Introduction to Event Management

Introduction
Event
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)

Tracing the history of events would entail the history of mankind. An event in its
universal and literal form means an occasion when something happens or something
needs to be done to organize the same.
Events are attracting worldwide attention and at the same time getting corporatized.
Events have proved to be a versatile marketing communication tool, since they can be
customized to cater to the needs of the industry.

Events can include the following:

● An observable occurrence, phenomenon or an extraordi- nary occurrence or a
type of gathering
● A ceremony, i.e., marriages
● A competition, i.e., sports events
● A convention (meeting), also known as a conference
● A festival, i.e., a musical event or concert
● A happening that attracts coverage by mass media
● A party (including internal business function or staff party)
● A sporting event
● A corporate or business function
● A profit-driven event meant to raise awareness of a company’s brand and/or
products and services
Definition
According to Philip Kotler, Events are defined as “occurr- ences designed to
communicate particular messages to target audience”.
Events can also be defined as something noteworthy that happens according to a set plan
involving networking of a multimedia package thereby achieving the client’s objective
and justifying their need of associating with events.
A comprehensive multimedia definition states that an Event is a multimedia package
carried out with a pre-conceived concept, customized or modified to achieve the clients’
objective of reaching out and suitably influencing the sharply defined, specially gathered
target audience by providing a complete sensual experience and an avenue for two-way
interaction.
It is evident, therefore, that an event is a package so organized to provide reach and live
interaction between the target audience and the company and have been also termed as
Experiential Marketing.

Implications
● It can be an observable occurrence.
● It can be designed to achieve certain goals.
● It can also be termed as experiential marketing.
● It is objective-oriented.
● It provides an avenue for effective interaction.

Categories of Events
● Political Events – Victory speech by Barrack Obama
● Religious Events – Joyce Meyer programs “Enjoying Everyday Life”
● Social Events – Weddings, Anniversaries, Death, Communions, etc.
● Entertainment Events – Zee Cine Awards
● Awareness Events – Go Green Events, Being Human
● Crafts and Creativity – Events hosted by Chitrakala Parishat, Bangalore
● Sports Events – World Cup
● Educative/Academic Events – Fresher’s Day Celebra- tions at colleges,
Celebration of CA Day
● Corporate Events
● International Events
● Promotional Events
Event Management Companies
● Eventus Management
● Unirapport Events
● Scorpio Event Management Private Limited
● Acme Events Limited
● Dream Merchants

Introduction
Event management, the most profound form of advertising and marketing, is a

Planning
community
engagement

Community engagement in
context

Methods

Evaluating Implementing
community community
engagement Event Management engagement

Risk Management

Skills

glamorous and thrilling profession. It provides an opportunity for unleashing one’s

creative potential to a very high degree. It demands a lot of hardwork and effort but at
the same time offers enormous scope.

Event management is a process of organizing a professional and focused event, for a

particular target audience. It involves visualizing concepts, planning, budgeting,
organizing and executing events such as fashion shows, musical concerts, corporate
seminars, exhibitions, wedding celebrations, theme parties, product launching, etc. It is a
good career option which does not require much investment and offers a lot of
independence and flexibility. If you have a passion for conducting events, having good
organizing ability and be flexible to work for long hours, you can make a successful
career in this field.
The Scope
Today, there are a number of companies hosting and organizing events on a regular
basis. These range from the small time private events to the large-scale international
events. A good number of young people are entering in this field because they realize
the potential of the market and the demand and supply situation. In fact, the most
profitable aspect of this field is the need for creativity. And that is how and where one
earns.
The management of events calls, largely for co-ordination, from stage one. The first
thing required is to get the orders for the event. This process is also known as pitching
for an event. Usually, whether it is for small time events (birthday parties and
weddings), or then for the larger ones assigned by companies (exhibitions and trade
fairs), or the international concerts; the event manager/company is asked to submit a
project report, with the finances involved. On the basis of this, the assignment is given to
them.

The Skills Required

The field of event management not only requires a great amount of creative skills but
also involves lots of discipline and meticulous planning. Planning an event is an event in
itself. The job of organizing an event begins with the very basics. The client comes to
the event manager with a vague idea in mind. It is entirely upto the event manager to
work on the idea and turn it into a reality. Events could be anything from concerts,
product launches, conferences, promotions, press conferences, jubilee celebrations and
farewells to television based events, fashion shows, wedding or parties… it could be just
anything.
In terms of educational qualifications, a formal education in the form of a diploma or
degree in event management or in advertising or public relations with a specialization in
event management should be ideal though not much stress is laid on education. But there
are a host of other qualities, which are essential for a person to be well-equipped in this
field. These include:

1. Analytical/Critical thinking and problem solving – Analytical

thinking, critical thinking and problem solving are abilities that are a
must in this field. You should be able to acknowledge a problem,
recognize that it has to be solved then and there, and always think on
how the situation could be avoided in future.

