Event Planning

Alongside my  writing I enjoy arranging events and find this as creative as the writing itself. Here are my tips on the process. Define your event What do you actually want to do at this event? What will it look like? How will you define its success? What do you want to achieve? How many people would you like to attend?  Who do you think is likely to attend?       
Some ways that you might save money:●  Some venues may be offered for free for a minimum spend●  Choose somewhere where there is cash bar or servery.  You can still supply a cake or similar so that you look generous.  ●  Form a mutual support group where you help each other with events.   
     
The key is to work backwards. What does the even look like? What do you need to do in order for it to turn out that way? Here is an example, and note it is set out with the event at the top.
50 people at the International Crumpsall Centre for book launch of Daisy Days 17 April 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.  Pick up cake / wine 17 April  12.00Plan timings - discuss with helpers 10 April 2020Order cake and wine 17 March    Order 35 copies of book 12 March (Why not 50? Experience tells me this number is about right.  Would you be able to sell the further 15 afterwards? And if you do order more don' put them out all at once. Seeing a huge unsold pile puts people off. If it looks as if stocks  are running out people may make the effort to buy. Find people to help - by 1 March                 Send invites (Invite 60 -writing friends, other friends, people interested in dementia) 1 March 2020.  Keep going until all tickets have gone.       Book venue by 26 February Set budget by 20 February        
For other sorts of events be kind to yourself. Still keep a critical head, though, and ask yourself these focused questions. What went well?What went less well?What else would you do?What would you do differently next time?  It's important to record the answers and look at them before you plan the next event.