Event Management

Introduction What is an Event? An event can be described as a public assembly for the purpose of celebration, education, marketing or reunion. Events can be classified on the basis of their size, type and context. An event can be:  Social / life–cycle events: Events like Birthday party, Hen/Stag party, Graduation day, Bachelor's party, Engagement, Wedding, Anniversary, Retirement day, Funeral etc.  Education and career events: Events like education fair, job fair, workshop, seminar, debate, contest, competition etc.  Sports events: Events like Olympics, World Cup, marathons, Wimbledon, wrestling matches etc.  Entertainment events: Events like music concerts, fairs, festivals, fashion shows, award functions, celebrity nights, beauty pageants, flash mob, jewelry shows, stage shows etc.  Political events: Events like political procession, demonstration, rally, political functions etc.  Corporate events: Events like MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions), product launches, road shows, buyer-seller meet etc.  Religious events: Events like religious festivals / fairs, religious procession, Katha, Pravachan, Diwali fair, Dusherra fair etc.  Fund raising/ cause related events: Any event can be turned into a fund-raising or cause related event e.g. auctions.

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Objectives of Event: Successful event planning is the key to successful alumni groups. Keep in mind the overall objectives of both the SF State and your alumni group in all program planning. For many, alumni events represent the only contact they have with other SF State alumni or the University. Advanced planning and execution are important to the success of each event.  Establish a committee and sub-committees – Event committees are necessary to properly plan and execute events. Sub-committees can be formed to organize specific activities at the event. This will spread the workload, and develop future leaders for your alumni group.  Encourage involvement from alumni group members – The more involvement you seek from regular members, the stronger your alumni group becomes.  Involve the Alumni Association – Advanced notice given to the Alumni Association of your upcoming event will increase your visibility and communication to alumni members.  Event Balancing – Are your events spaced equally throughout the year? Are they appealing to your constituents? Do you have diversity and a blend of social, cultural, athletic, and friend-raising events? Do you plan your events in conjunction with the Alumni Association’s events? Consider doing a brief, informal survey among your constituents to determine their specific needs and interests.

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Event Management In the last 10 to 15 years, there has been enormous growth in the event management business. Event management is a way of outsourcing occasions that are either business, social or a combination of the two. Events can be as diverse as weddings to political rallies. For any business meeting or social occasion you can think up, an event management team can be called in to organize it. Almost 500 billion US dollars (USD) are spent annually on planned events around the world. It is no longer adequate to have a small catering team supplying food at business events. If you want your event to be successful and look impressive to potential clients, then event management is the way to go.

The range of events that an event management business can supply is impressive. They can arrange events for a small group of people or huge events with around 5,000 people attending. Most businesses contact an event management team because their expertise in the field should be second to none. Planning an event is a time consuming and stressful affair; it is also a costly one. Event management teams have contacts within their field in order to obtain the best price quotes and the most reliable service. Imagine you are holding an event for 5,000 people that will last all day. You may think that catering is the most stressful thing to deal with, but have you taken accommodation and entertainment into consideration? How about staff for the event, the room size where you will be holding the event, seating arrangements and, of course, the budget for the event? These are all factors that a professional event management team will have firsthand knowledge of.

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No matter what the type or size, if the event is an important one, you should consider contacting an event management team. They can deal with conferences, award ceremonies, product launches, gala diners and corporate activity days, to name a few. When you contact an event management team, ask what their qualifications are, and then ask for examples of previous events they have managed.

If you are a business, word of mouth is one of the most reliable forms of reference. If you have recently attended a successful event or wedding, ask about the event management team that planned it. Event planners are experts at keeping your staff happy and impressed, and they will also give the impression that your business is flourishing and professional. A flourishing business is one of the most impressive incentives to a potential investor. An event management team may cost you money, but it may also make you money in the future.

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Event Management Process Why have event management? An event can be defined as any detectable or discernable occurrence that has significance for the management of the IT Infrastructure of the delivery of IT service and evaluation of the impact a deviation might cause to the services. Events are typically notifications created by an IT service, configuration item or monitoring tool. Effective service operation is dependent on knowing the status of the infrastructure and detecting any deviation from normal or expected operation. This is provided by good monitoring and control systems, which are based on two types of tools:  Active monitoring tools that poll key configuration items to determine their status and availability. Any expectations will generate an alert that needs to be communicated to the appropriate tool or team for action.  Passive monitoring tools that detect and correlate operational alerts or communications generated by configuration items

The objectives of event management Event management is to provide the entry point for the execution of many service operation processes and activities. In addition, it provides a way of comparing actual performance and behavior against design standards and Service Level Agreements. Other objectives include:  Provides the ability to detect, interpret and initiate appropriate action for events  Basis for operational monitoring and control and entry point for many service operation activities

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 Provides operational information, as well as warnings and exceptions, to aid automation  Supports continual service improvement activities of service assurance and reporting and service improvement.

