Estimating your event planning and coordination time is one of the best skills you can learn. It’s part industry knowledge, part data, and part luck. But with these strategies, you can get the cost estimate a little closer to the reality.

Next to setting your prices adequately, estimation is one of the top skills you can have in your event planning business. If you estimate time on an event incorrectly, you’ll either come out short or your client will be angry that you are so far off budget.
Estimation in event planning time is hardly an exact science – but your clients think it is. Unlike running a mile where you can quickly estimate how long it will take you (if you do it often enough), event planning is hardly a smooth path with predictable timelines. Of course, you do your best to estimate how long certain tasks take you and you build in plenty of buffer.

Before You Begin Estimating…

Organize

Make a list of everything that needs to be done by everyone that you’re responsible for from a cost perspective. If you are managing the AV crew for instance, and their charges will be covered in your bill to the client, then include them. This list would include load in, AV testing, and rehearsal time, for instance. If you aren’t, leave them off. Some event planners use mind mapping software for this part so they can see how everything fits together.
The reason you list all of these things is because while undercharging for time may hurt, overcharging and then being seen sitting around is more upsetting from a client perspective.
Also, don’t forget about factoring in breaks and meals. While these may not factor into your estimate from a direct cost perspective, you’ll need to know it for workflow. Plus, they’re important if you want everyone working at top performance levels.
Account for everything you know about, knowing there will be plenty that crops up that you won’t. Assign each activity a time slot and duration. Once you work this out, you can use pieces of this and the framework at your next event.

Watch Your Day

Have you ever had a day when you wrote everything down and assigned it a client code? For those professions that bill by the hour likes to account for every second, but that’s simply not realistic. Understand that things crop up. Build in time so that when the client needs extra support and reassurance, you have a moment to provide it without running off schedule.
Building in extra time also gives some padding to your estimate ready for when a hiccup comes along or the client reverses a decision they made.

Making Your Estimates
Here’s some advice to follow on how to make good estimates:

Add Assumptions

You will sometimes be off budget and when that happens, your client will want to know why. Before handing over your estimate, add in any assumptions you are making that if altered could affect the time required to perform the service. For instance, you may add that you are assuming the client will get you the presentation two days before the conference so that it can be tested with the lighting as requested. Any delay to that places a stress on the deliverables and may incur overtime charges.

Don’t Clump

Don’t estimate how much time you’ll spend on arranging speakers. Instead, use your list of activities you compiled earlier to estimate time for each task individually, then roll them up and compile them for the client. The client needn’t see your individual workings but it will help you get a better view of how much time goes into everything and if you look at it in a granular fashion, you’re less likely to forget to factor in the important details that will wreck your schedule if missed.

Factor in Switch Time

We like to think that we are all brilliant multi-taskers, but the truth is when we switch directions or tasks, we often take a little time to get up to speed. If you have people working multiple roles as part of your event, factor in switch time. They may need to be brought up to date or get used to doing something differently. This also applies to team members working around the clock at an event. Factor in extra time when the new shift takes over.

Read Into Under Exaggeration

If you’re relying on someone else for a time estimate to perform an activity, realize there’s the possibility that they want to impress you. Just as some people lie about their weight or how much they can bench press, some vendors will give you a shorter turnaround time because they believe it makes them look better if they can get it done quickly. Pad estimates from other people for that reason, and build in the delay factor.

Learn from Mistakes

After every event, look at what you estimated correctly and what took more time to plan than expected. Break it down and compare like versus like. Keep a spreadsheet of all of your events. With planned time versus actual listed, as well as any causes of the discrepancy. Then use these numbers to create averages. That way, even a bad estimate becomes a good learning experience.

In Conclusion

Your estimated event quotation is critical to getting the job and also how successful your event is from your own business’s perspective. A bad estimate costs you because it either means you eat the difference between what you estimated and the amount it took or you pass the difference along to the client and shrug your shoulders when he asks why it’s so far off what you projected.
Since an invoice is often one of the final points of contact between you and the client, an underestimation is not a good starting point for referrals and word of mouth marketing. This is especially true if a low bid won you the work in the first place. The client may feel like he’s part of a bait-and-switch situation.
While there are always things that crop up in events, they should be more the extreme than the norm. Plus, if you build in a strong buffer much of that should be covered in other areas. Finally, learn with every event. Then even bad estimates serve a purpose.

