C Z PATEL INSTITUTE OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

CLASS : S Y BBA (HM) (SEMESTER - IV)

SUBJECT : EVENT MANAGEMENT
FACULTY : HIMANSHU SANGHAVI
UNIT NO. : 1 to 4

_______________________________________________________________

1. Introduction to Event Management & Concept & Design 2-22

A. Size of Events
B. Types of Events
C. The Event Team
D. Developing the concept
E. Analyzing the Concept
F. Designing the Event
2. Feasibility & Event Marketing 23-42
A. Keys to Success
B. Nature of Event Marketing
C. Process of Event Marketing
D. The Marketing Mix
E. Sponsorship
3. Promotion and Planning 43-59
A. Image / Branding
B. Advertising
C. Publicity
D. Public Relation
E. Develop a Mission / Purpose Statement
F. Establish the Aims of the Event
G. Prepare an Event Proposal
4. Staging 60-73
A. Choosing the Event Site
B. Developing the Theme
C. Conducting Rehearsals
D. Providing Services
E. Managing the Environment
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 UNIT – 1

The aim of this subject is to assist you in your training to become an event manager of the
highest caliber. Many of us have observed events, most of us have participated in events,
but few of us have managed events. As an event manager, you are there to do far more
than just observe. You are there to ensure the smooth running of the event, to minimize
the risks, and to maximize the enjoyment of the event audience. The demands on an event
manager are far greater than one would expect.

The preceding example focuses on the importance of sound management and the
complexities of organizing an event. In most cases, careful attention must be given to
transportation, technology and security, and a host of other elements. Whereas the Games
in Utah will go down in history as a success, the Games in Atlanta will be remembered by
some as less than perfect, because of the “bad” (according to IOC President, Jacques
Rogge) organization of the management team.

Financial risk is also as important concern of the event manager. Events are generally
extremely expensive, with high expenditure required over a very short period of time, and
there are far higher levels of uncertainty about revenue and profit than there are with the
average business.

In the case of voluntary and charitable events, of which there are many in every
community, the risk is that the time invested by individuals will be wasted and that their
objectives will not be achieved.

Finally, one of the most important things about an event is that it is often a highlight of a
person’s life. This occasion is not to be taken lightly. A significant birthday, a wedding, or
an anniversary is so important to the main participant that nothing must go wrong. If
something does go wrong, it cannot be easily rectified. For instance, a wedding at which
the power fails because of overloading of the electrical supply cannot be repeated. The
offer to “come back again at our expense” just doesn’t work! Events are often a “once in
lifetime” experience. The event manager therefore carries enormous responsibility for
ensuring that the event, however large or small, is a success because there is often only
one chance to get it right.
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 

Events are characterized by the following:
 They are often “once in a lifetime” experiences for the participant
 They are generally expensive to stage.
 They usually take place over a short time span.
 They require long and careful planning.
 The generally take place only once. (However, many are held annually, usually at the
same time every year.)
 They carry a high level of risk, including financial risk and safety risk.
 There is often a lot at stake for those involved, including the event management team.

This last characteristic is crucial, since every performer, whether athlete or entertainer,
wants to deliver his or her best performance. The bride wants the day to be perfect in
every way. The marketing manager and the design team want the new product to be seen
in the best possible light. Consider for a moment how much easier it is to run a restaurant
(where you spread your risk over a number of days and a number of customers) than it is
to rum a one-time, big budget product launch – particularly if this launch has 500 key
industry players and the media are in attendance, and if it is taking place at a unique
location with unusual demands for logistics, lighting, sound, and special effects.

Having pointed out the level of demand for the event manager and thus the possible
downside of the profession, it is important also to point out that the event industry is one in
which people (the event audience) tend to have the time of their lives. Making this
outcome possible and sharing this with them is extremely gratifying. The work is
demanding, exciting, and challenging, and it requires a fine tuned balance between task
management and people management. As the newspaper article illustrates, an event
manager must bring together a team with clearly defined responsibilities for all aspects of
the event, including unexpected cries. The team needs to be both organized and flexible.
Events can be unpredictable and do require quick thinging that is based on a sound
knowledge of procedures and alternatives. Decision making is one of the most important
skills of the event manager, and those with first class analytical skills are highly sought
after by most industries.

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Professor Donald Getz (1997), a well known writer in the field of event management,
defines special events from two perspectives, that of the customer and that of the event
manager, as follows:

 A special event is a one time or infrequently occurring event outside normal programs
or activities of the sponsoring or organizing body.

 To the customer or guest, a special event is an opportunity for leisure, social or cultural
experience outside the normal range of choices or beyond everyday experience.

Another well known author, Dr. J Goldblatt (1997), defines special events as “A unique
moment in time celebrated with ceremony and ritual to satisfy specific needs”.

In this book, the emphasis is on a wide range of events, including “Special events,” ad
defined before, and more common events such as sporting events, corporate meetings,
conversations, expositions, parties, festivals, carnibals, and prize giving ceremonies, which
may not meet the definition “outside the normal range of choices.”

Classification of events can be done on the basis of size or type as shown in the following
sections.

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 A. SIZE OF EVENTS:
In term of size, events may be categorized as follows:

(1) Mega – Events:-

The largest events are called mega events, which are generally targeted at international
markets. The Olympic Games, World Cup Soccer, and the Super bowl are good examples.
The Super bowl, for which, in 1967, there were 30, 000 tickets unsold, now sells out before
the tickets have been printed and also accounts for the sale of 30,000 hotel rooms. It is
televised to an audience of 800 million and adds $300 millions to the local economy. All
such events have a specific yield in terms of increased tourism, media coverage, and
economic impact. Some cities are continuing to meet a legacy of debt after hosting an
Olympic Games. Salt Lake City, Utah, was fortunate, however, as with all events of this
size, it is difficult to calculate the costs accurately with so many stakeholders (mainly
government) involved.

Although the side of the Olympic Games in terms of expenditure, sponsorship, economic
impact, and worldwide audience would undoubtedly put it in the category of mega event, it
is worth comparing it size with, for example, that of the Maha Kumbh Mela (which
translated means the “Great Urn Fair”), the largest religious gathering in history. During the
2001 event, approximately 70 million Hindu pilgrims converged on the Ganges and Yamuna
Rivers in Allahabad, India, for a sacred bathing ritual that devotes believe will purify and
break the cycle of reincarnation. The gathering take place every 12 years. The 2001
festival, described as the “Greatest Show on Earth” was arguably the largest gathering of
humanity ever for a single event.

(2) Regional Events: -

Regional events are designed to increase the appeal of a specific tourism destination or
region. FAN Fair, the world’s biggest country music festival, held annually in Nashville,
Tennessee, the Kentucky Derby, and Arts in the Park, a Memphis art festival, are all
examples to tourist destinations achieving market positioning for both domestic and
international tourism markets through their annual events. Although Mardi Gras is
celebrated in cities around the world, it’s hard to imagine the annual celebration not being
held in New Orleans, since it has been historically based there. This event attracts local and
international visitors to New Orleans and has a significant positive financial impact on the
city. The annual National Cherry Blossom festival in Washington, D C, is another good
example of a regional event.
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 (3) Major Events: -
These events attract significant local interest and large numbers of participants, as well as
generating significant tourism revenue. As an example, Chinese New Year celebrations are
held in many capital cities in Honolulu, the event includes many festivals and traditions for
the New Year, including the Lion Dance, Lantern Festival, parades, and Dragon Boat races.
Friends and relatives of the Chinese community often visit at this time.

Most major cities have a convention center capable of holding large meetings, trade shows,
and conventions. Chicago’s McCormick place is known as North America’s premier
convention facility and attracts more than 4 million and public show visitors annually. The
McCormick Place Complex comprises three state of the art buildings and has a combined
total of more than 2.2 million square feet of exhibit space, 1.6 million square feet all on one
level, making in the nation’s largest convention center.

Following is a listing of some of the shows scheduled in 2330. which gives an idea of the
magnitude of the large meeting and convention industry business. An asterisk before an
entry indicates that the event was opened to the public.

 Chicago Boar, RV Outdoor Show

 The International House wares Show
 International Air-conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Show
 Carquest Work d of Wheels ‘03
 Promote
 Aventis Awards, Launch Meeting
 The New Super Sale
 Chicago Automobile Show
 World Discount Club Show and Sale
 Customer Relationship Management
 International Cluster of Dongs
 Super cycle Show and Parts Expo
 Chicago Dental Society’s Midwinter Meeting
 National Manufacturing Week
 Building Service Contractors Association International
 Chicago Chevy Vette Fest
 Global Shop
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 Association of Peri Operative Registered Nurses
 American College of Cardiology (Heart House)
 Voll Expo
 An Expo for Today’s Black Woman
 Risk and Insurance Management Society
 CSI at Construct America
 Import Revolution
 CMM International
 American Urological Association. Inc, Annual Meeting
 The 2003 Supermarket Industry Convention and Education Exposition
 International Fancy Food and Confections Show 2003
 Digital Solutions Forum
 All Candy Expo
 Annual Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show
 The ASI Show
 American Society of Clinical Oncology
 AAVS/SVS 2003 Joint Vascular Meeting
 NCTA National Show
 Retail System/VICS Collaborative Commerce
 National Plastics Exposition
 John Hancock All Star Week Fan Festival
 Institute of Food Technology
 Kehe Food Distributors, Inc.
 Hot Import Nights
 The National Hardware Show Building Products Exposition
 Extreme Autofest
 ICCMCRM/Field Solutions
 Islamic Society of North America
 Life@50+: A Celebration of You
 National Safety Council
 Interscinece Conference of Antimicrobial Agents of Chemotherapy
 The Motivation Show
 Frontline Solutions
 PPAI Business Forum and Marketplace
 Import Xpression Showcase Tour
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 Council of Logistics Management
 Graph Expo
 Club Industry
 National Association of Convenience Stores
 International Sanitary Supply Association
 American College of Surgeons
 National Minority Supplier Development Council
 American Meat Expo
 World Wide Food Expo
 National Association of the Education of Young Children
 American Speech Language Hearing Association
 Fabtech
 Workers Compensation and Disability Conference and Exhibit
 Annual Meeting of Radiological Society of North America.

(4) Minor Events: -

Most events fall in to this last category, and it is here that cost events managers gain their
experience. Almost every town, city, country, and state in the United States host annual
events. For example, Rhode Island, our smallest state geographically speaking, lists on
www.visitrhodeisland.com 234 annual festivals including the Newport Winter Festival and
the Miller Lite Hall of Fame Tennis Championship, as well as the Wickford Cup Race (a race
for plastic sailboats). In the category of agriculture fairs and expos, there are literally
thousands of country, state, and regional events held each year, the largest being the
Texas State Fair, which draws over 3 million attendees each year. The Texas State Fair
utilizes the services of over 15, 000 volunteers and has a waiting list of thousands of
additional eager volunteers. In addition to annual events, there are many one time events,
including historical, cultural, musical, and dance performances. At once such event, parent
was proudly watching their tap dancing offspring performing in their expensive, colorful
costumes. Their proud expression turned to dismay when several dancers landed on their
rear ends, having slipped on a wet stage. Quick thinking organizers covered the stage in a
mixture of soft drink and cleaning powder, a solution that enabled the show to go our
without dancer of slips and falls to the performers – all in a day’s work for the event team,
Meeting, parties, celebration, conventions award ceremonies, exhibitions, sporting events,
and many other community and social events fit into this category.