The scope of event management Event management can be applied to any aspect of service management that needs to be controlled and which can be automated. These include:  Configuration Items (CIs): -

Some CIs will be included because they need to stay in a constant state

-

Some CIs will be included because their status needs to change frequently and event management can be used to automate this and update the CMS

 Environmental conditions (e.g. fire and smoke detection)  Software license monitoring for usage to ensure optimum/legal license utilization and allocation  Security (e.g. intrusion detection)  Normal activity (e.g. tracking the use of an application or the performance of a server)

The difference between monitoring and event management – These two areas are very closely related, but slightly different in nature. Event management is focused on generating and detecting meaningful notifications about the status of the IT infrastructure and services. Whilst monitoring is required to detect and track these notifications, monitoring is broader than event management. For example, monitoring tools will check the status of a device to ensure that it is operating within acceptable limits, even if that device is not generating events.

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Examples of events Events that signify regular operation:  notification that a scheduled workload has completed  a user has logged in to use an application  an email has reached its intended recipient Events that signify an exception:  a user attempts to log on to an application with the incorrect password  an unusual situation has occurred in a business process that may indicate an exception requiring further business investigation (e.g. a web page alert indicates that a payment authorization site is unavailable – impacting financial approval of business transactions)  a device’s CPU is above the acceptable utilization rate  a PC scan reveals the installation of unauthorized software Events that signify unusual, but not exceptional, operation:  Server’s memory utilization reaches within 5% of its highest acceptable performance level  The completion time of a transaction is 10% longer than normal

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The value to the organization of event management Event management’s value to the organization is generally indirect; however, it is possible to determine the basis for its value as follows:  Event management provides mechanisms for early detection of incidents. In many cases, it is possible for the incident to be detected and assigned to the appropriate group for action, before any actual service outage occurs.  Event management makes it possible for some types of automated activity to be monitored by exception – thus removing the need for expensive and resource intensive real-time monitoring, while reducing downtime.  When integrated into other service management processes (such as, for example, availability or capacity management), event management can signal status changes or exceptions that allow the appropriate person or team to perform early response, thus improving the performance of the process. This, in turn, will allow the business to benefit from more effective and more efficient service management overall.  Event management provides a basis for automated operations, thus increasing efficiencies and allowing expensive human resources to be used for more innovative work, such as designing new or improved functionality or defining new ways in which the business can exploit technology for increased competitive advantage.

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The Activities Of Event Management The service design phase of the service lifecycle should define which events need to be generated and then specify how this can be done for each type of CI. During the service transition phase, the event generation options would be set and tested. Event occurs – Events occur continuously, but not all of them are detected or registered. It is, therefore, important that everybody involved in designing, developing, managing and supporting IT services and the IT infrastructure that they run on understands what types of event need to be detected. Event notification – Most CI’s are designed to communicate certain information about themselves in one of two ways:  A device is interrogated by a management tool, which collects certain targeted data. This is often referred to as polling.  The CI generates a notification when certain conditions are met. The ability to produce these notifications has to be designed and built into the CI, for example, a programming hook inserted into an application. Event detection – Once an event notification has been generated, it will be detected by an agent running on the same system, or transmitted directly to a management tool, specifically designed to read and interpret the meaning of the event. Event filtering – The purpose of filtering is to decide whether to communicate the event to a management tool or to ignore it. If ignored, the event will usually be recorded in a log file on the device, but no further action will be taken. Significance of events – Every organization will have its own categorization of the significance of an event, but it is suggested that at least these three broad categories be represented:

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 Informational: This refers to an event that does not require any action and does not represent an exception. They are typically stored in the system or service log files and kept for a predetermined period. Examples of informational events include: -

A device has come online

-

A transaction is completed successfully

 Warning: A warning is an event that is generated when a service or device is approaching a threshold. Warnings are intended to notify the appropriate person, process or tool so that the situation can be checked and appropriate action taken to avoid an exception. Examples of warning events are: -

Memory utilization on a server is currently at 65% and increasing. If it reaches 75%, response times will be unacceptably long and the Operational Level Agreement for that department will be breached.

-

The collision rate on a network has increased by 15% in a short period of time (which is defined, i.e. an hour).

 Exception: An exception means that a service or device is currently operating abnormally. Typically this means that an Operational Level Agreement or Service Level Agreement has been breached and the business has been impacted. Exceptions could represent a total failure, impaired functionality or degraded performance. Examples of exception events include: -

A server is down

-

Response time of a standard transaction across the network has slowed to more than 15 seconds

Event correlation – If an event is significant, a decision has to be made about exactly what the significance is and what actions need to be taken to deal with it. It is here that the meaning of the event is determined. Trigger – If the correlation activity recognizes an event, a response will be required. The mechanism used to initiate that response is also called a trigger. There are many different types of triggers, each designed specifically for the task it has to initiate. Some examples could include:

