Proper event management is a skill that comes with time. Being able to predict all possible scenarios, plan for many small details, and be able to improvise when something unexpected occurs is a tough skill to master. 

A lot goes into effective event management, and we’re going to jump right in with 3 tips on effective event planning. 

Be as Detailed as Possible

When you’re planning an event, you want to be as meticulous as possible. There is a time for relying on intuition and improvisation all while being an optimist, but the beginning is not it. You don’t want to stress yourself out necessarily, but you do need to be focused. 

To be detailed, you need to break every part of the event down into more manageable chunks. You want to separate your budget, your inventory, your invite list, refreshments, everything. And then separate each group into sub groups, and continue breaking them down until you’re able to account for as much information as possible. 

Use Lots of Spreadsheets

Spreadsheets are a great way to keep track of every minor detail for your event. Let’s say you run a music festival. No matter what you should have a spreadsheet for your budget and your inventory. But for this event, you can also list potential performers, their following, pros and cons of booking them, and a lot more information to help you decide who to book. 

And that’s just one example, You can also use spreadsheets to register visitors, keep track of workers, or plan out different budgets. Spreadsheets allow you to be very detailed in your event planning, and knowing how best to use spreadsheets is a skill worth mastering for any event planner. 

Learn How to Improvise

It’s good to be meticulous and even a little stressed as you’re planning the event. But it’s useless to be stressed out during your event. By the time the event comes, you need to be thinking 2 things: 

1. Anything can go wrong
2. I am prepared for anything

It’s unrealistic to expect everything to go exactly as planned. And good event planning doesn’t mean that nothing goes wrong, just that no one notices. 

The key to successful event planning is preparing for the possibility of anything going wrong and being able to improvise solutions on the spot. A can-do attitude and a healthy dose of optimism are really helpful here. That way, your creativity isn’t blocked by unnecessary stressed.