1. STRATEGIC AND IMPACTFUL
EVENTS MANAGEMENT
CHARLES COTTER
16 JULY 2014
HOLIDAY INN SANDTON, RIVONIA ROAD

2. PRESENTATION OVERVIEW
• INTRODUCTION
• DEFINING THE FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS
• DIAGNOSIS AND EVALUATION OF CURRENT EVENTS MANAGEMENT
PROCESSES AND PRACTICES
• THE 4-PHASE EVENTS MANAGEMENT PROCESS/CYCLE
 Conceptualization
 Strategic Planning
 Implementation
 Evaluation
• CONCLUSION

3. INTRODUCTION
Event management is considered to be one of the most
effective marketing communication tools that an
organization can employ to create awareness of the
organization, its products and services and its brand.

4. DEFINING THE FUNDAMENTAL
CONCEPTS
• Events Planning
• Events Management
• Project Management

5. DEFINING EVENTS PLANNING AND
MANAGEMENT
• Event planning is the process of planning a festival, ceremony,
competition, party, concert, or convention.
• Event planning can include budgeting, establishing dates and alternate
dates, selecting and reserving the event site, acquiring permits,
coordinating transportation and parking, developing a theme or motif for
the event, arranging for speakers and alternate speakers, coordinating
location support and arranging decor, event support and security, catering,
emergency plans, aid stations and clean-up.
• Event management is the process by which an event is planned,
prepared, and produced. As with any other form of management, it
encompasses the assessment, definition, acquisition, allocation,
direction, control, and analysis of time, finances, people, products,
services and other resources to achieve objectives.
• Essentially, event management is the application of project management
to the events planning process.

6. DEFINING PROJECT MANAGEMENT
• Project management is the application of knowledge,
skills, tools and techniques to a broad range of activities in
order to meet the requirements of the particular project.
• Project management is concerned with the overall
planning and co-ordination of a project from inception to
completion aimed at meeting the client's requirements and
ensuring completion on time, within cost and to the
required quality standards.
• These three (3) project management variables as often
referred to as the eternal triangle of project management.

7. PROJECT MANAGEMENT ETERNAL
TRIANGLE

9. 10 BEST PRACTICE EVENTS MANAGEMENT
GUIDELINES/CRITERIA
• #1 Prior to the event marketing, a proper business case (based on
viability and feasibility) is built for the proposed event
• #2 Application of sustainable (green) events management
practices aligned with Triple Bottom Line e.g. Profit, People and
Planet
• #3 A purposeful and systematic planning methodology and
approach is followed
• #4 Application of effective project management principles and
processes throughout the event life-cycle/value-chain
• #5 Development of a focused and purpose-directed events
strategy and mind-set

10. 10 BEST PRACTICE EVENTS MANAGEMENT
GUIDELINES/CRITERIA
• #6 Implementation of preventative and concurrent (during-event)
logistics and operations managemet control measures, tools and
processes
• #7 Application of a holistic, Integrated Marketing Communication
strategy, using a variety of promotional, PR, marketing and
advertising media e.g. social media
• #8 The competency, work ethic and cohesion of the events
management team are exemplary
• #9 Application of effective and proactive event Risk Management
and Mitigation strategies
• #10 Proper evaluation of the impact of events and use of
performance metrics e.g. ROI, ROO, ROL and/or ROE

11. ILLUSTRATION: EVENTS
MANAGEMENT PROCESS/CYCLE

12. EVENTS MANAGEMENT
PROCESS/CYCLE
• Phase 1: Conceptualization (and Market
Research)
• Phase 2: Strategic Planning (and Marketing)
• Phase 3: Event Implementation (Organizing and
Logistics Management)
• Phase 4: Event Evaluation (and Performance
Feedback)

13. PHASE 1: CONCEPTUALIZATION
• Conducting Market Research
• Building a business case for the event
• Writing an Event Proposal
• Pitching the Event Proposal

14. CONDUCTING STRATEGIC MARKET
RESEARCH
• The first step of this process is to identify a
prospective event, based on an opportunity,
occasion and/or market-driven need.
• Conduct a SWOT Analysis:
Micro
Market
Stakeholder Analysis
Macro

15. STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS AND
MANAGEMENT

16. PESTEL ANALYSIS

17. BUILDING A BUSINESS CASE FOR THE
EVENT
• Cost-benefit Analysis
 Viability
 Feasibility
• Triple –P Sustainable events management (green events)
 People
 Profit
 Planet

18. COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS

20. SUSTAINABILITY (TRIPLE BOTTOM
LINE)

21. WRITING AN EVENT PROPOSAL -
PROCESS

22. WRITING AN EVENT PROPOSAL -
CONTENT
• Description of the Event
• Experience of the Event Bidder
• Venue and facilities offered
• The event programme
• The (estimated) proposed event budget