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 Incident triggers that generate a record in the incident management system  Change triggers that generate a request for change  A trigger resulting from an approved request for change that has been implemented but caused the event, or from an authorized change that has been detected  Scripts that execute specific actions  Paging systems that will notify a person or team of an event  Database triggers that restrict access of a user to specific records or fields, or that create or delete entries in the database Response selection – At this point of the process, there are a number of response options available:  Event logged – There will be a record of the event and any subsequent actions.  Auto response – Some events are understood well enough that the appropriate response has already been defined and automated. This is normally a result of good design or previous experience (within problem management). The trigger will initiate the action and then evaluate whether it was completed successfully. If not, an incident or problem record will be created. Examples of auto responses include rebooting a device, restarting a service, locking a device or application to protect it against unauthorized access.  Alert and human intervention – If the event requires human intervention, it will need to be escalated. The purpose of the alert is to ensure that the person with the skills appropriate to deal with the event is notified. The alert will contain all the information necessary for the person to determine the appropriate action  Incident, problem or change? – Some events will represent a situation where the appropriate response will need to be handled through the incident, problem or change management process.  Open an RFC.  Open an incident record – As with an RFC, an incident can be created as soon as an exception is detected, or when the correlation engine determines that a specific type or combination of events represents an incident.

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 Open or link to a problem record – It is rare for a problem record to be opened without related incidents. In most cases this step refers to linking an incident to an existing problem record. This will assist the problem management teams to reassess the severity and impact of the problem, and may result in a changed priority to an outstanding problem.  Special types of incident – In some cases an event will indicate an exception that does not directly impact any IT service, e.g. unauthorized entry to a data center. In this case, the incident will be logged using an incident model that is appropriate for this type of exception, e.g. a security incident. The incident should be escalated to the group that manages that type of incident. As there is no outage, the incident model used should reflect that this was an operational issue rather than a service issue. These incidents should not be used to calculate downtime, and can, in fact, be used to demonstrate how proactive IT has been in making services available. Review actions – As thousands of events are generated on a daily basis, it is not possible to review every one. However, it is important to check that any significant events or exceptions have been handled appropriately, or to track trends or counts of event types etc. In many cases, this can be done automatically. Close event – Some events will remain open until a certain action takes place, for example an event that is linked to an open incident. However, most events are not opened or closed. Informational events are simply logged and then used as input to other processes, such as backup and storage management. Auto response events will typically be closed by the generation of a second event. For example, a device generates an event and is rebooted through auto response – as soon as that device is successfully back online, it generates an event that effectively closes the loop and clears the first event.

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Role of Event Management Event Management involves studying the intricacies of the brand, identifying the target audience, devising the event concept, planning the logistic management and coordinating the technical aspects before actually executing the modalities of the proposed event. The recent growth of festivals and events as an industry around the world means that the management can no longer be . Events and festivals, such as the Asian Games, have a large impact on their communities and, in some cases, the whole country. The industry now includes events of all sizes from the Olympics down to a breakfast meeting for ten business people. Every industry, charity, society and group will hold events of some type/size in order to market themselves, build business relationships, raise money or celebrate. 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..

Services of Event Management Company Event management companies and organisations service a variety of areas including corporate events (product launches, press conferences, corporate meetings and conferences), marketing programs (road shows, grand opening events), and special corporate

hospitality

events

like

concerts,

award ceremonies, film

premieres,

launch/release parties, fashion shows, commercial events, private (personal) events such as weddings and bar mitzvahs.

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Clients hire event management company to handle a specific scope of services for the given event, which at its maximum may include all creative, technical and logistical elements of the event. (Or just a subset of these, depending on the client's needs, expertise and budget).

Event Manager The Event Manager is the person who plans and executes the event. Event managers and their teams are often behind-the-scenes running the event. Event managers may also be involved in more than just the planning and execution of the event, but also brand building, marketing and communication strategy. The event manager is an expert at the creative, technical and logistical elements that help an event succeed. This includes event design, audio-visual production, scriptwriting, logistics, budgeting, negotiation and, of course, client service. It is a multi-dimensional profession. The Event Manager may become involved at the early initiation stages of the event. If the Event Manager has budget responsibilities at this early stage they may be termed an Event or Production Executive.

Event Management as an Industry Event Management is a multi-million dollar industry, growing rapidly, with mega shows and events hosted regularly. Surprisingly, there is no formalized research conducted to assess the growth of this industry. The industry includes fields such as the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Events), exhibitions, conferences and seminars as well as live music and sporting events. The logistics side of the industry is paid less than the sales/sponsorship side, though some may say that these are two different industries.

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Benefits of Event Management A recently conducted survey revealed that more than 67% event planners relied on comprehensive event management solutions to manage events of varied scale and budgets. This clearly reflects the growing popularity of solutions that have enabled event planners to streamline their work and host successful events. For several years, event planners had to put up with high costs to hire resources for managing events. In addition, they had to address various glitches that arose while organizing events. Thanks to the end-to-end event registration and management solutions, planning and executing has become easier. Advanced solutions come with several key features that help event managers like you to plan and execute their events successfully. Some of the benefits that these solutions include the following:  Online registration facilities Integrated event management software tools provide features to facilitate online registration. Registrants simply fill out the registration forms and manage their registrations themselves. This helps you to make the entire registration process extremely simple for your prospective attendees.  Cost effective Hiring a resource for managing your event will require you to shell out several dollars. You can save a lot of money by simply investing in an integrated solution that will help you to cut down costs to a considerable extent. You can use the online registration software as a centralized platform to manage the data about your event and attendees.