2. Client/customer service orientation – Client/customer service

orientation is the ability to be client focused and committed to meeting
 the needs of your customer. An event manager has to be client focused,
he must attempt to know the client’s needs, he must be able to put them
at ease while interacting with them, build trust and respect with
customers and clients.

3. Negotiation skills – It is a general opinion that negotiating means

underestimating the seller. On the contrary, it is a skill in business
which, when developed, makes you an astute minded businessman.

4. Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines – An event

manager should be able to handle pressures and deadlines at ease. In
spite of meticulous planning and arrangement, a small error or
miscalculation can wreak havoc and disrupt the entire schedule. At
such testing times, you should be able to remain calm and cool and
perform your role as though everything is under control, so that others
are not adversely affected.

5. Teamwork, facilitation and co-operation – Needless to say, one of

the most important things in event management is the ability to work as
a team. One should not only know how to lead a team but also work
in co-ordination and co-operation with subordinates to execute jobs.
The event manager should be able to build efficient teams of people and
facilitate their effectiveness. Always remember, “There is no ‘I’ in
Team”.
6. Planning, co-ordination and organization – This involves the
ability to effectively coordinate and organize oneself, others,
information and/or situations at a personal and/or organizational level.

7. Networking skills – An event manager needs to build up his own

network. The more number of contacts he has the more successful he
will be. Any kind of business can be only expanded through contacts of
perspective clients therefore having the skill and aptitude to interact
and connect.
Characteristics of Events
1. Events offer a “once in a life” experience as the events entail a unique
experience.

2. Events are aimed at fulfillment of certain aims and objectives.

3. As compared to projects, events generally have a shorter life span as they

are specific occurrences designed to meet certain objectives.

4. Events involve a substantial and a huge requirement of funds and

management of the scarce resources.

5. It requires judicious planning of activities, people and other resources.

6. Undoubtedly, events involve facing an environment of risks and

uncertainties.
7. Events involve the important managerial functions such as planning,
organizing, co-ordination, staffing, reporting, budgeting, forecasting and
direction.
 Events – Overview

EVENTS

REACH LIVE
INTERACTION

RIGHT LIVE DESIRED

COMMUNICATION WITH AUDIENCE IMPACT
THE CLIENT

Need for Event Management

What do earthquakes and the Olympics have in common? They are both examples of
potential disasters. If an earthquake occurs in a populated area, it will be a disastrous event
for residents and businesses alike. The Olympics is an event that has a similar potential to
become a disaster due to the large concentration of people and the increased risk of terrorist
threats and other disasters. Both of these are events, one a seismic event while the other is a
sporting event. The emergency managerial concepts to handling such disasters can be as
follows:
● Mitigation
● Preparedness towards criticalities
● Early response to disaster, preventing further damages
● Recovery Programs
The need for Event Management arises due to the following reasons:
1. Events include the integrated efforts of a diversified team which includes the caterers,
decorators, event managers, and the technical staff etc. The management of a diverse set of
functionalities stresses upon the need of co-ordination and co-operation in order to attain the
common objective.
2. Event is a time-bound activity. It gets critical to conduct the activity within the
required time frame.
3. Events involve huge financial resources. It is essential that the funds are managed in
order to avoid wastages and costs.
4. Events are generally objective-oriented and the onus of success lies in the fact
whether the objective has been accomplished or not.
5. An event plan is prepared for the smooth execution of the event. Event management
ensures suitable adherences to the event plans and policies.
6. An event is bound to face crisis and uncertainties. Event Management aids in being
prepared to face uncertainties and suggests methods of dealing with crisis.
7. Events may also involve facing legal challenges and obligations. Event management
helps in avoiding delays caused due to legal hassles.
8. The increasing number of events and the compexities involved in hosting a grand
event, necessiates the management of events.
9. Events have the ability to break through the innumerable commercial messages that
bombard our society almost daily. Events are more competitive in nature as they bring out the
true essence of marketing information.
10. Events offer higher visibility, hence they need to be managed to create the desired
impact among its audience.

Event Management: Introduction

The recent growth in Events as an industry around the world means that the management of
events can no longer be ad hoc. The industry now includes events of all sizes from the
Olympic down to arranging breakfast meeting for ten business people. Business event
management is the practice of incorporating business logic into labeling events,
communicating events and handling events. As such, business event management requires a
profound interaction and cooperation among business stakeholders as well as the event
management in order to meet out the prioritized needs of the stakeholders.
Because of the difference between the perspectives of the individuals involved, insignificant
events/perspectives can result in significant or serious potentials for business loss, damage to
reputation or customer relationships or impacts on productivity and earnings have a profound
impact on the bottom-line.
Management of an event encompasses all activities involved in planning, organizing, leading,
staffing and evaluation of an event. Thus, it involves groundwork associated with events, i.e.,
● Venue selection
● Stage design
● Infrastructural facilities
● Liason with artists/performers
● Logistics plan etc.
Event management is considered as 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 out to them at the event.

