What are the most effective ways to develop strategic planning and goal setting skills in event production?

I have some experience in event planning at several different venues. Depending on the capacity and event, strategy changes. Organizing a party for 200 people at a small venue is much more personal and up close than coordinating an event for a sporting production in a large venue. Working independently, it still takes a small team to help execute a successful event. Assigning tasks to team members who have the skill and talent to complete that task with detail and excellence is important. Choosing a strong team with different skill sets is an important element. After the tasks have been assigned and complete, meeting back together and discussing the final touches before the event takes place helps everything come together.

Mission. Location (area of the country- accessibility, amenities, costs, etc), Number to attend the meeting, Tone of the company and of the meeting purpose (for example, if it's an awards event, it's usually flashy, if it's a teaching conference, there are many breakouts) Schedule- Are there many dinners together? or Off site bonding experiences? Do families also visit with the attendees so time is needed to explore the area? Availability of presenters- high level presenters will usually only be available for a session. Their schedule will often determine the best time for a meeting. Lead time and financial calendars of the company and of the event planner

Know your market, & develop programming, and events that center around their needs & wants. Also, having a unexpected element to your event always makes it memorable, and therefore your customer will be more likely to recommend to others.

Gain a clear and comprehensive understanding of your client's wishes and expectations. Cut you cloth accordingly within the parameters of the budget.

The first step should always be, what is the target audience. The rest of the things that come out of the target audience, as well as the expected outcome the expected revenue the expected performance or artistic it is important to remember and creating these kind of strategic plan and goals that we are making human art and therefore be aware of the humans that are making it.

Prepare for the worst but expect the best. Nothing ever goes perfectly and you need to be prepared for things to get thrown out last minute in the worst case scenario. You should also be prepared with answers to questions about subjects like these so you’re not left floundering, especially if it’s someone higher up the chain asking.

In event management we have to take into consideration the whole environment and setting of the event. When we started as young producers we made the mistake to focus too much on the event without regarding the environment. After a first year of event production we realized, that we need to do real surveys. We started with brainstorming sessions in which every member of the team was responsible to bring in the essential key points of her/his area: citizens/communities (demographic situation), competitors/ other cultural players in the field (market), potential sponsors/donors, who could support the event, etc. In the next step we concentrated on the analysis of this framework --> The results helped us to develop the concept and the program.

Some event planning tools that I found really helpful Mind Mapping: Tools: MindMeister, XMind Budgeting Software: Tools: Excel, Google Sheets Project Management: Tools: Trello, Asana, Jira Event Planning Software: Tools: Cvent, Eventbrite, Bizzabo Communication Platforms: Tools: Slack, Microsoft Teams Survey Tools: Tools: SurveyMonkey, Typeform Timeline Tools: Tools: PowerPoint, Google Slides Collaborative Document Editing: Tools: Google Docs, Microsoft Word Online Event Design Tools: Tools: Canva, Adobe Spark Task Automation: Tools: Zapier, IFTTT Virtual Event Platforms: Tools: Hopin, Zoom, Remo

Make a list of everything that needs to be done for your event. Delegate where you can. Prioritize tasks as required and make sure the team you're working with are passionate about the project. Without passion you won't achieve what your vision is

A good reminder is progress is not linear and there is no good way to monitor it beyond how much finished product you’d have if you had to stop now. Planning things far in advance should help with progress monitoring so you aren’t suddenly left not knowing/remembering what else needs to get done.

I strongly advocate for the implementation of comprehensive after action reports. These reports provide an opportunity for reflection on past event production experiences, enabling the team to identify areas for improvement in strategic planning and goal setting. A bonus is that during the debriefing process, cross-collaboration can occur, allowing for valuable feedback from other teams as well as stakeholders and leadership. By cross-referencing survey data, the team can effectively refine their skills and enhance their production techniques. This approach fosters productivity and ensures more effective outcomes signaling that you're listening and care about attendees and others involved in the event.

A good after action plan is key. My plan starts with debriefing my team. I like the 1) What did we do well? 2) What could we have done better? 3) What did we learn? framework. After going over these things with the team it's time to connect with other stakeholders to get their feedback. That's when I prepare a report, using the same framework as my debrief. Revisiting previous reports and having conversations with colleagues are important parts of getting better. We all remember our biggest successes and failures, we learn from them for sure; I'd argue that we can learn as much, if not more, from all of the projects that make up the space between those poles.

In event management learning is a key stone for your success. After having built your team it is necessary to build up a learning organization, in which every team member actively takes part. The learning organization is able to analyze the missteps as well as the success of each single step during the whole process and to give permanent feed back. Feed back will be a natural process and has no longer a critical connotation. It is central for the whole event management process. Every team member is giving feedback and receives it permanently, so that a learning cycle will be created. Include the feedback of your visitors, your guests, your donors and sponsors in the learning cycle. It will help you to improve the quality of your management.

Some ways to expand your knowledges are: Education and Training: Enroll in courses or workshops on event planning, strategic management, and goal setting. Mentorship: Seek guidance from experienced event planners who can provide insights, share experiences, and offer valuable advice on strategic planning. Hands-On Experience: Gain practical experience by actively participating in event production. Learn from real-world challenges and successes to hone your strategic thinking. Industry Networking: Attend industry events and network with professionals. Engage in conversations to learn different perspectives and approaches. Feedback Integration: Seek feedback from team members and stakeholders to continuously improve.

Event mastery is a continual dance. After the curtain falls, immerse in reflection. Celebrate wins, face challenges, and pinpoint growth zones. Share your insights like treasures—lessons learned and golden practices. Craft the narrative with debriefs, reports, and case studies. Let your team, audience, partners, and sponsors groove to the rhythm of improvement. Every event is a chapter, and this is where you write the encore. ?????? #EventAlchemy #LearnAndEvolve

I cannot emphasize how important it is to spend time understanding the culture of your target audience ! Do your due diligence on as many aspects of culture as you can and pay attention to the nuances! These can make or break a project and most important of all … never assume in a new market with a culture that is unfamiliar , just because it works in your world does not mean it works everywhere!

Ich habe einige Theaterproduktionen einzig über Improvisation erarbeitet. Dabei immer den roten Faden vor Augen gehabt und die Talente und M?glichkeiten der Laienschauspieler:innen passend und stimmig ins Bild gesetzt. Entscheidend war, sich vor allem auf die St?rken der Schauspieler:innen zu achten, diese zu f?rdern und auszubauen. Denn das Stück sollte am Ende als ?sthetisch ansprechendes Ergebnis auf der Bühne performen.

I completely agree that the customer experience is the most important aspect as they are the only one to feel and then able to share

I believe that being able to work with, and learn from more experienced people has the largest impact on developing these skills. Nothing trumps practical experience, and the insights it gives. Having mentors, and coaches to guide development is critical. The sharing of knowledge is the most important part of developing these skills.

I have also learned from experience that communication is a vital key to be successful in your event. Communication with customers, your event staff, any providers that contribute to the event and well just about everyone involved is very important. If everyone is on the same page there are less opportunities to forget something or overlook changes or getting caught off guard with anything. It helps you be more prepared when changes need to be made and certain things need to happen. Communication between all parties is a must if u want things to go as smoothly as possible. You never want a client to have sent special instructions and you not be aware of them. It shows you and your staff are on top of your game no matter what.