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 B. TYPES OF EVENTS:
In term of type, events may be categorized as follows:

1. Sporting: -
The United States recently hosted one of the world’s largest sporting events, the 2002
Winter Olympics, with people around the globe tuning in the watch. The opening
ceremonies alone were rated 57 percent higher than NBC had for Sydney’s Summer
Olympic opening ceremony and 49 percent higher than CBC for the winter games in
Nagano, Japan. The success of the 2002 Winter Olympics, held in Salt Lake City, Utah, can
be attributed only to a management team, who despite a rocky start, laced with
controversy, knew how to pull off such an extravaganza.

Sporting events are held in all towns, cities, countries, and states throughout the nation.
They attract international sports men and women at the highest levels. Tennis, golf,
baseball, football, basketball, downhill ski racing, and car racing are just a few examples.
These major events are matched at the local level by sporting competitions of players at all
levels. For example, the Pro Am, held annually at most golf courses, allow members to play
with professional golfers. This event is usually the highlight of the golfing calendar and
requires considerable effort by the team support it, including the PGA, the club committee,
the club manager, the club professional, ground staff, club administration and catering.

2. Entertainment, Arts, and Culture: -

Entertainment events are well known for their ability to attract large audience. In some
cases, the concerts are extremely viable from a financial point of view; in other, financial
problems can quickly escalate when tickets sales do not reach targets. Timings and ticket
pricing are critical to the financial success of such events. According to the 2002 edition of
the Statistical Abstracts of the United States, published by the U S Census Bureau, 31,7000,
000 individuals attended Symphony Orchestra Concerts in 2000, the latest year that data
were available. Also, 11, 700, 000, people attended Broadway Show Road Tour
performances, and 6, 700, 000 attended the opera. In fact, 9.4 billion was spent on
attending cultural events. Many U S art galleries and museums hold special exhibitions that
meet the earlier definition of an event. The American Association of Museums reported that
865,000,000 people visit U S museums each year. These statistic don’t even touch on the
thousands of local art fairs and music festivals held in every corner of the country each
year.

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3. Commercial Marketing and Promotional Events: -
Promotional events tend to have high budgets and high profiles. Most frequently they
involve product launches, often for computer hardware or software, perfume, alcohol, or
motor cars. One such marketing activity dazzles attendees with its new launch motorbikes
riding overhead on tightropes, with special effect lighting.

The aim of promotional event is generally to differentiate the product from its competitors
and to ensure that it is memorable. The audience for a promotional activity might be sales
staff, such as travel agents, who would promote the tour to their clients or potential
purchasers. The media are usually invited to these events so that both the impact and the
risk are high. Success in vital.

4. Meeting and Exhibitions: -

The meetings and conventions industry is highly competitive. Many conventions attract
thousands of people, whereas some meetings include only a handful of high profile
participants.

5. Festivals: -
Wine and food festivals are increasingly popular, providing a particular region the
opportunity to showcase its products. Small towns such as Kennewick in Washington state
and Mountain View in California attract interest with their food and wine festivals. Many
wine regions hold festivals, often in combination with musical events, such as the Portland
Jazz Festival. Religious festivals fall into this category, too, and the Unites States
multicultural community provides rich opportunities for a wide range of festivals. Chinese
New Year and Championship Native American Pow Wow at Traders Village, Texas, are good
examples.
6. Family: -
Weddings, anniversaries, bar mitzvahs, and nowadays, divorce and funerals al provide
opportunities for families to gather. Funerals are increasingly becoming big events with
nontraditional coffins, speeches and even entertainment. It is important for the event
manager to keep track of these changing social trends. For example Asian Tourists are a
big market for the wedding industry, with many couples having a traditional ceremony at
home and a Western wedding overseas. Hawaii competes with many other international
destinations for this market.

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7. Fundraising:
Fairs, which are common in most communities, are frequently rum by enthusiastic local
committees. The effort and the organization required for these events are often
underestimated. As their general aim is raising funds, it is important that children’s rides
and other such contracted activities contribute to, rather than reduce, revenue. Sometimes
the revenue gained from these operations is limited. There is also the risk that attendees
will spend all their money on these activities and ignore those that are more profitable to
the charitable cause. A number of legal requirements must met by the charitable
fundraiser.

8. Miscellaneous Events: -
Some events defy categorization. Potatoes, walnuts, wildflowers, roses, dogs, horses, teddy
bears, and ducks all provide the focus for an event somewhere in the United States. The
following list shows some of the events held in Texas each year and demonstrate how
varied these can be in terms of size and type:

 Nolan River Dog Show

 Annual Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show and Rodeo
 Martin Luther King Parade
 Frontier Days
 The Annual Texas Cowboy Poetry Gathering
 Mardi Gras of Southeast Texas
 Parade of Quilts
 Annual North Texas Irish Festival
 Annual Redbud Day and Romp
 Annual Joy Ride Rod Run
 Tons of Suds for Scleroderma
 Springfest – wine, Art and Food Festival – Texas Style
 Annual Texas Storytelling Festival
 Bayou City Art Festival
 Annual Azalea Festival
 Annual Bluegrass Jamboree
 RioFest
 Houston: Texas and Spicy Festival
 Scarborough Faire, the Renaissance Festival
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 Rio Grande Valley Onion Festival
 Kerrville Easter Festival and Chili Classic
 LBJ Ranch Roundup
 Spring Gardening Festival
 Widnfest
 Poteet Strawberry Festival
 Great Texas Birding Classic
 Texas State Championship Fiddlers Frolics
 Arbor Daze
 Freer Rattlesnake Round Up
 Annual Bluebird Festival
 Texas Crawfish Festival
 Denton Cinco de Mayo
 Annual National Polka Festival
 Rockport Festival of Wines
 Stockdale Annual Watermelon Jubilee
 Annual Fishing Fiesta
 Parker County Peach Festival
 Sahawe Indian Dancer’s Summer Ceremonials
 International Apple Festival
 Ballinger’s Annual Tractor Pull
 Annual State Fair
 Muzikfest
 Annual Official Shrimporee of Texas
 Fredricksburg Oktoberfest
 Marshall Fire Ant Festival
 McKinney Dickens of a Christmas

It has to be said that the most common events are community related and that they are
run on a fairly small scale with voluntary support and sponsorship. These events provide
the potential event manager with invaluable experience, as well as the opportunity to
contribute to their community. Every event has a purpose, and the theme is generally
linked to the purpose. Analysis of even the smallest event can provide valuable insight into
the general principles that apply to managing all events.

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 C. The Event Team: -

An event manager is generally supported by a team that grows enormously as the event
draws near. A planning team of 12 that works together for a year can explode into a team
of five-hundred for the short period of the event. This phenomenon has been termed the
"pulsing organization" by A. Toffler, who coined the term to describe organizations that
expand and contract in size. This is particularly appropriate for organizations such as the
U.S. Open Tennis Championships, since they surge in numbers for a short period every
year. The second example comes from the 2002 Olympic Winter Games where the head of
catering had a small team working with him to negotiate contracts with caterers in the
lead-up to the Games, with his team expanding to over 200 (including volunteers) in the
month before the Games. And there was only one opportunity for the whole group to be
together for a training session!

Having just mentioned contractors, it is important to note that the event manager typically
works with a number of contractors. These could include any or all of the following:

 Venue managers
 Stage Managers
 Lighting, audio, and video companies
 Decorators and florists
 Entertainers
 Employment agencies
 Rental companies
 Public relations and marketing consultants
 Security companies
 Catering companies
 Cleaning companies
 Ticketing operations
 Printers.

For some events, the manager is also required to become a liaison with government
through to federal government. Local councils deal with event planning and approval; state
governments sometimes provide approvals for traffic and policing; and the federal
government gives advice on protocol for international dignitaries. These relationships will
be explored further when looking in more detail at the planning and staging of an event.
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 D. DEVELOPING THE CONCEPT: -

There are numerous elements that need to be considered in developing an event concept.
They include the purpose of the event, the event theme, the venue, the audience, available
resources, the timings of the event, and the skill of the team. The most important of these
elements is the purpose, although the purpose is strongly linked to the theme and the
venue.

1. Purpose of the Event: -

The purpose of the event should drive all the planning. For example, if you were running a
conference for financial planners, there could be two quite different purposes:

1. To facilitate an exchange of information, bringing participants up to dare with the latest

changes in financial planning software products.
2. To achieve a memorable out of body experience for financial planners in order to
develop a positive association with a new software product.

To achieve the first purpose would be quite straightforward, as this would require a fairly
standard meeting or convention. Fulfilling the second purpose, however, would be more
difficult. For this unforgettable experience, you would need a unique venue and carefully
planned activities that the participants would enjoy. At the same time, the product would
need to be reinforce constantly so that attendees would leave with an inescapable
association with it. To have the fun without the positive association would defeat the
purpose.

The focus of the first of these purposes is information, whereas that of the second is
entertainment.

Although for many events the main purpose is making a profit, for many it is not. The Bix
Beiserbecke Memorial Jazz Festival held in Davenport, Iowa has been an annual event for
over thirty hears. It purpose is to keep alive the memory and musical accomplishments of
the city’s native son, Bix, who was a cornetist, a pianist, and a composer. This festival is an
excellent example of an event with a community purpose.

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 2. Theme of the Event: -

The theme of the event should be linked to the purpose. Moreover, it should be completely
compatible with guest needs and consistent in all respects. Most events adopt a color
scheme that is repeated on all items produced for the event, such as tickets, programs,
uniforms, décor, posters, and merchandise. This technique helps attendees to identify with
the theme.

The 2002 U S Open was an example of a fully integrated event venue and theme. The open
adopted the theme of “Heroes”, since it tool place within days of the first anniversary of the
9/11 tragedy. All marketing material incorporated the theme. The U S Open is the largest
annually attended sporting event in the world and includes five major championships –
men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles.

There are an endless number of potential themes, limited only by your imagination and the
size of the customer’s pocket. Some examples include the following:

 Historical
 Geographical and cultural
 Sporting
 Film, music and entertainment
 Artistic
 Food
 Objects (i.e. Flowers, animals, boats)

When coming up with ideas for a theme, it is most important to consider the range of
suitable venues available, keeping in mind the constraints of budget and other
considerations.

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 3. Venue for the Event: -

The event manager needs to carefully consider the planning implications of choosing an
unusual venue in preference to a standard venue requiring decoration only to match the
theme. Lighting sound, and catering also provide challenges in unusual settings. This
treatment will become more evident in the logistics section later in this chapter. The
following are examples of unusual venues:

 Demolition site
 Parking lot
 Tunnel
 Museum
 Research facility
 Amusement parks
 Orchard
 Vineyard
 Aquarium

There are over six hundred convention centers located throughout the United States. In
addition, in most cities there is a host of meeting rooms available for events. Many of these
venues provide enormous flexibility and can be readily transformed to meet the
requirements of thee theme. The range is extremely wide – from hotel banquet rooms to
theaters to sporting venues. When considering the choice of venue, the event organizer
needs to look at a number of factors, including the following:

 Potential to fulfill the purpose of the event

 Ambience
 Location
 Access by public transportation
 Parking
 Seating capacity
 Features (such as stages)
 Cost of decoration, sound and lighting
 Cost of labor
 Logistics of setting up
 Food and beverage facilities
 Safety
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There are many, many factors that need to be taken into account in selection an event
venue, but the overall strategy should be to aim for the best possible fit with the client’s
and the audience’s needs at the lowest possible cost. If all stages, props, carpets, seating,
portable kitchens and refrigerators, and so on have to be produced, the cost will be very
hard to justify - even if the venue seems perfect in other ways.