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 Customizable registration questionnaires A detailed registration questionnaire enables you to understand your attendees' interests, expectations and preferences. You can ask specific questions to your registrants and get useful insights that can help you to pull off your initiative successfully.  Payment facilities With comprehensive event management software in place you can make it easier for your attendees to pay for registering at the event. Most of these software tools support multiple payment gateways using which your prospective attendees can pay up at the click of the mouse. Moreover, they get instant confirmation emails once the registration is completed.  Event marketing You can use the event registration and management software to market your events as well. The "invite your friend" option will help you to spread awareness. You can even create private communities to attract your target audience in an effective manner. Private community is a powerful tool that will enable your attendees to network with one another.  Email notifications Automated emails are extremely useful when it comes to informing your past attendees about an upcoming event. Furthermore, you can schedule the emails to be sent out on specific dates to ensure maximum participation. Comprehensive event registration and management solutions are highly scalable in nature. This benefits event planners hosting a wide range of events. Irrespective of the industry you cater to, you can ensure high attendance and maximize your ROI effectively. So, choose the right event management solution and host a successful event.

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How to Plan an Event What does event planning involve? Here is a high-level overview are some of the basic steps you’ll need to follow when developing an event. We can't identify all of the details you’ll need to think about (since much of it will depend on the type of event you are holding), but we hope the following provides a starting point for your event planning.

10 Steps to Get You Started With Event Planning 1. Develop Event Goal and Objectives: The very first step is to establish a tangible goal and objectives. (e.g., why are you organizing this event and what do you hope to achieve?) 2. Organize a Team: Any event takes a concerted team effort to handle all of the details. Consider identifying one key Event Manager or Event Chair as well as individual Chairpersons for subcommittees, such as:  venue management;  speakers;  entertainment;  publicity;  sponsors;  volunteer management 3. Set a Date: The date might already be pre-set for a reoccurring event, but if this is a new event, be sure to consider the following before firming up your date:  Give yourself enough time! Ideally, you should have 4-6 months to plan (depending on the nature of your event)  Be aware of statutory and religious holidays  Avoid school holiday time periods (e.g., winter, spring and summer holidays)  Check dates with key participants – e.g., speakers, presenters, VIP guests, etc.

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4. Brand Your Event If you want your event to stand out, you need to choose a timely and compelling theme that sets you apart from your competition. This means that you need to come up with a dynamic overall theme and you need to take great care with the actual name – since it can be a key attention-getter, especially in online media.  Brainstorm names: When you are brainstorming the event name, think about: -

How is your event different from other events in your sector?

-

What are you hoping to convey through this event?

 Create a Tagline: Once you’ve come up with a name, also try to craft a tagline – a short, memorable branding slogan that describes the event.  Design a Logo: The final step will be having a logo created to represent your event. A logo can be an effective branding tool – offering immediate recognition of your event in all of your publicity and promo items (e.g., Tshirts, water bottles, bags, etc.) 5. Create a Master Plan: This plan should encompass all aspects of the event, including:  Venue, logistics & catering management (contracts, permits, insurance, etc.)  Speakers/presenters (identifying, confirming, logistics & management)  Activities/entertainment  Publicity/promotion (online & off-line, e.g.,: web page & online promotion; events calendars; printed programs; media relations; signage; social media, etc.)  Registration (online sign-up, payment and tracking; on-site sign-in, etc.)  Sponsor/partner management  Volunteer management 6. Determine Administrative Processes In other words, how are you going to keep track of your planning, registration, budget, guest and speakers lists, etc.?

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7. Identify and Establish Partnerships & Sponsors Are there organizations that you could partner with or call on for sponsorships to defray the costs and increase potential participation? When you involve other people or groups in your event, they have a stake in helping spread the word and making the event a success. You might want to consider:  Seeking corporate sponsors to fund a portion of the event. This can range from national organizations that might want to sponsor a dinner, offer a door prize or a key silent auction item, to local businesses that might be able to provide goods or services, such as flowers for the tables, gift bag items, etc.  Partnering with community organizations who might be able to offer a venue and/or assistance with organizing or staffing an event 8. Create a Publicity Plan Even with the most amazing speaker or entertainment line-up, you need publicity to get people in the door. Event promotion starts with the initial notice or page on your website, note in your newsletter or email to save the date, and then builds to include online and off-line publicity, media relations and on-going outreach to encourage registration. And no plan is complete without the post-event thank-you, sponsor acknowledgements and articles about the event’s key messages or fundraising success. 9. Establish a Budget Your budget should incorporate estimates for all of the key items identified on your Event Master Plan. Don’t forget to include any travel or accommodation costs for speakers, presenters, etc. 10. Determine Evaluation Process How will you determine if your event is a success? Do you measure success by the number of registrants or attendees or is it dependent on you breaking even or raising a target amount in donations? When you set your initial event goals and objectives, you should also consider how you will evaluate the event to determine your success.