Unlike planning for public events, after the initial concept or idea for an event has
germinated, its feasibility is evaluated and then the activities are substantiated by actions.
Event management is the application of the management practice of project management to
the creation and development of events. It involves the following:
● Identifying target audience
● Feasibility studies
● Planning
● Co-ordination
● Executing the modalities of the proposed event
Event management requires strong organizational, budgeting and creative skills. Those who
work as event managers must be comfortable with interacting with all levels of individuals
inside and outside of their organization. Event management is the process beyond planning,
executing and evaluating corporate, associations, non-profit organizations, government and
social events.

5 C’s of Events
Activities that are required for marketing and managing the events, the steps needed to be
followed for successful accomplishment of objective through events are known as the 5 C’s
of Events.
It involves the following:
– Conceptualization of the creative idea and ambience
– Costing involves calculation of the cost of production and safety margins
– Canvassing for sponsors, customers and networking components
– Customization of the event according to brand personality,
budgets, etc.
– Carrying out involves execution of the events according to the final concepts.

Initial Concept

Canvassing Customization

Costing Final Concept

Conceptualization
● Conceptualization involves a complex churning in which as many permutations and
combinations are worked out as possible. The original concept undergoes modifications on
the basis of the inputs obtained from the other C’s. The final concepts get defined once the
constraints posed by budget, client’s requirements, target audience profile, etc. are
objectively stated.
● It involves conception of the idea and the theme for the event. It also takes into
consideration the objective and the elementary need for hosting the event.
● Planning the theme of the event with due consideration to the objective, target
audience, venue for the event, time constraints, media coverage and planning the core
elements of an event.
● It is concerned with idea formation with a differential approach to attracting and
targeting audience.

Costing
● It will involve preparation of cost estimates and the sources of acquiring funds.
● It will also involve the preparation of budgets.
● Creating a provision for risk coverage and managing uncertainties also forms part of
the activities.
● Budgeting for profit margins, safety margins estimates etc. will ease out the financial
management issues.

Canvassing
● Canvassing activities would involve obtaining sponsorships.
● Fund raising, networking and advertising to generate the required mileage for the
success of the events.

Customization
● Emphasis on client satisfaction is targeted.
● Reinforcing client requirements to suit the needs of the client and the fulfillment of
objective.
● It involves a blend of creativity and suitability to match the changing trends and tastes
of the customers.
● It involves a custom approach, tailor-made approach aimed at facilitating the
achievement of the mission and vision of the client.

Carryout
● In this approach, execution of plans takes place that will further the interests of the
client.
● It includes set of activities and operations that lead to accomplishment of objective.
● It is a stage where the event’s activities are in progress.
● Implementation of event plans and deviations, if any from the scheduled activities, are
remedied through a suitable course of action.
● It involves accomplishment of the objectives.
We term this activity as carrying out the event. In practices, each of the C’s may not strictly
adhere to the sequence in which they have been presented above. There is a complex
interaction between the various C’s before the carryout stage, depending on the requirement
of the client, constraints forced by budgets, etc. The final concept is arrived at after
accommodating change required for a perfect fit among all other C’s during the
conceptualization process. This process can be termed as event designing.

Event Designing
Event Designing refers to designing events with a focus placed on the quality of the user
requirements, experience and culturally related solutions. Designing of the event is an
important task of the event manager.
It is an emerging discipline which draws experience from many other disciplines including
psychology, environment, product design, brand strategy and design thinking.
It is driven by consideration of the moments of engagements, touchpoints, ideas, emotions
and memories.
Event Designing is a blueprint of the activities involved in an event. Event designing is aimed
at creating a lasting impression in the minds of the participants and offer it a distinguished
appeal.
The starting point of an event is usually the desire to create something unique and remarkable
for a special event. Different disciplines like architecture, light and sound and décor are
collaborated to make the event a “one of its kind” happening.

The Elements in Event Designing are as follows:

● Theme
● Layout
● Decor
● Technical Requirements
● Entertainment
● Catering
● Supplies

Event Design involves making choices based on client preferences and cost budgets agreed
upon, mutually among the event manager and the client.
Reach
Definition: “It is defined as the adequate number of people belonging to the target audience
of the client which is exposed to the event.”
In other words, Reach implies exposing the event to the right number of the audience. The
events are basically aimed at influencing people to interact. The events are designed taking
into consideration, the impact on its target audience.
It also means exposing the event to the target audience. Reach is intended to create an impact
on the audience. It implies drawing the attention of the audience to the subject matter of the
events through creative efforts of penetration. Reach is meant to be highly interactive,
memorable and interesting. For example,
● The number of people visiting a site.
● A specified number of views on YouTube videos denote the reach.
● Reach of an advertisement insertion in the TIMES OF INDIA at Frazer Town,
Bangalore, would be determined by the number of people who reside in this area as well as
the number of families who subscribe to the newspaper.