 Event Audience
 Financial Consideration
 Timing of the Event
 Event Team, Contractors, and Other Stakeholders

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 E. ANALYZING THE CONCEPT:

The following elements will be covered only briefly here. The aim of introducing them here
is to raise awareness of the problems and pitfalls that can occur if they are not considered
at this early stage of concept development. In addition, if not dealt with, they can have a
negative impact on the event manager’s creativity.

1. Competition: -

Prior to involvement in any event, it is essential to conduct an analysis of your competition.

This involves looking at the timing and duration of other events, even if they are unrelated.
Because people have limited disposable income, festivals and events tend to be
nonessential items in most family and tourist budgets.

2. Regulation: -

A wide range of laws and regulations have an impact on the staging of events, and these
can severely limit creativity. As a simple example, releasing balloons into the atmosphere is
considered environmentally unfriendly. Parking, traffic, and neighborhood impact, especially
in terms of timing and noise, are all aspects that require the event manager’s liaison with
local or state government.

3. Marketing: -

How to sell an event is a very important part of the initial planning, the timing of your
marketing efforts being crucial. Do you advertise months beforehand, or the day or the
week before? Will the audience turn up on the day? How can you encourage them to do
so? What medium should be used for advertising the event (local T V, radio, magazines,
newspapers, direct mail etc.)?. The key is to know your audience and to become visible to
them. Should you sell tickets in advance? (Many events actually have no advance ticket
sales.) All these questions require the decision making skills of the event manager or the
event management team.

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 4. Community Impact: -

The major of an event on the local or wider community and others is a major consideration
of the planning stage. Because local lobby groups can create extreme difficulties for the
unprepared event organizer, it is absolutely essential that community benefits are explained
and that other impacts are considered as part of the event proposal.

5. Risk: -

At this point you must be aware that for most en\vents, the weather is the greatest risk to
attendance and enjoyment. Measures to counteract the impact of weather are essential
aspects of event feasibility planning. You must also be aware that insurance premiums will
be linked to the perceived risk to the safety of participants.

6. Revenue and Expenditure: -

Finally, losing money is the fastest way to get out of the event business. For this season,
the event concept (and the investment in event design) needs very careful analysis.

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 F. DESIGNING THE EVENT:

Consistency and links to the purpose of the event are all essential parts of the creative
process in designing an event. The following are the main creative elements that must be
considered.

1. Theme
As Goldblatt (1997) points out, the theme should ideally appeal to all senses: tactile, smell,
taste, visual, and auditory. If the aim of the event is to create a unique and memorable
experience for the audience, then appealing to all the senses will contribute positively to
the outcome. Keep in mind; once again, the needs of the audience when planning, for
example, what music will be played. As we all know, taste in music and desirable sound
level bary enormously from one audience to another.

2. Layout
This creative element is so often given far too little consideration. Consider events that you
have attended in which you have felt socially uncomfortable. Your discomfort was generally
the result of being in too much open space or of being in a cramped space, having too
much light or not enough light, or having just a limited opportunity for people to mix. The
worse scenario is being seated at a long, wide table where you are too far away to talk to
those opposite and are stuck with people you have little in common with on your left and
right. And to add insult to injury, the venue is ablaze with bright lights. Worse still is the
cocktail party in a huge ballroom where a small circle develops in the center not small
enough, though, for everyone to talk. The audience needs to comfortably fill the venue to
create a positive ambience.

3. Décor
Fabrics, decorative items, stage props, drapes, and table settings can all be rented;
moreover, it is generally worthwhile investigating these options before deciding on the
event theme, since renting items can reduce costs enormously. Floral arrangements need
to be ordered from florists experienced in larger events. In many ballrooms, floral
arrangements are elevated above the table, on tall stands, so that they can be seen across
the floor. Careful placement of floral arrangements should be made when being used to
decorate the tables, so that guests can talk to each other more easily. Floral arrangements
provide a dramatic effect.
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4. Suppliers
Good relationships with suppliers of all commodities will ensure that only quality products
will be received, including the freshest flowers and the best produce that the markets can
supply. During most large events, suppliers are pressed for the best quality from all their
customers at a time when volumes are much larger than usual. This is a situation in which
a good long standing relationship with a supplier is invaluable. It was reported that in
Atlanta during the 1996 Olympic Games, people could not buy tissue or towels anywhere.
The planers of the Olympic Games in Australia planned early (especially the menus),
allowing farmers and other suppliers to sign contracts well in advance. According to a
report in Hospitality News. The compass Group (official catering service supplier) for the
2002 Winter Olympics held in Salt Lake city had the job of feeding over 125,000 people
daily, including the athletes, members of the worldwide media, judges, and officials. In
anticipation of the large crowds, Compass Foods ordered 400,000,hot dogs, 275,000
pounds of Certified Angus Beef, 275,000 bottles of water, 30,000 pounds of cheese, 18,000
pounds of pasta to be consumed, and so on.

5. Technical Requirement
Few people would have attended an event or a meeting where there wasn’t a single
technical glitch. Speakers put their notes on their laptop, and the screen starts changing at
a phenomenal rate. Screensavers come on when the speaker goes on too long, the
presentation is halted, and file names appear on the screen. Although none of these
problems are caused by technical support, there are ways in which they can be reduced.
Technical glitches by the contracted company are unacceptable. Microphones must have
backups, the power supply must be assured, and stages and video screens must be visible
to all in the audience. There is not substitute for wide ranging experience, and this is a key
attribute that should be sought when choosing technical contractors. New technology,
especially anything used to demonstrate new products, needs to be tasted thoroughly,
through many rehearsals. A backup system is essential.

There are times when a particular event concept should remain just that and be carried no
further, because it is technically impossible.

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6. Entertainment
For some events, entertainment is central; for others, it is peripheral. The most important
thing is that ht entertainment should suit the purpose of the event, not detract from it. The
needs of the even audience must be carefully considered when making this decision. A
clown creating balloon art is something one would consider for a children’s party. However,
the same idea (with different designs) could also work extremely well at a product launch
while attendees are waiting in line for breakout sessions.

7. Catering
Nothing makes participants at an event more frustrated than delays in service and poor
quality food except, perhaps, lack of restroom facilities! Whereas guests may have patience
with other delays, they will become very agitated if hours are spent in long lines, especially
if these are away from the action. Food quality and selection are notoriously bad, as well as
outrageously expensive, at many events, and planning must take this factor into account.
These days an espresso coffee cart can be found every few yards at most events, reflecting
changes in the expatiations of the audience and event managers’ response to this change.
Creative event planning frequently requires unique or unusual food and beverage products,
and these can take time to find. They may even need to be imported. Time means money,
ad does importing and both can contribute to an escalation in costs.

Logistics of the concept

The following logistical elements must be taken into account when considering an event
concept:

 Access to the site (for example, can vehicles come close enough for off loading or to park?)
 Physical limitations (for example, will the size or shape of the stairs make it impossible to move
heavy equipment?)
 Dimensions of site (is it too high, too low, too narrow?)
 Refrigerated storage (is it sufficient?)
 Physical space for food preparation (is it too small?)
 Restroom facilities (are they fixed or portable?)
 Cleaning (is it contracted?)
 Catering (will there be any physical problems with transporting, storing, and serving food?)
 Safety (are emergency services, exits, fire procedures, first aid, and so on all in place?)
 Potential damage to the site (is there a danger of flowerbeds being trampled?)
 Provision of basic services (are water and electricity turned on?)

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 UNIT – 2

A. KEYS TO SUCCESS

The following keys to success were developed by Ernst and Young, advisers to the Olympic
Games, the Emmy Awards, and the PGA Tours (adapted from Catherwood and Kirk, 1992):

1. Is the event a good idea?

2. Do we have the skill required to plan and run the event?
3. Is the host community supportive?
4. Do we have the infrastructure in the community?
5. Can we get a venue at a price we can afford?
6. Will the event attract an audience?
7. Will it attract media support?
8. IT is financially viable?
9. Are the success criteria reasonable?
10. What are the risks?

These questions will be used in this chapter to look at the topic of feasibility. in addition to
the nine questions listed, we will ask one final question, “What is the risks?” Risk
management is one of the most important concerns for the event management. As
mentioned in the first chapter, events can go spectacularly right, but they can also go
spectacularly wrong. For an event manager to be involved in an event opportunity to run
another event will not occur, and thus an alternative, vastly different career will need to be
considered. This is particularly the case if people are injured or if the event proves to be a
financial failure. As mentioned earlier, risk for most business operations is spread more
evenly than it is for the event manager or the event management organization. A bad day’s
trading for a company that trades all year is not as problematic as a bad day’s trading for a
one day event! In order to consider the questions posed by Ernst and Young, we will focus
on two very different examples: the issues that were raised prior to the 2002 Winter
Olympic Games and a proposal for a very small local event, a weekly farmers’ market.

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 1. Is the event a good idea?
Although this question appears quire simple, there are many event management teams
that ask this question more and more frequently as the event draws near. The measure of
public support for the 2002 Olympic Games far exceeded the organizers’’ expectations as
evidenced by robust ticket sales. After only a few days into the games, officials from SLOC
(Salt Lake Olympic Committee) announced that they had already passed their $180 million
goal for ticket revenue, selling 94 percent of 1.6 million tickets. By the end of the games,
reports were given that ticket sales far exceeded all expectations. No doubt the organizers
had asked the preceding question many times in the months leading up to the event – and
hopefully before they made the bid – only to have their doubts resolved at the last minute
when record ticket sales were reported. It is a major question for any city bidding for the
Olympic Games, and one that needs to be carefully considered at an early stage of the
process.

In the case of the farmers’ market, the organizers must first determine the purpose of the
event. It is to raise the profile of the area and its products? Perhaps the purpose is to raise
funds for charity? Or is it a straightforward commercial venture? No matter what the
answer, the organizing committee must then consider carefully if it is a good idea by asking
the questions that follow.

2. Do we have the skills?

Criticism of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the 2002 Olympic Games and related
stakeholders was well documented in the press in the years leading up to the games.
However, any doubts were quickly resolved when the games proved to be an outstanding
success, demonstrating that the wide range of skills required did exist. The skills required
to run a farmers’ market are largely administrative. If, however, the concept was developed
as a charitable fund raising event, it would be necessary to carefully consider the ongoing
rime and commitment required by the volunteers to sustain the event on a weekly basis.

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 3. Is the host community supportive?
Some cities and states tend to feel ambivalent about hosting an Olympic Games. The
citizens of Colorado voted against holding the Winter Olympic Games in 1976. the people
as a whole must commit to significant expenditures and inconvenience, and some business
and residents undoubtedly experience negative consequences. For examples, there were
constant complaints about the roadwork being done leading up to the 2002 Olympic
Games. With a new light rail system being added and improvements being made to
highways that feed into downtown Salt Lake City, the roads were in turmoil for a number of
years leading up to the Olympic. There was the belief among some that the funds could
have been better spent on schools and hospitals with urgent problems. However, those
with an interest in the tourism industry and an understanding of the economic potential of
the games were far more positive. An analysis of community support must take the
opinions of all such stakeholders into account.