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THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN PLANNING EVENT 1. Who is doing the planning? Depending on the size of your event, you may be doing the planning on your own or with a committee. Try to decide on who will be involved with the planning from the beginning. Once you have decided who will be involved, make sure that everyone remains informed of the planning process and timeline. 2. When will the event take place? When deciding the date for your event, you will need to consider how much time will be required to make the event successful. Some important things to consider are how large the event will be and how many people are helping to plan the event. You should also try to avoid major holidays and local or national events important to your community. 3. How can you stay organized? Organization is key when you plan an event. One important component of staying organized is having a timeline for your event. A timeline should include all of the tasks needed to make your event a success and a due date for having them completed. It is important to keep the time line updated if new tasks become necessary and as tasks are completed. Communication between everyone involved in planning is very important so that every task is completed and efforts aren’t duplicated. Try using a color scheme on your timeline so it is clear who is working on which tasks.

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4. What type of event should I have? Many times you will know in advance what type of event you are planning based on previous events you have held or your organization’s mission. 5. Where should the event be held? Finding a location for your event is one of the most important tasks, so make sure you think carefully about your chosen site. If you have a space available at your own facilities that will accommodate your needs, this will save you time and money. If not, there are several questions to ask before you decide on your location:  Is the space big enough to support your needs (both in terms of people and equipment)?  Is the location accessible to your community? This includes handicap accessible, easy to find from the road with visible signs, short travel time or close available accommodations.  Is the location available on the date and time of your event? Make sure to book time for set-up and clean-up and learn if there will be other events before or after yours.  Are their multiple rooms available if your event requires small groups?  If you are using multiple rooms, are they easy to find and are you allowed to put up directional signs?  Are there enough chairs and tables available to meet your needs and will your participants be comfortable in the space provided?  Is the equipment you need available at the site or able to be brought in? Is there anyone who can provide technical assistance?  Do you want to provide food or beverages at the event and do you have an adequate budget to do so? o If so, are there catering services available that meet the dietary preferences of your community or can you bring in your own food and beverages?

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 How much will the location cost? Remember to include costs for space rental, equipment, catering and miscellaneous costs such as registration, table renting, or parking fees.  Is a deposit required and is there flexibility to change locations, increase or decrease space requirements or change the date or time? 6. How much will the event cost? When you begin to plan your event, make sure to create a budget based on how much you or your organization has available to spend. Remember that unforeseen costs can arise, so plan for these in your budget. This is often done by overestimating some costs. Remember to include costs for your venue (space, equipment and catering), office supplies and postage for planning and marketing efforts, and any special costs based on your event such as speaker gifts or video rental.

7. How can I let people know about my event? Your marketing strategy should be based on who you want to attract to your event and what works well in your community. Some possible options include: fliers, posters, blurbs in a newsletter, e-mails or postcards and press releases for local newspapers. You can find templates for these options in the community events tool kit located at www.GenoCommunity.org. Remember that you can always use more than one strategy depending on your budget and who you are trying to attract.

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Which Areas Of Expertise Are Important In Events Management? Choosing a client to take care of your events management needs can be a daunting experience. After all, there are so many companies and firms out there that claim to be experts in event management and are willing to promise you the moon if you choose them. It is important to look to a firm’s records to make sure they are right for you and that they have the skills and resources to meet your needs in a timely, friendly, and professional manner. Here are some of the areas of expertise that are important to consider when choosing an events management team. 1. Conferences and Executive Meetings The first area of expertise to consider when choosing a firm to help manage your events is conferences and executive meetings. Look for a firm that is capable of helping you through every element of staging the conferences and executive meetings you might need to manage, from the design stage all the way through to the execution stage. Also make sure the firm you hire is one that has experience managing executive meetings and conferences of all sizes, from those that are small and intimate with only a few key players to large scale events that may host thousands of delegates. A high quality event management team will also have the flexibility to scale up or scale down their management of your events, depending on the resources you already have available and your specific requirements. Naturally, an event management team will be a stronger candidate if they have experience managing a wide range of conferences and gatherings, including symposiums,

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corporate training sessions, roadshows, annual general meetings, congresses, summits, and the meetings and conferences mentioned above. Look for case studies; ask the firm for them if you have not already reviewed them, and check to make sure they have performed good work not just in the past but recently as well. 2. Sponsorships and Exhibitions When selecting an event management team, a second area of expertise to consider is sponsorships and exhibitions. Look for teams that view these areas as strengths instead of as weaknesses. A good event management team will be able to take care of every part related to the staging of an exhibition. This does not include simply being there on the date of the exhibition. Rather, it includes a number of factors that must be executed flawlessly long before the exhibition in order for the exhibition itself to work without interruption. This means the teams you consider should be capable of handling the planning of the exhibition, the budgeting, marketing, and logistics onsite as well as liaisons with exhibitors. Similarly, when it comes to sponsorship, be sure the team you select has the skill, knowledge, and networking competence to maximize sponsorship opportunities and relationships. This might mean helping you work effectively when it comes to profiling your sponsors in some scenarios. In others, it might mean being able to increase the sales of your enterprise or having the skills necessary to cultivate leads that lead to business opportunities.