Recruiting quality volunteers plays a major role in the success of your events. Finding volunteers who are dedicated to your organization and the mission of your event can be a challenge, but using the following tips will lead you towards recruiting and retaining excellent event volunteers.

Recruiting Locations

Everyone longs to find the volunteers that best fit their event. The people who actually “get it” and will work hard to help your event succeed are out there, but where exactly should you look for that elusive “perfect” volunteer?
Start out by looking within your organization or the organization putting on the event. Oftentimes people who are directly connected to an organization or event are the most willing to help the event succeed.

Set Proper Expectations

Setting expectations and providing volunteer details upfront builds your volunteer relationships early on and helps create more knowledgeable volunteers. Be sure to provide a list of what you expect from the volunteer and what the volunteer can expect from you.
Are there any rules or guidelines that your volunteers must agree to? Applications to complete? How much time should the volunteer expect to spend at your event? Any post-event requirements? All of these are examples of questions you may need to answer to clarify the expectations of your volunteers. If you properly prepare your volunteers in advance, they will be more active and productive at your event.
Creating volunteer position descriptions can be a very direct way to outline the expectations for each volunteer duty. Use a job description template and clearly outline each task and the requirements for success. The only real difference in a job description and a volunteer position description is the person is not being paid for the work.
Some event managers allow volunteers to choose their own volunteer duty. This can go a long way in volunteer satisfaction and I encourage you to do this when possible. If you must assign volunteer positions (without giving them a choice), the volunteer position descriptions will at least help them to be prepared for the event day and know what they should expect to be doing.

Communication is Key

Communicating with your volunteers will help them to be in the loop and provide them with a more enjoyable experience. If they feel you are open and easy to approach, they will feel more comfortable and be more successful.
Hosting a volunteer training prior to your event is a great way to communicate all of your expectations and to build a relationship with your volunteers. This will also give them a chance to meet the other volunteers that they will be working with on event day.
Communication and clarity is also very important in your pre-event emails and recruiting messages. Having everyone on the same page is vital to an event’s success and this is only accomplished through proper communication.
Feel free to add some fun and humor into your communications, while also remaining professional. Perhaps you add some entertaining slides, memes, cat videos, etc. into your training presentation! You could also share some funny stories from past events, as we all know every event has them. While you want your volunteers to take the job seriously, you also want them to enjoy working with you and the event.

Follow Up and Feedback

After your event has wrapped up, you may be tempted to send volunteers on their way, without much more than a “thank you for your time” email. However, by doing this, you will be missing out on a wonderful opportunity.
Volunteers have a very unique perspective on your events and they can provide you with valuable feedback. Be sure to capture this feedback through a survey or focus group.
Showing your volunteers that you value their opinion, not only provides you with key information, but also helps you to retain volunteers for future events. Volunteer retention is vital to maintaining a knowledgeable and useful event staff.

In Conclusion

Volunteers can be challenging to work with at times and we have all had both good and bad experiences. Be sure to take your time in setting your volunteers up for success, communicate clearly and provide a fun atmosphere to work. A bit of extra planning and preparation can leads to volunteer success for years to come!

Facilitating great networking at your event is a lot of work. Yet, it’s incredibly important because it’s one of the top draws of events. There are many ways to promote better networking but most of them boil down to this recipe for success.

Networking has a strange appeal. It draws crowds and terrifies all at the same time. It’s one of the main reasons people attend professional events but it’s also dreaded by introverts. Creating a successful networking event means you’ll secure a place in your attendees’ hearts and they’ll be more likely to attend your events in the future. Let’s face it; while there’s plenty of online competition for networking opportunities, it’s still in-person that seals the largest deals.