A weekly farmers’ market would probably generate little opposition from resident unless
vendors were noisy when setting up early in the morning. However, local food retail stores
might be quite antagonistic, since the farmers’ market would not be faced with the same
overheads and could thus provide competition through lower pricing. On the other hand,
the market could attract visitors from outlying areas and a few tourists, an outcome that
could lead to increased trade for the retail outlets. Most studies show, however, that
tourists visiting festivals and markets tend to do so on impulse, so it would not make sense
to base planning on the tourism potential of such markets.

4. Do we have the infrastructure in the community?

The infrastructure required for an Olympic Games is enormous, airport facilities being a
good example. Although Cape Town is South Africa put in a bid for the 2000 Olympics,
most agreed that the infrastructure would never have been able to cope with an event of
such size. Bid cities generally have to make a commitment to infrastructure development in
order to win the games and are then faced with the issue of the viability of these venues
after the games have left town.

Transportation and parking are generally important considerations. However, in the case of
the farmers’ market, these would not be problems if the market was held in a country town
where open spaces are a abundance.

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 5. Can we get a venue at a price we can afford?
For most event organizers, the cost of the venue rental is a key consideration. Many are
tempted to save money by renting tents or canopies and using temporary accommodations,
but this method can prove a false saving, since the décor, lighting, electricity, and catering
are generally more expensive and more risky. The benefits of function rooms include tried
and tasted facilities, safety plans and insurance, as well as numerous other features. The
expertise of venue managers cannot be underestimated, and that expertise can contribute
to the technical success of an event. With an entertainment event, the location an the cost
of the venue can have a critical impact on pricing and promotion.

The cost of the venue is also dependent on the time for which it is required. In some cases,
the time needed for setup and dismantling is quite long, necessitating higher than expected
rental costs. Car and boat shows are good examples, with huge demands on the logistics of
setting up. Goldblatt (1977) refers to these as time / space / temp laws, pointing out that
the actual physical space governs the time required. He cities the examples of a Superbowl
at which 88 pianos had to be moved on to the field during half time. Loading area access
and storage are other considerations. And security is of particular concern because high
priced items can turn up missing; it was reported that a new model car disappeared from
the floor of an Australian car show and was taken for a 375 mile joyride.

The costs incurred by a farmers’ market for its venue would be minimal compared with the
enormous cost of the purpose built venues suitable for events like the 2002 Winter
Olympics. Nevertheless, these costs are just as important a consideration for the market as
they are for organizers of any Olympic Games. Despite the fact that such venues remain a
lasting legacy for the host city, their long term financial viability is always an issue of
concern.

6. Will the event attract an audience?

The location of the event venue or site is crucial for attracting the numbers you require to
make the event successful. In case study at the end of this chapter, you are given a list of
potential events, and then you are asked to rank them in terms of their feasibility. All are
located in different towns and cities, and a study will have to be made of the local
population, as well as of the domestic and international visitors who may be attracted to
the event. Identifying the audience is a key issue for event managers in planning an event.

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Market research into current trends is essential for event feasibility planning. An extensive
range of reports is available from tourism commissions at both city, state, and federal
levels. For example, findings from report on the seniors market show that this age group is
a tourism market segment with significant potential. These statistics, combined with data
from the US Census Bureau, report on the changing demographics (including age groups)
of the US population, and clearly point to the size of this market now and its potential in
the future. Seniors are living longer than ever before. They are staying healthier longer and
are pursuing active lifestyles.

Returning to the example of the farmers’ market., this concept could be expanded to
include the whole spectrum of organic foods and health products and so become a highly
feasible event targeted specifically at seniors. The location would need to be in an area in
which the demographic group is large and continues to grow, and the venue would need to
have facilities that cater for seniors, such as easy parking, not many stairs, and so on.

7. Will the event attract media support?

Media support is essential. Whether the event will attract national and international
attention, as in the Olympics, or a local radio station or a hometown newspaper depends
on the type of event. Smart organizers take a look at the different media outlets that are
available. They try to determine which outlets their possible attendees use to get their
news. For example, if the event is a children’s fair, then the organizers should try to
determine which television stations, radio shows, newspapers, and magazines the parents
are most likely to use in that community. Press releases, guest appearances, and even
advertisements should then be targeted at those media outlets.

In the case of the farmer’s market, it would be best to approach local newspapers to seek
their support. Stories and images, with a focus on the value to the community, the local
farmers, and the management risks, would need to be provided to stimulate both media
and community interest in the event. A special feature, including advertisements by
exhibitors, would be the type of proposal that would be well received at the local level.

8. Is the event financially viable?

An event that is financially viable and that brings benefits to the community can outweigh
most objections. One that is not viable will have a short life span. The farmer’s market
would be unlikely to make huge profits or generate substantial charitable funds, but it
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might contribute to community spirit and provide intangible benefits to the local population.
For example, it might enhance the reputation of local agricultural products, thus attracting
investment in the farm grown concept. Fees charged to the vendors would need to cover
all expenses associated with the event, since there would be no charge to visitors.

The Olympic Games held in Montreal in 1976 left a lasting debt for the Canadian people.
What began as a glorious vision turned into a financial disaster, and one that took the
people of Quebec almost twenty years to pay off. Through planning errors, misjudgments,
and strikes, as well as suspected corruption, the estimated cost of $ 124 million rose to an
incredible $1.5 billion. In contrast, in Australia, the New South Wales taxpayer was free to
debt after the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, which also reaped additional benefits for the
people of Australia. As reported in the Salt Lake Tribune soon after the 2002 Winter
Olympics, Mitt Romney, president of SLOC (Salt Lake Organizing committee), appeared
before the Utah House of Representatives and paid of its $99 million obligations to the
state of Utah, “fulfilling the promises of three generations of Olympic leaders that the 2002
Winter Games would not leave taxpayers in debt but would leave a legacy.”

For most events, the decision as to what price is to be charged to visitors or spectators,
and when the decision is made, is critical. Tickets cannot go on sale the day after an event
is over, nor can the merchandise that was produced for the event. The failure to sell T-
shirts, caps, and CDs will mean lost revenue for the event. Even the concession outlets that
sell food and beverages do not get a second chance at sales. For these reasons, both the
decision on price and the timing of this decision are extremely important in ensuring that
the event audience reaches a viable level.

However, not all events are ticketed: an exhibition, for example, involves renting booths to
exhibitors, and the price charged for exhibiting is based on the cost of staging the
exhibition and the likely number of exhibitors. For nonprofit events, financial decisions
involve keeping within the budget, which may be established by another body (for
example, the nonprofit organization’s board of directors). When a client is paying for the
staging of an event, the event management company would develop a budget for the
event based on very clear expectations from the client as to the benefits expected from the
event. Often the event management company earns a fee and the client is ultimately
responsible for the cost of the budgeted items and any variations.

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 9. Are the success criteria reasonable?
The criteria on which the success of events is judged vary widely. The Olympic Games is
generally judged on feedback from the international audience. Although feedback from the
athletes on accommodation and sporting facilities is important, the continuing sponsorship
of the games is the result of the response pf the world television audience. This is clearly
one of the most relevant criteria for the continued success of this mega event.

The farmers’ market could encourage local growers to develop entrepreneurial skills and to
produce and market a differentiated product. This has already been done by many regional
wine growers, such as the wine growers from Wenatchee, Washington, who participate in
the WAWGG (Washington Wine Grape Growers) Annual meeting, Convention, and Trade
Show held in Yakima, Washington. Wines from Wenatchee that used to be considered a
regional choice are now being marketed and served throughout the country and abroad.
Change in consumers’ perception of a region’s products is difficult to measure, as is the
increased confidence of the local producers. These are known as intangible outcomes and
seldom form part of the success criteria, which tend to be more tangible results, such as
improved sales. Increased exposure to Utah was one of the intangible outcomes of the
2002 Winter Olympic Games.

A wedding is an interesting event to analyze in terms of success. Should its success be

judged on the criteria of the bride, the groom, the parents, or the guests? Were there
elements of the wedding (such as lack of compatibility between the bride’s and the groom’s
families) that could not be managed? And just about everyone attending has a point of
view about the décor and color scheme.

The criteria for success need to be established before the event takes place, as it is against
these that the feasibility of the event is analyzed.

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 10. What are the risks?
This final question is the most important of all, because failures, and even fiasco, are
always possible.

Brainstorming, in order to reveal all of the possible risks associated with an event, and then
ranking them, is the first step. Risks may include the following:

 Heavy weather, wind, and / or rain

 Flooding
 Fire
 Collapse of building or temporary structures
 Accidents involving workers and / or the event audience
 Crowd control
 Security of participants and VIPs
 Food poisoning
 Breakdown in water supply or power supply

Contingency planning, in order to deal with potential risks, is the next step. And the third
step is that policies and procedures must be put in place to deal with every possible
eventuality. In chapter 8, we will discuss risk management in more detail, with particular
focus on priorities and operational plans designed to minimize risk.
The IACC (International Association of Conference Centers) has set international standards
for operations, facilities, equipment, and management for small to medium sized
conference centers (20 to 50 people), and many conference venues around the country are
adopting these as a benchmark. This type of accreditation is reassuring for the event
organizer and an excellent method of reducing many of the most common risks. Links to
this association are listed at the end of the chapter.

To briefly summarize, the aim of the event organizer is to improve feasibility and to reduce
risk (see Figure 3.5).

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THE SWOT ANALYSIS

It is traditional, and important, to do a SWOT analysis for every event. This involves
analyzing the strength, weakness, opportunities and threats of the event of event concept.

S Strength are the internal strength of the organization, for example, the enthusiasm

and commitment of volunteers, the specialist knowledge of the lighting engineer, or the
wide range of products available for planning themes and décor.

W Weakness are the internal weakness of the organization, for example, the skills and

knowledge of the management committee to their lack of availability for meeting.

O Opportunity are the external favorable things that may occur, such as new

sponsorship or unexpected positive publicity.

T Threats are also external: competition, poor publicity, and poor crowd behavior would

all be classified as threats.





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 B. NATURE OF EVENT MARKETING:

Event products generally include a combination of goods and services, and so provide a
challenge for those involved in event marketing. Some industries market products without a
service component, for example, soft drinks where the focus would be on the product. In
marketing computer equipment, however, there would be goods and services aspects of
the product that might include hardware and backup service. On the other hand, when
marketing something purely intangible, such as “Come for the atmosphere” or “So you just
want to have fun?” there is a large service component. In some respects it is far more
difficult to market something that the customer cannot take home or physically consume.

The first feature of service marketing that makes it challenging, then, is it intangibility.
Another feature of services marketing is that there is a higher degree of variability in the
service provided, as well as in the response to the services provided. The service and the
service provider are also distinguished by their inseparability. In other words, as an event
organizer, you are very reliant on your staff, performers, and athletes to meet the needs of
the audience. You have far less quality control then you would over tangible goods (such as
soft drinks) – unless your training is first rate.

In summery, the three features of services marketing are the following:

 Intangibility (such as fun, entertainment, information)

 Inseparability (such as the usher’s service approach to the customer when product and
provider are inseparable)
 Variability (such as different levels of service provided by different ushers or different
responses from two or more customers to the same experience)

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 
Some goods and service components of a conference are illustrated in Figure

SERVICES GOODS
(Intangible) (Tangible)

Conference Planning Room set-up

Conference support services CONFERENCE Food quality

And preservation
Information, advice and
Problem solving Temperature, lighting

General ambience Audio – visual systems

Figure: Goods and services Components of a conference (Product)

Services provided at events, then, are intangible, inseparable, variable, and perishable,
presenting a number of marketing challenges, since value for money is generally an issue
for the consumer.

