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14 February 2017

A Checklist for a Successful Event

It’s safe to say here at the Royal Horticultural Halls, we’ve seen our fair share of successful events being hosted, and we like to see ourselves as experts in the field.

As experts, we know that event planning is no easy feat, and can be quite stress-inducing. Whether you’re organising a conference, exhibit, charity fundraiser or convention, the planning that goes into it hardly changes, and with our checklist, we want to help you host incredible and ground-breaking events without the stress. 

1.        Set your objectives

Before you dive head-first into planning your event, having a strong objective is vital. Think, why are you hosting this event? Is it more brand exposure, a new product launch or simply generating an income?

These objectives play a key part in how you will organise the rest of your event, like who you invite and whether this is social or corporate affair.

2.       Research your audience

The people you invite to your event are arguably the most important factor. Get the guest list right and you’re on to a winner, get it wrong and your important announcement or launch will be lost. Remember to ask yourself these questions when planning your audience:
  • Who is going to benefit from your event?
  • What are their needs or challenges?
  • What can they afford?
  • How far will they travel?
  • Why is your event special and why won’t people want to miss it? 



3.        Visualise your event

Now you’ve set your objectives and done your audience research, you can start with the fun bit. Visualise what you want your event to look like and what you’re wanting to cater for.
  • How should it feel and look?
  • Is there a theme? And how will the event reflect this?
  • Will there be entertainment?
Getting this right is an important part of the planning process.

4.       Set your budget

You’ve probably already got a vague idea of the budget you’ll have behind your event. But after you’ve taken the time to visualise it, you’ll have a clearer idea of how much money you actually need.

Financial considerations include:
  • The number of attendees needed to breakeven
  • Venue hire
  • Food and drink
  • Entertainment
  • Decorations/signage
  • Equipment hire
  • Event staff
5.       Choose your venue

Where you host your event has a big impact on the overall success, after all first impressions do count. There are thousands of venue locations throughout the UK, but now you know your capacity, budget and have an idea of what it should look like, it’s easy to narrow down a suitable venue.

Remember to bear in mind these important factors:
  • Cost – keep your venue well within your budget, remember the days of the week effect the price, so hosting on a weekday will keep you costs down.
  • Location – your location is key to who will attend. A central location is a must! Does your venue have great transport links? Are there good hotels nearby for attendees that need to stay overnight?
  • Services – what will be included with your venue space?

Here at the Lindley Hall, we think we have it all for hosting a successful event. Located in walking distance from London Victoria, our beautiful and historical venue is perfect. Not to mention, we’re located next to good hotels, and have a vast roster of recommended suppliers for a variety of events.