Whether you’re hosting a monthly event, a local gathering, or a larger conference, ensuring you have the right mix of people and making those attendees feel at home are keys to your event’s success. But you’ll need a few other things as well:

6. Assist in the Networking

   As much as we think of ourselves as social creatures, networking doesn’t happen entirely on its own. As mentioned above, the type of people you invite are important as is the venue. You’ll want to make introductions based on what attendees and others are looking for.
   Some event professionals sort attendees into groups to help encourage new relationships. Many people have a tendency to stay in the group they came with or mix with only those they know. Sorting or assigning people
   to different stations or groups may take them out of their comfort zone but it will also aid in new introductions.
   Encourage networking among your attendees. Some people think of networking as a bad word and assume that means talking to people who are always looking over their shoulder. It needn’t be that way. Here are a few ideas on promoting networking at your event.

Promotion Tips for Networking at Events:

Promoting networking at your event will help attendees with their professional growth, help set expectations, generate discussion, and assist people in making the type of connections which will cause them to return next year. Promoting networking is similar to a call-to-action in content. It tells people what’s expected of them and moves them towards a desired action.
Educating attendees on how to network is essential. Give them a few tips about how networking is like developing any relationship. Don’t make it all about you or come across in a sales-y way. Listen and be a good conversationalist. These tips may seem like common sense but they’ll go a long way to help those who are unfamiliar with the techniques.
It’s also important to share the value of networking and why it’s critical to your attendees’ success. Here’s what they need to know:

Networking Forges Business Relationships

Whether they’re looking to buy, sell, or increase their personal branding, who you know is how it happens. Making connections is an important part of building knows, like, and trust. The people you meet and network with may become valuable relations in the future. Both of your needs may change but the connection should be nurtured if you want to build a professional network.

Networking Facilitates Learning

Networking allows attendees to learn outside of the sessions. The ‘hallway track’ is a nice place for exchange and the discussion and real-life examples can lead to increased knowledge and mastery of the concepts presented. Sessions naturally lend themselves to discussion and can be good icebreakers for attendees who hate small talk.

Networking Provides a ‘Lunch Buddy’

A good event organizer will help attendees network before the actual event begins so that they can attend the event already knowing a few other attendees. Not knowing anyone can make people feel anxious, particularly when it comes to mealtime and other seated events.
Setting up a social media group or online community can help people get to know attendees virtually and make plans to meet up at the event. Some organizations also use a code (like a sticker on a name tag) that indicates a first-time attendee. The veterans of the event are then encouraged to engage with the newbie to ensure they become acclimated quickly and have a ‘lunch buddy.’

Why Networking Benefits Your Event:

Networking is critical to a successful event because good relationships among attendees help with next year’s ticket sales but it actually does much more than that. Here are a few things about networking that help you as an event planner as well. Networking…

• Saves money on entertainment.When attendees are networking, the relationships being built are the entertainment. People who are connecting with others don’t need Hollywood-style, flashy entertainment. They have one another.
• Makes your event more valuable.

  If your event becomes one with a reputation of unparalleled matchmaking and valuable networking opportunities, you can command top dollar on ticket prices.

• Grows your event

  Again, networking is one of the top reasons people come to events. As your event’s reputation builds as an ideal place to network, you can increase the size of your event exponentially as more and more people want to be a part of it.

Is In-Person Networking Dead?

The answer to this question could fall along a generational divide but the truth is there are certain things electronics will never take the place of such as:

• The confidence of a firm handshake
• A sideways glance or someone looking past you (it’s much easier to tell disinterest in person, which can be a good thing)
• The energy exchanged from someone getting visibly excited about your idea
• The conveyed emotion behind facial expressions
• The excitement you get when you hear someone interesting speak

Online networking doesn’t make that possible. It strips us of some very human characteristics that we have relied upon to be able to make good business decisions. According to a Forbes study, 77% of business executives prefer in-person meetings because of the ability to read nonverbal cues. In-person networking will continue to be popular for as long as video calls have problems with occasional blurriness.

In Conclusion

You may be wondering if networking at events is still a main component of a successful event or if it’s needed with today’s online world. But as most people understand who you know is incredibly important to your business and your career. Not all of that can be done online. So go plan your in-person networking strategies and enjoy the things you don’t get online like those accidental drink spills when you bump into people and those hardy laughs that are contagious.