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 C. PROCESS OF EVENT MARKETING

The event marketing process is summerized in Figure 5.2. Ultimately the aims are to
enhance the profile of the event (and associated sponsors), to meet the needs of the event
audience, and, in most cases, to generate revenue. Some festivals are fully funded by
government bodies, and although they are not expected to raise revenue, they aim to
attract a high level of attendance or interest as a minimum expectation.

1. Establish the Features of the Product

2. Identify the customers
3. Plan to meet audience needs
4. Analyze consumer decision making processes
5. Competitive Pressure (positioning)
6. Motivation
7. Timing
8. Purchase or Attendance
9. Establish the Price and the Ticket Program
10. Promote the Event
11. Differentiation
12. Packaging for Effective Communication
13. Evaluate Marketing Efforts

1. Establish the Features of the Product

Each event offers a range of potential benefits to the event audience. These may include
one or more of the following.

 A novel experience
 Entertainment
 A learning experience
 An exciting result
 An opportunity to meet others
 A chance to purchase items
 Dining and drinking
 An inexpensive way to get out of the house
 A chance to see something unique
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Many marketing experts are unable to see past the main motivating factor for the event,
which may be the opportunity to watch a professional tennis match. There may, however,
be some members of the audience who have little interest in tennis but who are motivated
by some of the other features of the product, such as the opportunity to see and be seen.
Generally, people attending an event see the product as a package of benefits.
Convenience and good weather, for example, could be benefits associated with an event
product.

When marketing an event, therefore, alignment between the product benefits and the
needs of the audience is necessary to guide the design of the event and the promotional
effort. Pregame and halftime entertainment are good examples of adding value to the main
benefit offered by a sporting event product.

2. Identify the customers

Market segmentation is the process of analyzing your customers in groups. Some groups
may enjoy a particular type of country and western music. Others may enjoy line dancing.
Yet others might visit just for the excitement and the atmosphere. It is absolutely essential
to analyze the different motivations of the event audience and to develop a profile for each
of these groups.

3. Plan to meet audience needs

Once you have identified your customer groupings, it is then necessary to ensure that all
their needs are met. With the Fan Fair example, there may be a generation of older music
enthusiasts who are looking for a certain type of entertainment as well as a younger group
(say aged 10 to 14) who need to be entertained, too, so that they can gain something from
the experience. As another example, a “Symphony under the Stars” concert would attract
many fans of classical music. However, many others would come for the atmosphere, and
some just for the fireworks at the end. None of these customer segments’ needs can be
ignored. All audiences need food and facilities, but food and beverage may or may not be a
high priority of a particular event audience. For some, the music is the highlight; for others,
it is the hype of the event; and for still others, it is the food that is important.

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 4. Analyze consumer decision making processes
The next step is to analyze the customer’s decision-making process. Research conducted in
this area will produce information that is very useful in guiding promotional efforts.

5. Competitive Pressure (positioning)

Competition from other forms of entertainment for a person’s disposable income would
need to be considered. The economic environment would also need to be scanned in order
to understand factors that might have an impact on discretionary spending on tickets, as
well as possibly on travel and accommodations.

6. Motivation
Customer motivation has already been mentioned under market segmentation. Potential
customers nay have positive responses to some aspects of an event and negative
responses to others, such as the distance to be traveled, crowding, and the risk of bad
weather. Customers can be divided in to decision makers, followers, influencers, and
purchasers. Although in most cases the person who decides to attend (and perhaps take
his or her family or friends) is the one who makes the purchase, there are situations in
which the decision to spend money on an event is influenced by others. For example, if a
teenager wished to go to a concert, the teen might exert pressure on his or her parents to
make the purchase on his or her behalf. In this case, both the needs of the teenager and
those of the parents would need to be met. Since teenagers would generally discourage
their parents from attending, promotional efforts would need to ensure that parents
perceived the concert to be a ‘safe’ environment. Those who tag along to an event are the
followers. Each of these – the influencer, the decision maker, the follower, and the
purchaser – would generally have different expectations of the event and would evaluate it
differently.

7. Timing
This is the most important aspect of consumer decision making since it has implications for
the promotions budget. The issue is this: when does the consumer make the decision to
attend? If the decision will be made two months before the event, you need to deploy all
marketing initiatives at that time. If, on the other hand, the decision will be made the
week, or the day, before the event, this timing will have important implications as to how
and when the advertising and promotions dollar will be spent.

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 8. Purchase or Attendance
Finally, the desire to attend needs to be translated into a purchase action. If it is perceived
that getting good tickets is going to be difficult, some consumers might not make the
effort. In fact, for some festivals, there are no advance sales of tickets. This restriction
means that the decision to attend is considered impulsive and that it would generally be
made on the day of the event. Clearly, advance ticket selling means a better opportunity to
plan for an event as well as a substantial boost to cash flow.

9. Establish the Price and the Ticket Program

Sale and distribution of tickets has been mentioned briefly before. Now it is necessary to
consider that event attendance could be tied in to tourist travel to a destination. If this
were the case, it would involve negotiations with a tour wholesaler, extending the time line
for planning. Plans would need to be finalized long before the event, with price determined,
brochures printed, and advertising done (sometimes overseas) well in advance. This
package tour might also include airfare and accommodations.

10. Promote the Event

Having made the decisions as to when it is best to promote the event, the next question is
how to promote it.

11. Differentiation
Organizers must demonstrate the difference between an event whether it is a concert,
festival, street fair, or charity fun run, from other related leisure options. The consumer
needs to know why this event is special.

12. Packaging for Effective Communication

The messages used to promote an event are extremely important. Usually there is only
limited advertorial space for convincing all market segments to attend. Thus, the
combination of text and images requires a lot of creative effort. If there is time and
sufficient budget available, utilizing these communication message with consumers is
recommended.

There are many forms of promotion, including brochures, posters, banners, interned
advertising, news, radio, and television advertising, and press releases, to name a few
types or marketing tools. Balloons and crowd-pleasers (people balloons with moving arms)
are examples of eye catching promotional strategies that you can use.

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 13. Evaluate Marketing Efforts
The effectiveness of all promotional efforts needs to be carefully monitored. With an annual
event, for example, customer responses to the various types of promotions will guide
promotional efforts in future years. Evaluation needs to be done systematically by asking
questions such as “Where did you find out about the event?” or “When did you decide to
attend this event?”.

There are three stages at which research can be conducted: prior to the event, during the
event, and after the event. The research can be qualitative, such as focus groups and case
studies, or quantitative. In the latter case, the research generates statistics such as
customers’ expenditure at the event.

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 D. THE MARKETING MIX:

In the final analysis, the marketing efforts need to be analyzed in terms of the marketing
mix (See Figure 5.3). In other words, was the event positioned well, promoted effectively,
and distributed through different channel efficiently? All these factors must work together if
success is to be the outcome.

PRODUCT / SERVICE PLACE

Event Venue Ticket Sellers
Quality of Food Tour wholesalers
Quality of entertainment Tourist information offices
Cleanliness of venue Venue
MARKETING MIX

PRICE PROMOTION
Cost of Ticket Advertising
Cost of Travel Public Relations
Time taken to travel Sales Promotion
Other Inconvenience

1. Positioning: -

The questions to ask are “Was the choice of event appropriate?” and “Was it positioned
correctly in terms of competition?” For Example, one would hesitate to run a food and wine
festival in a small town when there was already an Oktoberfest at a larger town nearby.

2. Price

Pricing for an entertainment event is very tricky. It depends on the size of the potential
audience and the selected venue. If the ticket price id too high and if the featured artist is
not as popular as excepted, then the half-empty venue will result in a dismal financial
outcome. Pricing of food and beverage items is also an important consideration, because
customers become annoyed if markups are excessive.

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3. Promotion: -

Promotional activities need to be chosen carefully and timed effectively. Promotion is a

costly exercise, radio and television advertising being two of the most expensive. Overall,
the most cost-effective methods of promotion are feature articles in local newspapers and
banners. Many events are promoted by tourism bodies and by tourism information offices
at minimal cost. And increasingly, the Internal is being used as a source of information by
the event audience.

4. Distribution: -

Tickets can be distributed as part of package tours, through tickets sellers (who take
commission), or at the venue. In many cases, the event product is produced, distributed,
and consumed at the venue. This arrangement contrasts for example, with goods that are
imported for sale and are ultimately consumed by the customer at home. The effectiveness
of the channels through which an event is promoted and sold is a crucial aspect of its
success.

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 E. SPONSORSHIP :
Sponsorship is one of the most common funding sources for staging an event. In some
cases, the sponsor is happy to provide cash to support the event in exchange for increases
profile and sales of the sponsor’s products. In other cases, the sponsor provides “value in
kind”; that is, the sponsor will provide free goods and services, again with the expectation
that this arrangement will have a bottom line benefit. For example, a newspaper sponsor
may provide free advertising space. Some sponsors use an event to promote a new
product, and, in this case, the whole event is aimed at developing customer awareness and
loyalty. In all of these situations, the marketing messages must be consistent with the
event and must be clear to the audience. An expensive party to celebrate the release of a
new product is a waste of money if the audience cannot recall the name of the product a
few weeks later, or worse, fails to purchase it.

Essentially, the sponsor identifies with the event, mainly through the use of his or her name
and logo, and expects a return on the investment. It is thus essential to evaluate both the
sponsor profile and the sponsor’s sales, or any other sponsorship objectives, after the event
to ensure that the sponsorship has been successful and that the sponsor’s relationship with
the event will continue.

There are a number of questions to ask before approaching a potential sponsor.

1. What are the benefits?

Can the sponsor’s involvement lead to some benefit for the organization in terms of
increased profile or increased sales? What other benefits are there? At what cost? Will it be
time consuming for their staff?

2. How long will the association last?

Is it possible to build a long term alliance with the sponsor? Can an agreement be reached
for perhaps a five year sponsorship?

3. How much exposure will the sponsor achieve?

Will the sponsor’s logo appear on all advertising? Will the sponsor have naming rights to
the event, or will specific prizes be awarded for particular events by the senior staff? Will
the winning athlete wear one the sponsor’s caps when interviewed by television crews? Will
the sponsor be named in the prize giving ceremony?

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 4. Will the sponsorship be exclusive?
Will this sponsor be the only one and thus clearly associated with the event? Or will there
be a large number of sponsors?

5. Is there compatibility?
Have the potential sponsor’s competitions agreed to provide sponsorship, and will this
arrangement lead to a conflict of interest? Is there compatibility between the sponsor’s
product and the event purpose (for example, if the purpose of the event was promoting
healthy lifestyle)?

6. Will there be ambush marketing?

Are there organizations that will attempt to gain advertising mileage and sales from the
event, despite their lack of sponsorship or other commitment? Will competitors’ products be
on sale at the event or in a nearby area?

