programs, etc.
CHOOSING MARKETING TOOLS

PRINTS

 POSTERS. In producing posters, remember

that they must contain only key messages, not the
detailed program of your event, to create
awareness and anticipation. Do not forget to
include the event title, date, venue, and contact
details. Make sure that posters are eye- catching
and easy to read from an appropriate distance.
Determine place and size of distribution before
printing, and display posters well before the event.

 FLYERS. Flyers serve functions different

posters. People can take flyers away with
them so they must contain more information
than posters, such as the answers to the 5Ws
of the event, with the aim of converting the
takers/readers to attendees. Use both sides
of the paper to maximize space: one side
catchy, the other with more details.

PROGRAM. There are two types of printed

programs: (1) one- page flyer type program
and (2) book/ magazine-type souvenir
program. Both contain details about the
event program thus, serving as guide to the
event. Elements of the flyer type program
include the event title, date, and venue, as
well as the chronological list of activities,
names of performers and /or speakers, and
the name and/ or logo of sponsors and the
host school. With more printing space, the
souvenir program naturally contains more
information.
  TICKET. Tickets are good promotional
materials, too. If sols in advance, make
sure that they are difficult to counterfeit
and they have control numbers. Think of
other ways to utilize the ticket space, such
as printing safety measures at the back of
the ticket or including a tear-off for a
raffle draw or meal stub.

 LOGOS. If your event is funded by several sponsors

and supported by some government agencies, ensure
that all your print materials contain the agreed
acknowledgments.

EVENT GIVEAWAYS

Gifts with practical application, especially

those gifts which have a great thought put in them,
have a better chance of being kept and cherished by
the receivers than being thrown away or given away a
second time as pasalubong by meeting attendees.
Event organizers and their clients pay a considerable
amount of money for giveaways, handouts, and other
event accessories; it would be such a waste for these
“little something” not to serve their purpose.
Companies provide gifts for several reasons: to say
thank you, to persuade, or to reinforce a brand.
 INTERNET- BASED MATERIALS

Should you choose to have a website for your event, always keep your
website updated, and make sure that is user- friendly, easy to navigate, and displays
the most important information (5Ws) prominently. Use photos and attractive
graphics. When using a free website host, be aware that you cannot change the
template and that you will not be able to control the ads that appear on your site,
which may contradict your event positioning. When putting up your own site,
consider the costs, like design, maintenance, hosting, and domain name registration.
Using a content management system (CMS) is also an option. CMS allows you to
change your website as easy as the way you update your facebook account.
Email is a cheap tool in disseminating information about your event.
However, make sure that the contents of your emails are worthy of your reader’s
attention. Email only those who signified interest to receive them and put an
“unsubscribe” option in your emails. Always provide a link to your website in your
emails.
Other internet- based marketing tools are blogs and social networking
sites, like Facebook and You Tube, which you can use to promote your event

OUTDOOR ADVERTISING

In choosing locations for outdoor ads, information on your target market’s

usual routes comes in handy. How do they travel between home and work/ school?
Establish a strong presence in these routes by putting up billboards and streamers, as
well as ads on lamp posts, mobile vans, terminals/waiting shades, train stations, and
even at display windows of stores in strategic locations. Look for ad companies
selling retail billboards spaces or check with the city hall for requirements and specs.

PERSON- TO- PERSON MARKETING

Person-to-person marketing tools may be more

effective for smaller events with lots of available
manpower like school events. This particular tool
involves person-to-person interaction, and if done properly, can be the most
convincing tool. Examples are telemarketing, room-to-room campaigns, and referral
SPONSORSHIP
reward systems.

A sponsor is an individual or a group that provides support to an event,

whether financially or through the provision of products or services. It is a source of
revenue for the event. If you plan to invite sponsors to support your event, you have
to: 1. Identify the expense items in your budget which can be provided by sponsors,
and prepare sponsorship packages based on this; 2. Identify individuals or
companies whose business objectives are aligned with your event objectives, because
this way, you will get better chances of approvals; and 3. Send out the sponsorship
request letters and follow up.

BRANDING

Creating a brand means creating a name and logo for an event or series of
event. Branding plays a critical role in promoting events, especially those that are
held on a regular basis. An annual festival or trade show, for example, needs a good
brand to attract more visitors one year after another, even if competing shows are
created every now and then. Brand encompasses the experiences associated with the
product, which includes quality and the idea of value for money. A good event brand
is similar to a statement saying “pay for the experience and you will get more than
what your money is worth”.

