3 Event Planning Mistakes that Can be Avoided

When it comes to planning an event there will be event planning mistakes. I know no surprise here. There really isn’t a real science to perfecting the art of event planning. No matter what we do or how hard we work sometimes “things” beyond our control will happen. And it makes no difference how much experience or know-how we have; there are things that will be overlooked, misjudged or misunderstood. Not to mention the weather, an act of god or force majeure. I think those of us in the planning world can all admit planning and operating an event can be challenging and sometimes just plain stressful. I am often reminded success is in the details. And on occasion we can miscalculate what is necessary along with the time needed to plan a winning event. And that can lead us to making some dastardly event planning mistakes.

Event planning or not who amongst us doesn’t make mistakes. With the incredible amount of tasks an event planner faces, it’s inevitable we are going to miss, forget or fail to notice something. In the end when it comes to event planning mistakes, once recognized will help us to get things back on track lickety split. And puts us in the position to ensure they never ever happen again.

Event Planning Mistakes Do Happen

There are so many different factors that go into events. The truth is it takes a great deal of thought-out preparation, planning and hard work to not only plan an event but to avoid mistakes as well. And with so many things to consider; the question at hand is where to begin, where to begin? Amongst other things, a really good event planning checklist will go a long way to success. But first and foremost hard work, a good squad and time are your event planning friends. And by being mindful of the event planning mistakes that can occur helps us to avoid them the next time around.

You can Avoid these 3 Event Planning Mistakes

We’ve all heard it before; if you fail to plan you plan to fail. And when things don’t go exactly as planned is the perfect time to assess why those event planning mistakes may have occurred. And how we can go about avoiding them next time. Here are three of the more often event planning mistakes and what to do about them.

No Plan B. Like insurance we create a Plan B in hopes that we never have to use it. We all know it, if something can go wrong it most likely will. Every event no matter the size and scope should have a Plan B. The more involved and multi-layered the event the more likely mistakes can happen. And there is a multitude of things that can occur at the last minute to wreck things. When it comes to event planning, it is so imperative to expect the unexpected. So take the time to recognize the potential risks; what can go wrong and when. And at the same time understand how to prevent it or rectify it, should it happen. Identifying where the event is vulnerable and what you can do about it before getting started will take you a long way to success.

Never Forget to Confirm Suppliers. Even with all the amazing technology, it is imperative each and every time to confirm and double confirm suppliers. We’ve all been there done that; a supplier is late or a no show. And these days we’re all incredibility busy, taking on more than we should. And in the flurry to get things done it’s easy to miss or omit things. So in an effort to provide the best I will admit I’m an over confirmer. And I can’t recommend it more. Be sure to provide written confirmation with every single detail to all supplier bookings. And confirm, confirm, confirm.

Don’t do it All Yourself. No matter how experienced or good you are, planning an event involves a lot. A planner is responsible for budgets to promotions, vendors to registration, guests to venues and a whole lot more. You’re not alone if you think you can do it all. I know I used to belong to the “I can do it all myself” club. And while that can be true for some; I have found it does come at a personal and professional cost. The facts are putting a good team together is one of the best ways to achieve success. A good team will help to get things accomplished faster. Will aid in catching event planning mistakes before they happen. And will help to reduce the challenges and stress that come with planning.

A lot of things have to go well for an event to be successful. I never forget to thank all those that helped in making the event a success. It is important to build and maintain positive working relationships. And the first step is to show appreciation to everyone that contributed to the event’s success.