Ultimately, the most important question of all concerns the sponsor’s benefit from his or
her involvement in the event. This consideration needs to be negotiated early in the
arrangement, and a process for measuring sponsor objectives, such as recognition or
purchase of the sponsor’s products, needs to be put in place prior to, during, and after the
event. When clearly audited records or professional surveys can demonstrate sponsorship
outcome, renegotiating sponsorship arrangements for subsequent events or for different
events will be much easier, since success has been demonstrated in a tangible way. At the
end of the day, the sponsor needs a report detailing all promotional efforts and the ensuing
benefits, as well as photographs and success stories for post event publicity.

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 UNIT – 3

The National Western Stock Show Rodeo & Horse Show, held in Denver, Colorado, is an
example of an annual event similar to other annual events held in major cities. Agricultural
shows continue to appeal to a wide audience ranging from rural farmers to city dwellers.
For young children, the baby animal area is always popular, while sideshows and exhibits
are perennial favorites. For rural exhibitors, these events provide the opportunity to have
their live stock judged, thus increasing exposure and prices for breeding.

Promotion and public relations are a crucial part of the marketing of any event, as we have
mentioned in previous chapters, and they will be discussed later in some detail. As part of
the marketing strategy, event promotion involves communicating the image and content of
the event program to the potential audience. Broadly, the aim of a promotional strategy is
to ensure that the consumer makes a decision to purchase and follows up with the action
of actually making the purchase. It is essential to turn intention into action, and this step is
often the biggest obstacle of a promotional Champaign.

There are a number of elements involved in promotion, including the following:

 Image / branding
 Advertising
 Publicity
 Public Relations

A. IMAGE / BRANDING
The first step for most events is the development of a name, a logo, and an image for the
event. This includes the color scheme and graphics that will appear on all event material
ranging from registration forms to tickets to merchandise. Image and logo are closely
linked and need to be agreed on well in advance. Together they are referred to as
“branding”. Where sponsors are involved, it is essential to obtain their approval of the
branding; otherwise, there could be conflict over the use of color or the positioning and size
of logos. The design must meet the needs of all stakeholders, as well as appealing to the
event audience, particularly if the design forms the basis for merchandise such as T-shirts
and hats. A slogan is sometimes developed as part of the image for an event and is
incorporated wherever possible. The result should be a consistency in theme and color
scheme for all promotional materials. In most cases, the color scheme is also carried
through to the décor, including signs, fencing, flags, table settings, banners, and posters.
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 B. ADVERTISING
Advertising is the second element of the promotional strategy. It may take many
forms, the following being some of the options:

 Print
 Radio
 Television
 Direct mail
 Outdoor advertising / billboards
 Brochures
 Internet

As part of the marketing plan, it is necessary to identify the market to be reached and then
to establish where the people in the market live and which of the media would be most
likely to reach them. When selecting the most appropriate media, cost is generally the
biggest issue. Then you need to decide when to advertise – a month before, a week
before, or the day before? Faced with budget limits and potentially expensive advertising,
these are all crucial decisions.

When preparing an advertising budget, you should be aware that different time slots on
radio and television cost vastly different amounts, as do different positions on the pages of
print media. Local newspapers and local radio stations are always more cost effective than
national ones and are generally a more effective way to reach a local audience. Larger
events may aim to attract international audiences, and if this is the case, you will need to
clearly identify the potential overseas audience and perhaps develop a tourist package to
include accommodations and other attractions. Partnership arrangements can often be
reached with travel agencies, airlines, and hotels, as well as with state and national tourism
boards that have agreed to support and promote the event.

The content of advertisements must be informative, and of most importance, it must

inspire decision making and action to attend or purchase. Let’s look at the following
advertisement by an event company for its wedding rental products and services:

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 We provide six arm gold candelabra in the Victorian style, silk flowers, tea lights, fairy
lights, table overlays (in organza, Jacquard and cotton). Chair covers with sashes and
ceiling drapes. We set up for you.

In this advertisement there is a lot of information but absolutely no inspiration. A number

of descriptive adjectives would certainly have enhanced the text, as well as the possibility
of customers’ buying their services!

In contrast, the advertisement for an unusual event following is much more creative. It
would be very difficult to attract an event audience if only the facts of a blood donation
were presented and if the promotional team has realized this by making this event into
something not to be missed.

WE WANT YOUR BLOOD!

Millard Clinic Blood Drive Week

August 10-15 with the grand finale (don’t miss this) on August 15 (10: 00 AM to 9: 00
PM) Greendale Clinic’s last drive was a huge success. This year our target is 3,000
units of blood. Sponsors have donated ten major prizes as well as minor prizes for all
other donors. Our top prize, a trip for two to Hawaii, will be presented at the grand
finale. We will have a health advice booth, a complimentary espresso kiosk, food
booths, a craft fair, children’s entertainment, local celebrities, and a jazz brand in the
late afternoon. Attendance is free and all donors will receive a sponsor prize, and will
be entered into the drawing for the major prizes. Parking is available on Grand St.

Figure - Advertising brings excitement to an otherwise boring event.

The advertising message needs to meet the motivational needs of the audience at the
same time that is assists the decision making process by supplying the necessary facts.

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 C. PUBLICITY
Free publicity for an event can be secured by running a careful publicity campaign with the
media. This involves developing and disseminating press releases to journalists and then
following up by telephone. Sometimes interviews with journalists will also be necessary.
There are several points of contact. In the print media, these include the editor, the feature
writers, and the editors responsible for individual sections of the newspaper or magazine.
In the broadcast media, the people to contact include the station manager, the news
announcers, and the radio personalities. For television, contact the program producer or
director. In each case, the first question to be asked will be “What makes this event
newsworthy?” and the answer to this must be clear.

The aim of a press release is to stimulate media interest in the event and thus achieve
positive and cost effective publicity. Many large event organizers post their press releases
on their web pages. For mega events and regional events, a launch is usually held prior to
the event to which the media and the stars of the show are invited. These occasions are
used to distribute the press release. It is essential that a launch be well attended and that
the media report the event in a positive way; otherwise, the effort will be
counterproductive. In the case of smaller events, sending a press release to a local paper
and to the local radio stations is generally the best option. Since the staff working on these
smaller publications are extremely busy, it is advisable to provide them with a ready to go
article, including photos. Logos and quotations when possible. The following is an example
of the sort of press release / article that would draw the attention of a local newspaper.

 The Longest, Largest and Oldest Touring Bicycle Ride in the World

RAGBRAI®, The Retister’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across LowaTM , an annual seven day
bicycle ride across the state, RAGBRAI is the longest, largest and oldest touring bicycle ride
in the world. It started in 1973 as a six day ride across the state of lowa by two Des Moines
Register columnists who invited a few readers along. It attracts 10,000 participants from
every state in the country and may foreign countries. The RAGBRAI route averages 470
miles and is not necessary flat. It traditionally begins along lowa’s western border on the
Missouri River and ends somewhere along the eastern border on the Mississippi River. The
starting and ending towns and the route across the state are changed each year and
announced in early February in The Des Moines Register and on the website at
www.ragbrai.org. application materials will be available online November 15, 2003 for
RAGBRAI XXXII which takes place July 25 – 31, 2004.
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The people of lowa truly make RAGBRAI the special event it is by opening up their towns
and communities to the ride participants. The lowa hospitality, the beautiful countryside,
and the chance to get away from it all for a week make this bicycle tour the most
memorable experience of a lifetime. To learn more about the event, visit the website, or
call the RAGBRAI hotline at 800-1 RIDE IA (800.474.3342).

RAGBRAI® and the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across lowaTM are registered
trademarks of the Des Moines Register and Tribune Company. Used with permission.

The following guidelines for preparing a press release will help to ensure that the reader
sits up and takes notice.

 There must be something to appeal to the reader in the first two sentences: he or she
must be motivated to read the whole press release.
 All the facts must be covered: what, when, why, and how. This is particularly the case
for negative incidents. The reader wants to know what happened, when it happened,
why it happened, and how things will be resolved. When something goes wrong the
facts are important because unsubstantiated opinion is dangerous. If the press release
is promoting an event, all information such as the venue, date, time, and so on should
be included:
 The press release should be short and to the point (no longer than one to two pages).
 Layout is extremely important.
 Contact details should be provided.
 Photographs should be captioned.
 Quotes from senior staff and stakeholders (including sponsors) may be included.
 If the press release is promoting an event, it should describe all potential benefits for
the audience.
 An action ending for booking or registering should include all necessary information.

Apart from free media publicity, it is also possible to obtain free exposure through a
number of official tourism organizations, many of which are listed at the end of this book.
They provide tourist information to visitors through tourist information offices or their
websites at the state or national level. Brochures distributed to such offices or listings on
their event calendars can provide valuable information to the potential (and sometimes
very hard to reach) event audience.

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 D. PUBLIC RELATIONS
The role of public relations is to manage the organization’s and the event’s image in the
mind of the audience and the public. This undertaking is mainly done through press
releases as described in the previous section. These up to date information sources,
together with photographs, provide the media with the background information they need
to develop stories about the event. Media briefings can also be conducted before and
during the event, particularly if high profile people such as celebrities, entertainers and
athletes can enhance the publicity.

One of the most critical public relations roles is to inform the media whether there is a
negative incidents of any description. For this reason, an incident reporting system needs
to be in place so that senior members of the event management team are fully informed,
including the public relations managers, if this is a separate role. It may be necessary to
write a press release or to appear in an interview if such an incident occurs. In some
situations it is essential to obtain legal advice regarding the wording used in the press
release. The public relations role can be a highly sensitive one, and in some situations,
words need to be chosen carefully. A simple expression of regret, for example, would be
more tactful than suggesting the cause of an accident.

Another, more positive public relations role is the entertainment of guests and VIPs
attending the event, in some cases from other countries. In this public relations role, you
need to be the following:

 Attentive to the needs and expectations of your guests;

 Mindful of their cultural expectations;
 Flexible in your responses to their behaviors;
 Informative and helpful as a host;
 Proactive in designing hosting situations to meet the required protocol; and
 Able to make easy conversation.

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Particularly with overseas guests or guests of event sponsors, you need to know in advance
who they are (official titles, correct names, and correct pronunciation) and where they
come from. Of most importance, you need to know the reason why your company is acting
as host to these guests, because often business objectives, such as sponsor product
awareness or negotiations, are involved. Research is therefore essential to determine how
to meet the needs of the guests and the expectations of, for example, the sponsors.
According to Roger Axtell (1990), the effective multicultural host has the following
attributes:

 Being respectful
 Tolerating ambiguity
 Relating well to people
 Being nonjudgmental
 Personalizing one’s observations (not making global assertions about people or places)
 Showing empathy
 Being patient and persistent

As you can see from the preceding, there are a number of roles for the public relations
manager, or indeed for any member of the event team. The opportunity to sell an event
occurs every time the telephone is answered or an inquiry is made by a potential customer.
Because customer relations becomes the role of everyone involved in an event, training in
this area is recommended. This training should focus in particular on the event information
likely to be requested by the customer, a task that is more difficult than it sounds since
plans are often not finalized until very close to the event. Training ties in closely with the
planning process, and the distribution of information to all concerned right up until the last
minute is very important.

There are a number of situations in which an event manager might become involved in
public relations, including the following:

 Making travel arrangements by telephone or e-mail

 Meeting and greeting at the airport
 Providing transportation
 Running meetings
 Entertaining at meals
 Entertaining at events
 Providing routs and commentary
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If you have to lead a small group around the venue or the event, there are a number of
additional recommendations:

 Plan the tour so that enough time is allocated to see everything

 Advice your guests of your plan, however informal the group
 Make sure that there is time for a break and refreshments.
 Provide maps so that people can get their bearings
 Pause frequently so that the guests can ask questions
 Be gracious – questions are never trivival or stupid.
 Make sure that everyone can see and hear.
 Treat everyone as equals.
 Speak slowly and at an appropriate volume.
 Be patient, and speak positively.
 Be flexible, and change plans if necessary.
 Be attentive to fatigue or boredom, and accelerate the tour if necessary.