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3. Incentives Finally, incentive trips are an essential element of business in many circles, and treating delegates to a good time can be crucial in making headway in a number of industries. Do not leave such golden opportunities to chance. Look for an events management team that is capable of project managing every part of a trip with incentives.

This might involve managing weekends to Sydney or fully paid trips across the Pacific to Europe or North America. Regardless of whatever incentives you may have planned, a good team will be able to meet your needs and give your delegates an experience they will never forget.

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Career in Event Management Events and occasions are an integral part of human life. We simply cannot bypass them as they touch almost all aspects of our social existence. Birthday celebrations, social gatherings, engagements and weddings are events we celebrate at the personal level. During academic years there are school events such as annual day functions, inter and intra school contests, sports day celebrations, followed by college and university level festivals. In the sphere of work, there are annual general meetings, exhibitions, marketing campaigns, conferences, product launches and brand development activities. Other events such as fashion shows, cultural programs, talent hunt shows, promotional campaigns, religious gatherings and so on also play an important role in our life. And what’s more, all of us have been a part of these events from time to time. We either organize these events or take part in the show. Either ways we want these occasions to go on as per our expectations and in doing so we often seek professional help. However, we do not pay much heed to the people who assiduously put in their effort and creative talent to make these events memorable and successful. They are the event managers. Event management is a multifaceted activity. Major constituents of this profile include creativity, meticulous planning, relationship management, advertising and marketing and much more, all rolled into one seamlessly choreographed process.

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Step-by-Step The very basic qualification to get into the realm of event management is to be a graduate in any discipline. However, you must possess certain traits that would help you go a long way in this industry. Essential skills include:  Public Relations: to manage clients, their agents and a vast gamut of professionals you would meet in the line of your profession  Creativity: from the germ of the concept to manage an occasion to its final delivery  Marketing skills: to sell your idea to your clients in order to make their events memorable  Analytical ability: you must have the knack to solve all sorts of problems and even have the foresight to anticipate unforeseen issues  Organizational skills: to carefully plan for tasks for self and for the entire team  Networking skills: this industry thrives on the shoulders of personal networking and you must have the ability to utilize it and expand it in your favour  Management skills: ability to manage time, stress, subordinates, clients, budgeting, risks, situations and so on Institutions that offer event management as a vocational study program are few and far between. Most of these institutes offer certificate and diploma courses. On the other hand, event management companies prefer candidates who have earned their qualification in allied fields such as a degree or a diploma in Public Relations, Tourism, Hospitality Management, Sales or Marketing.

Start Early A creative aptitude and the skill to manage things meticulously are the main ingredients of getting into the event management industry. These skills can easily be honed especially during the academic years.

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You can start off in this direction by organizing school and college events such as skits, quiz contests, cultural meets, annual day functions or sports events. For this, you need to have the acumen to select an appropriate venue for the occasion, visualize the décor and the sequence of items as they would unfold in front of the spectators. Further, you must arrange for an assortment of equipment, technicians and artists who would make the occasion successful. A rich experience during these years plays a crucial role when you select event management as your preferred profession later on in life.

Is it the right career for me? Like many other career paths, the route to a successful occupation in the event management industry is not based on the foundation of academic laurels and certifications. However, the basic survival toolkit to get into this profession is both wide and subjective. Your basic task is to plan and present an event in a novel way and that too from scratch. For this, you must possess the quality to think out of the box. Apart from ample creative juices, you ought to have good planning, marketing, budgeting, negotiation, client management, and communication and leadership skills. Further, you must have immense patience and insight to see right into the smallest details of the entire event management process and always stay focussed on your project goals. Good networking skills, client management, business analytics, time management, ability to take on challenges, problem solving skills and adjusting to rapidly changing situations are some other qualities essential for this role. The mantra for success in this cutthroat business is to constantly improve upon your existing skills, stick to your career objectives, avoid complacency and always delight your client.