Event Marketing Plan

The development of an effective marketing and communications plan is

essential for the delivery of a successful event. The key is to match your event concept
(the theme, programme, etc) with the appropriate audience (those who will attend or
participate in your event). In order to do that, you must have a strong idea of what
the event actually offers and to whom. You also need to have an effective plan of
action and the necessary resources to implement it.
1. Marketing Objectives
Overview
Here you should concisely state where the event is, where it would like to go
and how it intends to get there.
Positioning
This is a marketing term used to describe the way in which you present what
you are offering to the public. It involves communicating the ‘feel’ and main benefits
of the event experience through ‘key messages’. Each event will have its own unique
range of benefits,
which may include, for example:

 The reputation of the event

 The key elements of the programme

 What the special interest area is

 The kind of experience the event offers (outdoors/indoors/all day, etc)

 If there is a unique element – for example something that is specific to the

own/event/ venue

 If it offers something that is different/better than other events/experiences

SWOT Analysis
This section should include details of the target market, market size, competitors etc.

2. Communication Strategy
Marketing Mix - Alongside effective positioning, the combination of Product,
Price, Convenience and Promotion are the principal factors that are most likely to
influence attendance and therefore your marketing strategy. You should include
details on each of the following:
Product - what the event offers. Can you develop the product any further? Factors
to consider:
 Are there any adjustments that should be made to the overall event to make it
more appropriate or attractive to your target audiences?

 Does the programme/content need to be further developed?

 Does the venue need to be adapted or improved?

 What is the total experience? Are you offering event ‘packages’ in association with
transport providers, hotels, restaurants, etc that could make the event experience
more attractive and enjoyable.

Price - the cost of attending. How does the cost of attending the event add up? If
appropriate, consider:

 Is the ticket price/entry fee at the right level for target groups?

 Does the price offer value for money?

 Is there an appropriate range of ticket/entry options? Do you need to introduce

family tickets or special offers for example?

 Do you need to offer any price differentials to encourage attendance at particular

performances?

 Are there any additional costs (booking fees, travel, meals, accommodation,
parking) that will affect decisions to attend?

Convenience - making it easy to attend

 For ticketed events – Have you put in place the appropriate advance ticket
distribution network? For example, are you using a ticket hotline, web sales, walk-up
box office, ticket agencies, postal bookings, sales through local shop or library, etc?

 Do you offer various/appropriate methods of payment (e.g. credit card, cheque,

cash)?

 Is the event programme appropriately timed to appeal to your targets?

 Is the event easy to get to?

 Make sure you provide the appropriate travel, accommodation and location
information necessary to encourage visitors who do not know the area well.
Promotion - saying the right things to the right people.

 Communicate the positioning of the event through key messages: Who the event is6
aimed at; What is special about it; Why it’s a good idea to attend; When will it take
place; Where will it take place; How easy it is to engage with the event?

 Develop the right combination of marketing tools to reach your audience.

Marketing Tools
Here you should detail which kinds of tools you intend to use to reach your target
audience. Some of the most commonly used event marketing tools include:

 Print: posters, leaflets, postcards, programmes, etc

 Direct mail and print distribution

 Media advertising: print, radio and TV

 Website/internet/e-bulletins

 Outdoor advertising: billboards, bus sides, poster sites, street dressing, etc

 Friends/ambassadors’ programmes/clubs

 Media releases, promotions and activity

 Media sponsorship

3. Key strategies
This is an opportunity to outline the key strategic aims and the initiatives/tools
employed to achieve those aims.
4. Budget Plan
All budgetary information should be listed within this section. Applicants should
ensure that information contained within the budget is accurate
 Final output

Instruction: Form a group (7 to 8 Members) and work together. FORMULATE

YOUR EVENT PROPOSAL by following the given format;
Instruction: Prepare the marketing plan of your proposed event by following the
given format;

FRONT PAGE

<Insert event title>

<Insert date of event>
<Event Logo (Optional>

Contents Page
1. Marketing objectives
 Overview
 Positioning - where are we now?
 SWOT Analysis- target market, market size, competitors.
2. Communication Strategy
 Marketing mix
 Product
 Price
 Place
 Promotion
 Marketing Tools
3. Key Strategies
 Key Strategies and Initiatives

4. Budget Plan