In promoting an event, it is essential to analyze and understand the needs of the target
market or markets. If, for example, one of the target markets is children aged 8 to 12, it is
necessary to understand the motivations of this group and to match the product to these
motivational needs. It is also necessary to keep in mind that the person purchasing the
product may not be the consumer – in this case, it may be the parent – and promotional
efforts need to assist with decision making process within the family. Likewise, a sponsor
may be making a substantial investment in the event, which may or may not be consistent
with those of the event audience.

To summarize, the task of promoting an event to the optimal audience at the most
beneficial time is the first challenge. The second is to meet the needs of all stakeholders
and to maximize public relations benefits to the satisfactions of customers at all levels.

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 E. DEVELOP A MISSION / PURPOSE STATEMENT

The first step is to develop a simple statement that summarizes the purpose or mission of
the event. Too often, the purpose of the event becomes less and less clear as the event
approaches. Different stake holders have different interests, and this situation can
sometimes lead to a change of focus of which most stakeholders are unaware. The purpose
of an event could be, for example, "to commemorate the history of our town in a
historically authentic parade that involves the community and is supported by the
community." In contrast, a sporting event may have as its mission statement "to attract
both loyal team supporters and first-time spectators (potential regulars) in an effort to
improve ticket sales and thus the viability of the competition and venue."

The mission statement should ensure that planning and implementation do not get off track
and that the initial intent is realized.

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 F. ESTABLISH THE AIMS OF THE EVENT

The purpose can be broken down further into general aims and specific measurable
objectives. An event could have any one, or more, of the following aims:

 improving community attitudes to health and fitness through participation in sporting

activities

 increasing civic pride

 injecting funds into the local economy

 raising funds for a charitable cause

 increasing tourist numbers to a specific destination

 extending the tourist season

 launching a new product

 raising revenue through ticket sales

 providing entertainment

 building team loyalty

 raising the profile of the town or city

 celebrating a historical event

 enhancing the reputation of a convention organizer/venue

 conducting an inspirational ceremony

 providing a unique experience

 increasing product sales

 acknowledging award winners (for example, tourism awards or staff awards)

 producing media coverage

 highlighting the main point of a conference

 raising awareness of a charitable or political campaign

Aims vary widely from one event to another, and this is one of the challenges for the event
manager. One event might have a social impact focus, whereas another might be profit-
oriented. It cannot be stressed enough that everything to do with the event must reinforce
the purpose and the goals. Choice of colors, entertainment, presenta tions, and so on must
all work together in order to fulfill the purpose and goals of the event. A client may arrive
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at a meeting with an event organizer and say, "I want a banquet for 200 people with a
celebrity entertainer," and it may emerge only through questioning that the aim of the
event is to recognize key staff, to present awards, and to re- inforce success. The
recognition of the aim must be established early in the negotiation process and
remembered during all the planning stages.

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 G. PREPARE AN EVENT PROPOSAL

A complete outline for an event proposal is included in Appendix 2. At this stage of event
planning, however, the proposal should include the purpose and the aims and objectives of
the event, as well as de tails on organization, physical layout, and the social,
environmental, and economic impact, if applicable. The relevant headings are shown in the
outline included in Figure 9-1. Maps and models are extremely useful in illustrating the
event concept, and more detailed plans will ensure that the client's expectations are
realistic.

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EVENT PROPOSAL
 Event name
 Event type
 Location
 Date(s)
 Duration / timings
 Event overview and purpose / concept
 Aims and objectives
Event Management
 Management responsibility
 Major stakeholders and agencies
 Physical requirements
o Venue
o Route for street events
o Event map
o Event layout (indoor)
 Audience
 Impact
o Social
o Environmental
o Economic
Approvals and Consultation
 State an federal government
 Country, city, or town
 Roads and traffic authority
 Liquor licensing
 Police
 Building
 Insurance
 Health
 Environment
 Entertainment
 Music licensing
 Security

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Marketing

 Competitive analysis
 Market analysis and planning
o Customer segmentation
o Meeting audience needs
o Consumer decision making

Price and ticket program

 Advertising and promotion

o Message
o Media
o Budget
 Public relations
o Press releases
o Media briefing
 Marketing evaluation

Financial Control

 Capital and funding requirements

 Fees (police and security; local government, music etc.)
 Costs (including insurance)
 Control systems (eg. Cash handling)
 Taxation
 Profit and loss statement
 Cash flow analysis

Risk Management

 Identification of risks and hazards

 Assessment of risks and hazards
 Management of risks and hazards
 Incident reporting
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Event Staging

 Theme
 Décor
o Layout
o Entertainment
o Special effects, lighting
o Sound

 Services
o Electricity
o Water
o Transportation (including air travel, access to and from venue)
o Traffic Management
o Street closure
o Impact on local traffic
o Notification of affected businesses, etc.
o Diversions
o Security
o Support vehicles
o Parking
o Disability access
 Catering
o Providers
o Facilities
o Food safety plans
 Waste and environmental management
o Toilets
o Waste management, recycling
o Noise
o Water Pollution
 Cleaning

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Staffing

 Selecting and recruitment

 Roasters
 Training
 Briefing
 Recognition strategies
 Industrial relations
 Recruitment of volunteers

Safety and security

 Safety of the event audience

 Safety and security of the performers, VIPS, etc.
 Health and safety of the staff
 Security for premises, equipment, cash etc.
 Communications
o Meetings
o Reporting relationships
o Emergency reporting relationship
o Communication methods (radio)
 Emergency access and emergency management
 First aid

Operational Plans

 Policies, e.g., complaints, crowd control

 Procedures and checklists
 Performance standards (link to objectives)
 Contingency plans
o Weather
o Electrical supply, lighting
o Fire
o Accident
o Crowd control
o Delay or cancellation
o Bomb threat or other security incidents
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 Logistics
o Setup / teardown
o Structures and facilities
o Lighting
o Sound

Evaluation

 Postevent evaluation
o Objectives
o Measures
o Analysis
o Report

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 UNIT – 4

A. CHOOSING THE EVENT SITE:

Selection of an event venue must take the needs of all stakeholders into account.
Stakeholders include emergency services, catering staff, entertainers, participants, and
clients.

Frequently, the client has an unusual idea for a venue, but however imaginative this may
be, selection of the site must be tempered with rational decision making. Although a
parking lot could be transformed into an interesting place to have a party, it would have no
essential services, such as electricity, and would present enormously expensive logistical
problems. An existing event venue such as a conference center, could more easily lend
itself to transformation using decoration and props. Most venues and convention centers
offer similar information on their web sites.

Choosing a venue that is consistent with the event purpose and theme is essential. It cans
also leas to cost savings, since there is far less expense in transforming it into what the
client wants.

The major considerations for selecting an event venue including the following:

 Size of the event (including the size of the audience)

 Layout of the site and its suitability for the event
 Stage, field of play, or performance area
 Transport and parking
 Proximity to accommodation and attractions
 Supply issues for goods and services providers, such as caterers.
 Technical support
 Venue management

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An inspection of the site should reveal any limitations, the aspects to consider including
these:

 Compatibility with the event theme

 Audience comfort
 Visibility for the audience (line of sight)
 Storage areas
 Entrances and exists
 Stage area (where relevant)
 Equipment
 Cover in case of poor weather
 Safety and security
 Access for emergency vehicles
 Evacuation routes

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 B. DEVELOPING THE THEME
As we have mentioned several times, the theme of an event must be supported in every
aspect, including the décor, lighting, sound, and special effects. The theme may be quire
subtle; for example, in the case of a high tech theme for a conference, the audience would
be only subliminally award of aspects of the theme, such as the color scheme. In more
dramatic case, guests might be asked to support the theme by dressing appropriately or
participating in entertainment that is consistent with the theme. Themes may be tried and
tested, or unique.

A theme can be reinforced through such creative elements as the following:

 Color
 Landscape and / or location
 Film / theater / art / dance
 Humor
 Fantasy

Following are important aspects of the theme that need to be carefully considered by the
event organizer. As you will see, there are many decisions to make!.

1. Entertainment
2. Décor
3. Layout
4. Lighting and Special Effects
5. Sound
6. Vision
7. Stage
8. Set
9. Field of Play

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 1. Entertainment
There is a wide range of acts that can be used to enhance the theme of an event; and
corporate events, in particular, often employ interesting performers such as snake
charmers, hypnotists, and belly dancers. Entertainment companies have a wealth of ideas
and these can be investigated on the web sites listed at the end of this chapter. Such
companies need to be briefed in the early planning stages so that they become familiar
with the event purpose and the event audience. They can then look at the event theme
and come up with a range of concepts to suit the theme. If a band is recommended, the
specific technical requirements should be discussed at this stage. (one event organizer
illustrated the importance of briefing the entertainment provider by describing her own
experience in organizing an event for a yound audience. When the teenager’s parents
heard that one of the band members had stripped, they were furious with the event
organizer!)

2. Décor
Lena Malouf, the former president of the International Special Events Society (ISES) and a
leading event designer, has recently earned two awards, the first for Best Event Produced
for a corporation or Association (overall budget $200,000 to $ 500,000) and the second for
Best Theme Décor (décor budget over $ 50,000). Her guests were submerged in a magical
“underwater” world reminiscent of the fantastical journey in the children’s classic Bedknobs
and Broomsticks. Malouf’s events are characterized by extravagant displays, including
imaginative moving art piece that tie in perfectly with the chosen theme, her main aim
being to surprise and transport the audience. Her book Behind the Scenes at Special Events
(1998) is recommended for those interested in specializing in event design.

Décor encompasses many things, from the color scheme to the drapes, props, and floral
arrangements. The challenge is to bring them all together into a cohesive theme. Staging
rental companies can be extremely helpful with this task.

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 3. Layout
The layout of the event venue is clearly integral to the success of the event. Anyone who
has worked on conferences and formal dinners knows that table layout is something that
needs to be negotiated with the client well in advance. With large dinner events in large
venues, all too often the audience at the back of the room has very limited vision of the
stage. If this limitation is compounded by poor sound and too much alcohol, it does not
take long before the presenter is drowned out by the clink of glasses and the hum of
conversation. This situation can be very embarrassing.

When planning an event at which guests are seated around a table, it is essential to plan
the layout according to scale. If the dimensions of the tables and chairs are not considered,
as well as the space taken by seated guests, there may prove to be no room for waiters or
guests to move around. A number of common table and seating layouts are illustrated in
Figure 11-4. For each of these, a scale drawing would be used to calculate the capacity of
the room and the appropriate use of furnishings.

4. Lighting and Special Effects

Lighting can be used to spectacular effect, and for this reason, events held at night provide
the opportunity for more dramatic results than those held during the day. Lighting can be
used both to create the general ambience and to highlight particular features. It is often
synchronized with sound for special effect at dances and fireworks displays, and can also
be used to highlight sponsor advertising. As with sound, lighting is used to create a
particular mood, although it is important to remember that this must be consistent with the
event theme. Subtlety is required is recommended because lighting is more often than not
one of the main contributors to staffing a successful event.

