EVENTS AND EVENT MANAGEMENT

UNIT I

EVENTS AND EVENT MANAGEMENT

What is an EVENT?

- Something significant that takes place; an occurrence or happening - Any occurrence happening at a determinable time and place

What is MANAGEMENT?
- Management in all business areas and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives - Management comprises of 5 main functions: Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Leading or Directing and Controlling
4

EVENT MANAGEMENT
- Event management is the application of project management to the creation and development of festivals, events and conferences. - It involves studying the intricacies of the brand, identifying the target audience, devising the event concept, planning the logistics and coordinating the technical aspects before actually executing the modalities of the proposed event. - Post-event analysis and ensuring a return on investment are significant drivers for the event industry

EVENT MANAGEMENT
Event management is considered one of the strategic marketing and communication tools by companies of all sizes From product launches to press conferences, companies create promotional events to help them communicate with clients and potential clients They might target their audience by using the news media, hoping to generate media coverage which will reach thousands or millions of people They can also invite their audience to their events and reach them at the actual event
6

EVENT MANAGEMENT
- The process by which an event is planned, prepared & produced - Encompasses the assessment, definition, acquisition, allocation, direction, control, and analysis of time, finances, people, products, services, and other resources to achieve objectives - So event managers job is to oversee & arrange every aspect of an event including researching, planning, organizing, implementing, controlling & evaluating an events design, activities & production
7

CHARACTERISTICS OF EVENTS
Require long and careful planning Generally expensive to stage Usually a happening over a short period of time They are usually once in a lifetime experience for the participants Carry high level of risk; both financial and safety Often has a lot of stake for those involved

TYPES OF EVENTS

Business & Corporate Events

- Any event that supports business objectives, including management functions, corporate communications, training, marketing, incentives, employee relations, and customer relations, scheduled alone or in conjunction with other events

10

Cause-Related & Fundraising Events

- An event created by or for a charitable or cause-related group for the purpose of attracting revenue, support, and/or awareness, scheduled alone or in conjunction with other events.

11

Exhibitions, Expositions & Fairs

- An event bringing buyers and sellers and interested persons together to view and/or sell products, services, and other resources to a specific industry or the general public, scheduled alone or in conjunction with other events.

12

Entertainment & Leisure Events

- A one-time or periodic, free or ticketed performance or exhibition event created for entertainment purposes, scheduled alone or in conjunction with other events.

13

Festivals
- A cultural celebration, either secular or religious, created by and/or for the public, scheduled alone or in conjunction with other events. (Many festivals include bringing buyer and seller together in a festive atmosphere.)

14

Government & Civic Events

- An event comprised of or created by or for political parties, communities, or municipal or national government entities, scheduled alone or in conjunction with other events.

15

Marketing Events

- A commerce-oriented event to facilitate bringing buyer and seller together or to create awareness of a commercial product or service, scheduled alone or in conjunction with other events.

16

Meeting & Convention Events

- The assembly of people for the purpose of exchanging information, debate or discussion, consensus or decisions, education, and relationship building, scheduled alone or in conjunction with other events.

17

Social/Life-Cycle Events

- A private event, by invitation only, celebrating or commemorating a cultural, religious, communal, societal, or life-cycle occasion, scheduled alone or in conjunction with other events.

18

Sports Events

- A spectator or participatory event involving recreational or competitive sport activities, scheduled alone or in conjunction with other events.

19

THE NEED OF EVENTS

Just think for a minute

Which is more successful event: Event A, which attracts only one person OR Event B, which attracts 400 people? The intuitive response is " Event B"
21

THINK AGAIN!
What if: The person at event "A" shows considerable interest in placing a million dollar order The order is for software with an 80% profit margin (i.e., $800,000 gross profit) Your sales people spring into action and close the sale Total lifetime sales to the 400 people at event "B" are zero Now which event is more successful? Clearly, the answer is "A". It's profit of $800,000 - x (x is the cost of the event) compares quite favorably to the $x loss of event "B"
22

Kerry Smith, Executive Director of EMI Global agency George P. Johnson (GPJ), The Meeting Professionals International (MPI) Foundation and the US-based Event Marketing Institute (EMI) surveyed more than 1,000 senior sales and marketing executives from North America, Europe and Asia Pacific between October and December 2007
- "What we are seeing is that events and experience marketing are the shortest distance between the brand and its audience, a fact that is raising events upstream in the brand communications process" - "The strategic power of events is changing the way brands decide to market themselves."
23

Why Events?
- Events have become very popular way of marketing because it allows the company to directly promote their product to people who are likely to be interested in it and thus an occasion for them to be seen in the public eye, which can draw even more potential customers - Direct consumer interaction is important in event marketing which allows the company to promote their communication goals at the same time
24

WHY EVENTS?
- Event View 2008 report reveals importance of events in global brand communications - The sixth annual study shows that: - 34% of respondents expect that their event marketing budgets will increase within the next 12 months
- http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4023859. search?query=importance+of+events
25