24. PITCHING THE EVENT PROPOSAL
• Persuasive, compelling and captivating sales
pitch
• Focus on differentiation
• Tenders
• Contracting
• Terms of Reference (event scope)

25. LEARNING ACTIVITY
• Complete Learning Activity 1 (page 20)
• Syndicate group discussion
• Present a summary of key discussion points

26. PHASE 2: STRATEGIC PLANNING
• Formulating an Event Strategy (Plan)
• Compiling a Financial Plan (Budget)
• Developing an Integrated Marketing
Communication (IMC) strategy

27. FORMULATING AN EVENT STRATEGY
(PLAN)

28. FORMULATING AN EVENT STRATEGY
(PLANNING QUESTIONS)
• Define the purpose (why?)
• Identify your Objective or Goal (what?)
• Identify your Target Market (who?)
• What would delight them and what are their expectations?
• How many participants will attend?
• Schedule a date and time (when?)
• Select a venue (where?)
• How will we create an impactful event experience?

29. PLAN THE EVENT EXPERIENCE
• Type of experience
• Selecting speakers, presenters and
entertainment
• Presentation and production techniques
• Catering and hospitality management

30. COMPILING A FINANCIAL PLAN
(BUDGET)
• Booking the venue
• Guest speakers
• Catering
• Furniture/material rentals
• Logistical and operational costs
• Security

31. INTEGRATED MARKETING
COMMUNICATION (IMC)

32. INTEGRATED MARKETING
COMMUNICATION (IMC)
• Event marketing
• Public relations
• Communication management
• Promotion
• Social media

33. LEARNING ACTIVITY
• Complete Learning Activity 2 (pages 32-33)
• Syndicate group discussion
• Present a summary of key discussion points

34. PHASE 3: EVENT IMPLEMENTATION
• Event Administration
• Event Risk Management
• Event Logistics and Operations Management

35. EVENT ADMINISTRATION
• Effective and comprehensive administration systems
e.g. financial, procedural, operational, contractual and
informational
• Event must be supported and complemented by
documentation, systems, mechanisms and procedures
• Event administration must be organized, controlled
and methodical
• Event management teams are responsible for the
entire budget, and if administration falls down, so will
the profits of the event

36. ILLUSTRATION: EVENT RISK
MANAGEMENT PROCESS

37. EVENT RISK MANAGEMENT PROCESS
• Step 1: Risk Identification
• Step 2: Risk Analysis
• Step 3: Risk Prioritization
• Step 4: Risk Response
• Step 5: Risk Evaluation

38. RISK MATRIX

39. RISK RESPONSE STRATEGIES

41. Logistics means organizing people, products and processes in a timely way to
ensure that an event runs smoothly, according to plan, with minimum hiccups
Event logistics refers to the coordination of activities, facilities and personnel
required for an event to take place
Effective event management can save businesses a significant amount time and
expenses
Event logistics are project-based, that is they involve a period of preparation,
lead up, execution and shutdown
On-site event logistics (checklist)

42. ILLUSTRATION: EVENT LOGISTICS
APPROACH

43. LEARNING ACTIVITY
• Complete Learning Activity 3 (page 43)
• Syndicate group discussion
• Present a summary of key discussion points

44. PHASE 4: EVENT EVALUATION
• Benefits Management
• Event measurement performance metrics
• Strategic events measurement
• Strategies (Tools) for measuring an events
success

45. EVENT PERFORMANCE
MEASUREMENT METRICS
• Return on Investment (ROI) – financial metric
• Return on Expectation (ROE) – stakeholder
satisfaction metric
• Return on Learning (ROL) – innovation, growth
and improvement metric
• Return on Objectives (ROO) – operations,
logistics and process efficiency metric

46. STRATEGIC EVENTS MEASUREMENT
• The organization may view ROI by aggregating
all costs and comparing this to a value that is
estimated by the organization – this
determines the financial benefits of the
event.
• ROI at the participant level may be measured
at the individual level and estimates the value
on a per participant basis.

47. BALANCED SCORECARD

48. STRATEGIES (TOOLS) FOR MEASURING
AN EVENTS SUCCESS
• Surveys
• Web Analytics
• Qualified leads
• Post event assessment
• Reporting

49. LEARNING ACTIVITY
• Complete Learning Activity 4 (page 47)
• Syndicate group discussion
• Present a summary of key discussion points

50. SUMMARY
• Key points
• Questions

51. CONTACT DETAILS
• CHARLES COTTER
• 084 562 9446
• charlescot@polka.co.za
• LINKED IN
• TWITTER: Charles_Cotter