5. Sound
Music is a powerful creator of mood. It can excite or calm an audience; moreover,
particular pieces can be highly emotive. The volume needs to be pitched at just the right
level, and all members of the audience need to be able to hear clearly, particularly if the
event is being staged in a large stadium. Professional sound engineers can be relied upon
to give advice on equipment and the acoustic qualities of a venue. For example, a concrete
venue with little or no carpeting or curtaining has a negative effect on sound, but this
disadvantage can be remedied by the incorporation of drapes in the design.

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 6. Vision
Vision incorporates all projected images, such as replays of sporting highlights on large
screens or scoreboards. Video projectors, slide projectors, and data projectors can project
images onto screens for dramatic effect, and this can be extended to live broadcasts with
satellite links. A wall of monitors can be used to project one large image across the whole
of monitors can be used to project one large image across the whole monitor wall,
achieving the effect of a large screen. The splitting of the image between monitors is done
by computer programming.

Backup projectors and duplicate copies of videos, slides, DVDs, and so on are essential.
When using computer aided programs such as Microsoft Power point, a test run should be
made to make sure all is in working order before it is needed. Most business and academic
presentations use computer software packages to improve the visual quality of the images.

Although computer generated slide shows such as Microsoft Power Point look highly
professional, there is a tendency for some users to become too excited by the features
provided, changing colors and effects all to often. Bullet points coming in from all directions
can distract the audience, while the use of multiple fade in and fade out effects only add to
the problem.

Another pitfall in this type of presentation is the lack of spontaneity. Presenters are bound
by their scripts. Keep in mind that most presenters bring their own laptop computers and
need to have adequate time allotted for setup and testing of their equipment. It is always a
good idea to suggest to the presenter that his or her computer generated slide show be put
onto overhead transparencies or printed in a booklet form for the audience, just in case of
an equipment failure.

There are a number of alternatives to computer generated slide shows, such as flip charts
and slide shows. In some arenas, these are returning to favor as the novelty value
increases and the “wow” factor of computer generated presentations wear off.

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 7. Stage
The stage is used for many reasons, including performances, prize giving, and
presentations. Equipment rental companies can provide advice on the size and shape of the
stage, as well as on screens and other devices on which to project images from the rear of
the stage.

However, the needs of the audience are the most important consideration, particularly the
line of sight, which must be considered when deciding on the size and shape of the stage
and the placing of lecterns or screens.

8. Set
The set includes all objects on the stage: props, flats, lecterns, stairs, curtains and so on.
Sometimes these can be tented; at other times they must be built.

The cyclorama is the drape at the back of the stage used t create a sense of distance,
special lighting of the cyclorama providing different colored backgrounds. Legs (vertical)
and teasers (horizontal) are used to mask parts of the rigging system and to trim the
sightlines to that only the set may be seen by the audience. A traveler is a type of curtain
that moves along a track. Often it is used as the main stage curtain, being configures so
that one operating line moves curtains from both sides of the stage simultaneously.

9. Field of Play
Each sporting event has specific requirements. These may include gymnastics equipment,
which must be properly set up to very clear specifications. Another example is a baseball or
softball field, which must be chalked properly with the bating box outlined in the proper
dimensions. The infield often needs “wetting” down to eliminate the dust, but not too much
to create a muddy situation. The quality of the grass field is important for many sports. For
this reason, sporting fields are often covered to protect them when there is inclement
weather or when they are used for other events. However, while the cover protects the
surface, it also blocks out the light so that damage can still be caused to the field. These
days, professional grass specialists can replace an entire field within hours, but that is a
very costly exercise.

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Line of sight is clearly important for sporting enthusiasts and one cannot afford to sell seats
from which visibility is impaired. The placement of media equipment is often the cause of
this type of problem, and discussion must be held before tickets go on sale to establish the
proposed position of cameras and sound equipment. The same holds true for processions
and parades where an elevated position is preferable for camera crews. The positioning
may require authorization by the local authority, and accreditation may be necessary for
those eligible to enter the media area.

Finally, the use of giant screens with rear screen projectors need to be considered for large
venues where there is a risk that members of the audience will not be able to readily see
the stage or field of play.

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 C. CONDUCTING REHEARSALS
The importance of rehearsals cannot be underestimated. This is the opportunity for all
involved to integrate their efforts – everyone from the stage manager (who calls the shots
for the presentation) on the technical support staff (Who follow the appropriate cues for
lighting and sound). A technical run through allows the staff involved to test the setup and
to make sure that all elements work satisfactorily.

The production, or staging, of an event involves many specialists. As an example,

members of the technical team supporting a performance would include the
following.

 Artistic Director
 Production Manager
 Technical Director
 Stage Manager
 Choreographer
 Scriptwriter
 Lighting Designer
 Lighting Operator
 Sound Designer
 Sound Operator
 Vision Designer
 Vision Operator
 Front of House Manager
 Floor Manager

The following staff would support the performance indirectly:

 Venue Manager
 Operations Manager
 Logistics Manager
 Catering Manager
 Cleaning and Waste Manager.

Figure 11 – 5 The Technical Team

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Technical glitches at an event are unprofessional, to say the least, so a backup plan for all
aspects of the presentation is absolutely essential. This includes two copies of each video
or sound clip, slide presentations in more than one format, and multiple microphones.
Every potential problem should have a ready solution. The final aspect, over which the
event manager has little control, is the quality of the presentation given by the speaker,
particularly at business and academic conferences. Giving some basic advice and
encouragement beforehand can assist a presenter enormously. If rehearsals have been
conducted and everything is under control, speakers are far less nervous and far less likely
to feel uncomfortable under the spotlight. A “ready room” where the speaker can set up
and test the presentation before going on stage is recommended. See figure 11 – 6 for
staging terms.

Performance
Management and agent Take care of performers’ interests
Talent Person who is not the main performer (demeaning term)
Green room Area where performers wait and watch monitors
Dressing room Area where performers dress and are made up
Wings Area used for assembling performers and props
Stage in the round Circular stage allowing 360 degree views for the audience
Proscenium arch Traditional theater style, curtains at side and above
Thrust Stage projecting into the audience, such as at fashion parades
Tracks Fixed tracks used to move props
Lectern Stand for speaker
Lighting
Where the lighting engineer controls lighting effects, adjusting
colors, brightness and special effects; also where the sound
Light board
engineer controls sound, including volume and switchover
between music and microphone.
Rigging Overhead truss
Light poles Upright stand for light
Floodlight Wide light
Spotlight Narrow light
Fresnel Circular soft edged beam (can go from spot to medium flood)

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Cyclorama Curved white screen at the back of the stage for light projections
Fixed beam with soft edge, cheaper than floodlight, usually above
Parcan
the front of the stage and usually used in groups of four
Slip over colors used to change the color of spotlights and
Lighting gels
parcans
Wash light General area cover
Key light Used for highlighting an object
Back light Rear lighting effect (should use for speakers)
House light Lighting provided by venue
Sound
Specifies the sound requirements for a particular group or
Sound cue sheet
performance
Use to project the sound (microphones are plugged into
Sound amplifier amplifiers which power up the sound and send in to the
speakers)
Out front speakers Speakers which face the audience
Positioned on stage, facing the performers, to help performers
Sound monitors
hear them selves
Microphones Include battery, stage (dynamic voice), headset and lectern
Exhibitions
Floor plan Two dimensional layout of the venue
Computer generated, three dimensional drawing of the design for
CAD drawing
a stand
Booth Usually 10 ft by 10 ft stand at an exhibition
Corinthian Walling covered with fabric to which Velcro will adhere
Service duct located in the floor, providing power and telephone
Pit cables (for some indoor and outdoor events, water and
compressed air and gas can also be provided in this way)
Tracker / reader Device for scanning visitor cards to capture their data
General
Pyrotechnics Fire works

Figure – 6 Staging Terms

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 D. PROVIDING SERVICES

The supply of water, power, and gas; a communications network; and transport and traffic
management is essential to the staging of most events.

 Essential Services

Essential Services include power, water, and gas. Although the provision of these may
sound simple, various different electrical sources are often required, including three-phase
power for some equipment and power backup in case of emergency. Providing the venue
kitchen with gas can also be a challenge. The choice of a complex site can add to the
difficulties of providing these essential services to the event venue.

 Communications

Many events have particular requirements for communications, which may even include the
installation of a complete telephone and communications network. Where there is a high
level of demand on communications network, the issue of bandwidth must be resolved,
particularly if there is a significant amount of data being transmitted. A stadium often
requires its own mobile phone base station owing to the number of people using mobile
telephones, particularly at the end of an event.

 Transportation and Traffic Management

Transportation to the event, including air, rail, bus, train, and taxi, all need to be
considered. So, too, does the issue of parking and its im pact on local traffic. In some
cases, streets have to be closed, traffic diverted, and special permission sought for this
purpose, the event plan being an important part of the submission to the relevant
authorities. Thought must also be given to access for people with dis abilities, marshaling
of crowds, and notifying of businesses affected by any disruptions.

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 E. MANAGING THE ENVIRONMENT

Waste management is an important consideration for all event organizers.

 POLLUTION

Methods for reducing the environmental impact of noise, air, and water pollution should be
part of the planning process, and advice on these can be obtained from the Environmental
Protection Agency, which has offices in each state. Professional contractors can advise you
on the correct disposal of cooking oils and other toxic waste that could affect our water
supply. As we all know, clearly marked bins should be provided to facilitate recycling of
waste products. With regard to air pollution, releasing helium balloons into the atmosphere
has been shown to be environmentally unfriendly and therefore this practice is slowly dying
out around the world.

 RESTROOM FACILITIES

Restroom facilities include those at the venue and any temporary facilities required. The
number and type of toilets to be provided at an event, including the number allocated to
men, women, and people with disabilities, is another part of the decision-making process.
The composition of the event audience—the number of men and women attending—and
the average time taken by each person also need to be considered! Theater management
has been working on this requirement for years. Every woman has faced the problem of
long lines during intermission and, believe it or not, there is a formula for working out how
many toilets are required! (Men have experienced this problem too, but in most cases the
line to the women's restroom far exceeds the line to the men's room.) Too many events
provide substandard restroom facilities that cannot meet the demand. It is essential to
discuss the requirements for any event that you are planning with a restroom facilities
rental company, since they are the experts.

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  CLEANING

There are a number of cleaning contractors that specialize in events. In most cases,
cleaning is done before and after the event. Maintaining cleanliness during peak times is
challenging, particularly if there is only a short changeover time between event sessions. In
that case, you have to get one audience out, the cleaning and replenishment of stocks
done, and the next audience in on time. Cleaning staff should be treated as part of the
event staff and receive appropriate training so that they can answer questions from the
people attending the event

EVENTS

E– Entertainment (Events include entertainment with fun, games and information)

V– Venue (Place for conducting the event successfully)

E– Equipment (Technical and non-technical equipment, used to run the show successfully)

N– News (News about a new product, movie, activity or offer)

T– Team (Event involves integrated effort of individuals)

S– Strategy (Various strategies used like financial, marketing, technical

and human resources strategy)




DISCLAIMER
This study material is prepared by Himanshu Sanghavi.
The basic objective is to supplement teaching and discussion in the classroom in the subject.
This study material is not the extensive material for the topic.
Students are required to go for extra reading in the subject through library work.



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