Types of Reach
In terms of Event Management, there are two types of Reach. They are as follows:
● External Reach
● Actual Reach
External Reach: External Reach refers to the exposure of an event to the target audience
population. It is obtained from the networking mix designed for the event.
Creating a network is the crux of the publicity of the event. The benefit of Reach cannot be
attained without an adequate planned publicity. Events are aimed at reaching out to the
audience. The target audience is decided in advance and plans and executions are mainly
devised keeping in mind the audience for the event.
Example: A workshop was conducted by Institute of Chartered Accountants of India on
Indirect Taxes. Invites were sent to 2000 delegates which is an example of External Reach.
Actual Event Reach: The number of people from the target audience population, who actually
respond to the publicity campaign and attend the event is called the Actual Event Reach for
the event. The actual reach is that part of the population that can be converted into
perspective customers. They provide an arena for obtaining feedbacks and interaction.
The actual reach signifies the positive responses generated by the company with the aid of
event marketing and publicity.
The part of the external reach to whom, the campaign is focused is known as actual reach.
Example: An entrepreneur organized a painting competi- tion for children at an establishment
consisting of 250 apartments in order to market her handmade necklaces. She targeted at a
walk in crowd of 300. The actual number of people who attended the event were 125. This
denotes actual reach.

Interaction
Interaction means to reciprocate and causing influence.
It is a process in which there is an exchange of various types of information between the
client and the target audience.
Interaction aims at strengthening the recall factor.
It helps in deepening the conviction notion. In other words, Interaction facilitates convincing
the client to take action.
It clears all doubts and apprehensions in the minds of the consumers. It also gives a great
opportunity for live and face-to- face communication and interaction. Interaction helps in
building customer relationships and promoting brand loyalty.
Example: Video Chatting or Conferencing.

Interaction Points
● Interaction Points are those designed areas of the venue along with time slots, where
the interaction will take place.
● They should be designed to suit the Interaction Objective.
● Stalls are often used as Interaction Points.
● Magnitude of event interaction varies from each event.
● There are two types of Interaction:
– Direct Interaction
– Indirect Interaction

Direct Interaction:
● It is the interaction that takes place between the client(s) and the target audience
during the actual event.
● They have profound and prolonged impact on the audience.
● Events designed for a small audience and generally provides the greatest opportunity
to employ direct interaction.
● Such interactions are more effective, productive and proactive and carry along with it
a long lasting impression in the minds of the consumer.
● The memory is enriched by the interaction by adding inferences and details called
from earlier experiences.

Indirect Interaction:
● Interactions that are built around the event and not during the actual event, at the same
time, using the event as a focus of interaction are Indirect Interactions.

● Extra – Event Activities aimed at providing much needed contact with individuals of the
target audience would be termed as Indirect form of Interaction.
● It included event related sales promotions:
Example: At an event conducted by ICAI “Insights on Financial Management” stalls for sale
of T-Shirts, CA car stickers, Free Health Checkups through BP monitoring etc. would
facilitate interaction in an indirect manner.
● The main aim is to recreate the image of the event both prior to and after the event.
Example: Stationing Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck replicas at a birthday bash would
certainly strengthen the recall factor in the minds of its participants.
Interaction Catalysts and Enablers
Interaction catalysts or enablers form an integral part of the events. They aim at organizing an
uninterrupted flow of activities or events. A master of ceremonies (also used in its
abbreviated forms MC or emcee) or compère is the official host of a staged event or similar
performance. An MC usually presents performers, speaks to the audience, and generally
keeps the event moving. An MC may also tell jokes or anecdotes. The MC sometimes also
acts as the protocol officer during an official state function.
In hip hop, rock and electronic dance and music, an MC, otherwise known as a rapper, is a
music artist and/or performer who usually creates and performs vocals for his/her own
original material.
● Anchor of an event also called MC (Master of Ceremonies) anchors the event for the
audience.
● Anchor keeps the event on track just as an anchor holds the ship in place.
● Some of the activities conducted by the Anchor are as follows:
– Introduction
– Commentary
– Guidance
– Announcements
– Cheer the Audience
● In general, the Anchor acts as a catalyst for interaction during an event.
● Anchoring is an important ingredient of an event.
● It gives a special touch to the event by being responsive to the feelings and
atmosphere generated by the audience at large.