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What would it Cost Me? A Post-Graduate Diploma in Advertising, Media and Events (PGDAME) from the National Institute of Event Management (NIEM), Mumbai, costs around Rs.1, 25,000 approximately, whereas the Post-Graduate Diploma in Event Management (PGDEM) costs up to Rs.55, 000 and the fees for a Diploma in Event Management (DEM) is around Rs. 40, 000. Funding/Scholarship Since most of the existing study programs pertaining to event management are certifications and diplomas, scholarships are not on offer for students pursuing these programs. Job Prospect There are plenty of jobs in this industry. In spite of the current global economic slowdown, the event management industry has continued to grow in leaps and bounds. There are plenty of events: weddings, birthday parties, talent hunt and reality shows, fashion and cultural shows, academic and sports meets, religious functions, corporate events, conferences and so on. Talented youngsters who want to leave their mark in this industry have numerous avenues. You can join an event management company or a media house that specializes in event management activities. Once you have garnered ample experience you can either start working in the capacity of a freelancer or event set up your own events business. Pay Packet The pay packet in this industry varies according to your role and responsibility. It also depends on factors such as the organization you are working with, the type of clientele your organization is catering to, your experience, and the city where the firm is located and so on.

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As a fresher in this industry, you can easily bag a pay cheque in the range of Rs.10, 000 – Rs.15,000 per month. The remuneration goes up with your experience and area of expertise. You can earn big money working in the capacity of an expert freelancer or the owner of your own event management company. Demand and Supply There are is an insatiable demand for professionals associated with this particular industry. As very few educational establishments offer professional courses for aspiring event managers, there is a great paucity of experienced professionals in this field. To fill this gap, the event management business has to acquire professionals from a vast array of other vocations. Market Watch Event management is an industry that is on the move. An exponential growth in events such as talent-hunt competitions, music concerts, fashion shows, academic functions, exhibitions, trade fairs, religious gatherings and the like have fuelled the demand for talented event managing personnel. The demand for creative and result oriented event managers is going to continue in the near future. International Focus Off late our country has started getting more and more media coverage and recognition abroad. Further, the cine industry has started hosting mega annual events at international venues. This has greatly improved the scope for people engaged in the event management industry to try their luck in international market. Professionals in this field also get the opportunity to showcase their talent at international events where delegates from our country participate in cultural festivals and exchange programs, trade shows, conferences, exhibitions, corporate events and so on.

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Positives/Negatives Positives  You get numerous opportunities to rub shoulders with celebrities from different walks of life be it cine stars, sports persons, politicians, corporate moguls and so on  You have the satisfaction of having pulled off grand events with aplomb  You get the thrill of organizing and managing events from their concept all the way up to their execution Negatives  Like other creative pursuits you will have to put in endless hours of hard work to meet your deadlines  You have to cope up with immense work pressure to live up to your client’s high expectations  Other than long working hours the time schedule can frequently be erratic

Different roles, different names An organization that is into event management business offers numerous positions to job seekers. The following are some of the departments in a typical event managing company:  Public Relations – managing a vast gamut of people ranging from clients, artists, stage performers, government officials, public and so on  Promotion and Marketing – for promoting the image of the organization and also for marketing the event to the public at large  Brand Development – a talent pool that is responsible for managing client requirements pertaining to brand restructuring  Designing – team of creative people who visualize and then prepare design layouts for the stage, costumes, accessories and so on

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 Administration – department that is responsible for back office and general administrative tasks  Production – team comprising of media professionals who manage the production and editing of audio video related media  Printing – department that takes care of printing all sorts of marketing collaterals and promotional items

Top Companies 1. Cineyug Entertainment 2. Cox and Kings 3. DNA Networks Pvt. Ltd. 4. E-Factor 5. Fountainhead 6. Percept D Mark 7. Sercon 8. Sita Conferences 9. Tafcon Group 10. TCI Consultancy Services and 'e' Events 11. Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. 12. 360 Degrees 13. Top notch media and production houses

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Tips for getting hired  Since you would be working in the service industry and meeting people all the time having good communication skills helps  Although a graduation degree is enough to get into an event management firm but qualification in Hospitality Management, Tourism Management, Public Relations, Human Relationship Management, and Marketing enhances your chances for getting hired  Keep an up to date portfolio of all your creative and organizational activities and highlight your achievements during the selection process  It is not mandatory but desirable to have a certificate or a diploma in event management from a reputed academy

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10 TIPS FOR EVENT MANAGERS Event Management, as is obvious from the term, refers to the organized planning and research involved in the proper execution of any event. The event may range from simple social events like birthdays, weddings, family reunions; more complex corporate and official events such as Annual General Meetings, brand promotion meets, product launch parties and also special entertainment events such as live concerts and award ceremonies. The art and science of managing an event has become a specialized discipline and requires multi-faceted skills. Following are 10 things to keep in mind while organizing an event –

 Knowledge is power: In order to make an event successful, understanding and knowledge is crucial. No two events are the same and understanding the nuances of what is required for a particular event is crucial. Events such as corporate meetings have their own demands of protocol and procedures. Entertainment events such as concerts require knowledge of various supporting resources to be put in place. Before actually commencing with managing an event, do make sure that you understand what exactly needs to be done. Talk to people who have participated in such events before, talk to other people who have managed such events before, keep yourself constantly updated with the evolving dynamics of each type of event.

 Set the Stage: What is perfect for a few persons may turn out to be a claustrophobic experience for a hundred. It is very important to know the number of people who are expected to attend the event beforehand. Make sure the customer has intimated his requirements to you clearly. The choice of the venue will depend on this factor.