Importance of events
Attending the event live provides the visceral experience (Emotional and instinctive- not intellectual) to the prospects which converts more prospects into business. So probably the most powerful marketing tool to be used Conferences, seminars and symposiums act as a common place for convergence of talents and potential learners where one learns the latest tricks of the trade from the most successful people Since events are generally based on one to one interactions, it leads to better results in terms of the quick action/ conversions of business taken as its result
26

ELEMENTS OF EVENT INFRASTRUCTURE

1. Event Infrastructure
- Includes those essential elements without which there cannot be any event - These essential elements are core concept, core people, core talent, and core structure - The nature of this infrastructure varies with the event categories and variations in events

28

Core Concepts
Term used to define the fundamental underlying ethos and evolution of the various major categories of events. That is, what differentiates and demarcates the boundaries between the various categories The core concepts of an event is like a root of a tree that generates the energy and lays down the base for the type of tree that shall grow. The exact size and shape that the tree varies from tree to tree in the family Thus, an entire event family can be built on each of the event categories . These differences lead to the variations in events
29

Core People
- These are the people who perform, act and participate in the process of influencing the audience to create the desired impact in terms of a favorable position of the brand in the audience mind - The audience comes to experience the expertise, charisma or knowledge of such core people and have an opportunity to interact with them. - The personality of the core people being used in an event should match the brand personality
30

Core Talent
- With every event category, the people are required to have a specific expertise, reputation or knowledge, known as the core talent which attracts & influences the audience - In a music concert, the types of audience that are attracted to the event depend on the talent of the performer. The core talent, therefore helps in creating variations in any event category - Say in a competitive event such as sports, core talent is game specific, i.e. talent required in cricket differs from talent required to play basketball
31

Core Structure
- The presence of a formal or informal organization to manage the event category as a whole is important to make it lucrative from its marketing point of view - Depending upon the degree to which the event category is structured the requirement of a management and marketing of events may vary

32

Core Structure
- The more formal the structure, the more lucrative that event category becomes, since it becomes easier to manage and market - More formal and structured means there is a proper organization along with proper delegation of authority to carry out the roles - Egs. The sports committees like BCCI etc.

33

Target Audience
- The customer groups who form the focus of events - The actual event design varies with the demographic profile of the target audience as well as the number of targeted audience. It is from these criteria that the event gets its image and budget - Whether the event would be a mega event or a theme party, which artist would perform or where the event is to be held etc. primarily depend on the target audience
34

- So, starting from the initial conceptualization to the carrying out of the event the entire process takes into consideration the characteristics and the behavior of the TA - Based on the TA as a common denominator, the event organizers canvass for others who would like to associate with the event - So events also act as a converging ground for the others associated with the event who have the common target audience (eg. Corporate, institutes) - The costing also varies with both the profile and number of audience being targeted

35

2. ORGANISERS
Event organizers are responsible for planning events and ensuring that they run smoothly They work on: - large-scale events, such as the 2012 Olympics - conferences, seminars, workshops and meetings, both national and international - corporate events, such as team building sessions or training courses - incentive travel trips and other events given by companies to their staff - trade fairs and exhibitions - festivals, concerts, charitable and sporting events - private events, such as banquets, weddings and parties
36

ROLE OF EVENT ORGANISERS

Research Planning Administration Marketing Preparing budgets and managing income and expenditure - Liasoning closely with a wide range of people.
37

QUALITIES OF AN EVENT ORGANISER

An event organizer should: - be well organized and efficient - be able to multi-task - have good project-management and problemsolving skills - be able to cope with pressure and tight deadlines - have excellent communication skills - be interested in the events industry

38

3. SPONSORS

To sponsor something is to support an event, activity, person, or organization financially or through the provision of products or services. A sponsor is the individual or group that provides the support, similar to a benefactor.

39

4. LOGISTICS
1. Determine the best date and time to meet (verify potential dates, times, and schedules; and then communicate with vendors, presenters, attendees and special guests) 2. Select and schedule the best location to meet (consider your budget plus options for on-site, off-site, conference center, private dining room, etc.) 3. Contact and confirm all contracts (including venue, speakers, presenters, entertainment, sponsors, etc.; and communicate frequently with all regarding their role in the upcoming event) 4. Plan and map out the program schedule (including general sessions, meeting rooms, break times, break-out sessions, refreshments, meals, the press room, and other special needs)
40

 Coordinate and oversee the selection of a theme, the design, production and distribution printed items (i.e., invitations, agendas, brochures, special materials, and related mailings) Arrange to have essential meeting supplies available on site (i.e., handouts, evaluation forms, flip charts, markers, sticky notes, etc.) Identify each presenter's equipment needs and establish: Who? Needs What? Where? Then, verify technical infrastructure, accommodations, and arrange for on-site support Verify room lay-out requirements; arrange for support to complete set-up & tear-down Anticipate needs! Arrange for adequate host support available throughout the event. Communicate! Communicate! Communicate! (with vendors, presenters, attendees and guests).
41