Special Events:
A challenge for even the most skillful

by Jean-Marc Plouffe

Event planning is a calling; you have to love it to do it well. Success depends on the commitment to quality by every member of the team. To better understand this art, we sought the advice of two successful planners.

“In the case of special event planning, you can never be too organized,” Mary-Anne Veit, director, Bureau of Ministerial Events at Canadian Heritage told us. And she should know. The bureau plans and manages 400 events every year for three ministers. “Initiatives are complex, requiring tremendous attention to detail in an environment with challenging deadlines and conflicting priorities.”

Her 15-member team has extensive in-house experience and provides advice on topics from cost-saving measures to negotiating skills on customs, etiquette and suppliers. It provides crossfertilization and information sharing by integrating all participating programs, regions, corporate services, portfolio partners and other departments. “Let’s not kid ourselves,” she says, “an event needs to be managed effectively but so do the partnerships involved. All this can only be done by people who love their work, are dedicated to the task and are willing to sacrifice their personal life for the success of these events.”

“Success is not an option, it’s an obligation. There is no substitute for a planning process that involves all the stakeholders in a meaningful way. Special events are a time of high visibility. Doing things right, no matter how large or small, is essential.”

Veit approaches the management of special events systematically, using intelligent application of sound principles. These include preparing a comprehensive plan, building a good project team with clear ownership, and having a solid database. Project status tracking and base lining problem areas with specific actions, plans, procedures and evolving designs are keys to proactive intervention and problem solving. It also ensures the broadest possible exposure of the event and maximizes participation of all stakeholders.

A SYSTEM FOR TRACKING EVENTS: To be on top of all the tasks to be performed, you need a system that keeps you abreast of all aspects of the event. The system can be as simple as a large calendar or as sophisticated as project management tracking software. The right communication tools to coordinate the various team members and help ensure that you remain on top of every aspect of the event must be used.

THE ABILITY TO WORK AS A TEAM: The event planning business is rarely a one-person operation. Hence, you must collaborate closely involving each team member, employee and freelance event specialist. Each planner is paired with another for each event. Leadership, team building and communication skills must be developed – because they will be tested.

AN EXTENSIVE DATABASE OF CONTACTS, VENDORS, AND SUPPLIERS: You need to have right at your fingertips a list of dependable and trusted suppliers.


Nicole Racette is national director, communications at Parks Canada. She is responsible for hundreds of special events. “When things get tough, nothing keeps you going better than a strong sense of purpose. Events are critical in providing outreach and exposure for an organization, and most serve as an excellent public relations tool. However, it’s easy to make a mistake when there are so many details to manage. And those mistakes could cost your department its reputation and stakeholder confidence if you’re not on top of every detail,” she advises. Here is her ‘What can go wrong’ list:

• Failing to involve all partners at the beginning of the planning process. At Parks Canada most events are done in collaboration with local communities, aboriginal communities, ethno cultural communities, other governments. Their involvement and engagement our essential.
• Failing to identify meeting objectives: Be sure to be absolutely clear about what your management expects from this event.
• Failing to budget properly: You can overlook some very costly items.
• Failing to have a plan: Many planners try to run an event without a plan and detailed written checklist – missing important details that could make or break an event. Lighting, seating, room temperature, music, decorations, audio/visual, and location of the bathrooms and telephones are just some of the details that are often overlooked.
• Failing to select the right facility: Accessibility, costs in keeping with participants' budgets, meeting room location and size, the facility's reputation all need to be verified.
• Failing to work out who should be coming and how to reach them: Secure your entire list before securing your date in writing.
Be sure your list includes names, titles, mailing addresses, fax numbers and e-mail addresses.
• Failing to secure contracts: Here is where you can really run into trouble. Do NOT promote your event without clear and signed contracts for everything including your speakers, facility, and other contractors.
• Failing to market the event properly: Once your event is booked it is critical to ensure that all of your marketing goes as planned.

Remember to use every means to reach your attendees. "What amazes me every time my team is involved with a special event is the impact any single element or change can have on other event elements, plans, and associated risks,” says Racette. “This is where the real challenge lies.”

Parks also has an Event Planning and Management Software package. “So much of putting an event together means taking care of all the details, and there are usually more of these than you care to think about,” Racette advises. “The key is having a system that works. Creating checklists is one of the best I know. With the hundreds of pieces that make up the meeting puzzle, the only way to put them together and keep tabs on all the details is with an automated checklist. This software provides automated checklists and database information that enables event planners to ensure we keep track of those hundreds of pieces of the puzzle.”

A FINAL WORD
Successful events do not just happen, they are the product of many hours of planning, shared responsibility and hard work. Further development of these crucial skills is important.



Jean-Marc Plouffe, a former public sector executive, is president of
jmpconsultants (www.jmpconsultants.com).