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Very often the decision of choosing a venue is taken jointly with the customer. After the venue is chosen it is essential to obtain maps, scout the location, and take notes.

 Prepare today, execute tomorrow: Once a high level understanding of what needs to be done is obtained, it’s time for the planning phase. Chalk up a plan of which actions to be taken, and when. Assign responsibilities to the various actors within you team. Track the progress of each such planned action to completion. Before a big event, it is crucial to conduct dry runs and simulations. If possible, do involve the customer in such a dry run and walk him through of what he may expect during the actual event. This will prevent unpleasant surprises.

 Time it Right! When planning an event, work out a plausible time span. No event should be hurried, hectic affair and neither should it be a long drawn affair which puts the audience's patience under test. The agenda should be well balanced, with adequate time contingencies built in.  Tools of the trade: It is also very important to have a grasp over the technicalities that run the show. Arrangement of proper technical equipment and skilled technicians is of prime importance. Nothing can be more embarrassing than a piece of equipment malfunctioning in the middle of the show. Pay attention to detail – for example when two projectors are beaming simultaneously on two ends of the stage, they must be in sync and have the same color balance. Have the technicians check and recheck the equipments before the show starts.

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 Rules are not always meant to be broken: Organizing an event also requires number of approvals, permissions and procedures to be obtained. These range from permission from the police, civic authority clearances, environmental clearances etc. Make sure you, or your customer, have sought and obtained all necessary approvals and permissions. Stick within the boundaries of the provisions during the event. Never ever make the mistake of landing up in the wrong side of the law.

 There is no "I" in teamwork: An event involves a number of players. In some large scale events, it is mind boggling to think of the sheer number of players involved. For example, in a music concert – musicians, sound technicians, light technicians, stage technicians, sponsors, celebrities and of course the general audience. Each of these parts has to function smoothly in order for the whole to work. Communication is the key. Frequent meetings, briefings and rehearsals are needed for everyone to understand what their responsibilities are and how they need to coordinate. During the event have effective communication and coordination mechanisms like wireless headsets, or cell phones. In teamwork, most of all, it is important to forsake egos. Don't try to blame others for anything for might go wrong – instead the entire team should work in close coordination to cover for the slightest mistake made by an individual.  "If anything can go wrong, it will": In spite of the intricate planning, rehearsals and the best of your efforts, things may not always run smoothly and last minute glitches can occur. Do not panic - be prepared for such exigencies. Have a backup plan in place. Arrange for emergency power backups and other technical backup systems. If an inordinate delay occurs (for example a performing artist does not show up on time), plan in advance how to handle the situation and keep the audience occupied.

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 Safety is paramount: While it is important to have fun, safety is a very important factor. Ensure that emergency exits are well marked and that you have adequate trained personnel to handle the situation in case anything untoward happens. Have the fire brigade and paramedical ready in case of very large events.  Smile!: Last but not the least, always remember that managing an event is all about interacting with people to deliver the best results. Keep a cheerful and positive disposition - it lowers stress for everyone concerned. The customer is always king – some things may not always go your liking, but in the end your satisfaction would come from seeing the event getting executed perfectly.

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CONCLUSION Event-management companies are those organisations that take on the project of managing a particular event of their client from the beginning to end. A relatively new breed of companies in the Indian corporate line, these companies are however, getting increasingly important with the rise in corporate and personal events needing professionals to manage them.

Scope: With the Indian economy opening up and throwing open its doors to global MNCs, there has been a sea change in the way large corporate houses do business. Bigger is increasingly becoming better, and who better to manage their ambitious public-relations events than professionals who have the expertise and resources of making every announcement, event big. Their scope includes these broad heads: • Corporate: High-level meetings, conferences, exhibitions, product launches, seminars or even employee outdoor activities of mega companies. • Social:Family functions particularly weddings, birthday celebrations, house-warming rituals etc. • Celebrity Circuit:Celebrity shows, international artists shows, road shows, competitions and social-causes shows. • Sports: Every kind of popular sport whether cricket or Formula One race. • Cultural: This includes events which are cultural or are heritage, art based.

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Industry Figures:

Still a largely un-organised sector, reports and studies are few. However, the structure of the event management market in India is slowly changing from an unorganized framework towards an organized market.

• The market for event management in India is expected to witness growth of 25% p.a. and reach INR 23 billion by 2012. • The number of event management companies is under 5000 presently.

Drivers: The key drivers in the growth of event management companies in India are: • Growth in consumer spending and disposable income. • Increase in below the line promotion among establishments. • Rising need of organised and structured event. • Rise in the number of institutions offering course/specialization in event management.

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Challenges: However, some of the pertinent issues faced by entrepreneurs desirous of in setting up a event-management venture are: • Lengthy procedure for import of equipment. • High levels of entertainment tax imposed by the state/central governments. Clearly the key trends and drivers for growth point towards a successful horizon for the event management companies in India

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