Transcript Introduction to Event Planning

• An Event Planning Pack must be completed for any
and every event/social where there is some element
of financial (selling tickets), reputational (external
speaker) or physical (dangerous sports!) risk.
• Events cannot go ahead, and expenditure will not be
permitted on events that have not been passed
through this process.
• I am working with Ant, the Societies Officer, to cut
bureaucracy, so this process will hopefully be
simplified by the time you go through it.
• Event Planning Packs can be found here
www.warwicksu.com/execresources/forms
• You must complete all forms in the pack (usually 3-4 of
them).
• Completed packs should be submitted to
[email protected] and saved in a “Handover
folder” on your computer to pass to next year’s exec.
• Once submitted, Indy will call you in for a meeting with the
Event Planning Committee where questions will be asked
and the pack may be approved.
• Planning Pack
• Financial Planner
• Event Ticketing Form
• Tech Hire Request Form (where appropriate)
• Trip Registration Form (where appropriate)
• External Guest Speaker Form (probably not
appropriate – more for societies)
• Basic details required for the front page
• If you lack information for any of the fields, email
[email protected] before submitting
• For some packs there will be a checklist on the second
page. Follow this through step-by-step and you can’t go
wrong!
• Risk Assessment is the most important part.
Here’s the place to show us your budget.
I’ll go through tips for what to consider when filling
this in – you might want to take notes now!
• Does the event break even at 65%?
• Is sponsorship money confirmed?
• Are club funds acceptable for number
of attendees?
• Is there a minimum number? Always
ask the venue this!
• Can you cut costs?
o
o
o
o
Student band performing
Cheaper menu
Don’t print tickets
Reduce decorations budget
• Is travel included as a fixed cost?
(It’s not a variable cost).
• Have you set aside enough money
to publicise the event?
• Have you factored in
security/stewarding costs?
• What are the “other
entertainments”?
• No gift for the organisers!
• Maximum of half bottle of wine per
person for balls
• Good practice to include a
contingency in the budget
• Have you run the event before?
• What was attendance like last year?
• If you have increased capacity, then how has attendance
been at your other events this year?
• Does the date clash with any other big events?
o You can check this on the white board in the Resources Room
• Finally, is the ticket price acceptable for what you are
providing?
• Needs to be completed where tickets are being sold on the SU
website.
• Create the Event beforehand using the Admin Tools.
• NEED account name and code
o Contact [email protected] if you don’t know them
• Include any special requests (do you want purchasers to give
their dietary requirements upon purchase? etc.).
• Return to [email protected]
• 5 days before sale date!
All other Forms in the pack are straight forward.
• Any questions on the process, contact
[email protected]
Quotes
• It is important to obtain quotes for all aspects of the event and to
include them in the pack.
• BUT you must not make any financial commitments.
VAT
• When getting quotes, don’t forget to find out if your quote
includes VAT.
Contracts
• It is also important that you do not sign any contracts before your
event has been approved, and certainly don’t pay any deposits.
• If the Event Planning Committee hasn’t signed off your event, you
could end up personally liable for the costs because you signed!
Deadlines
• Balls – Week 8 of Term One
• Tours – Week 8 of Term One (or one term before)
• Trips – 4 weeks before
The Event Planning Committee meet on Tuesdays 14:0015:30 and Wednesdays 10:00-11:00.
*End of session*
Note down any questions you may have now, and
we’ll have time to go through them during the
Q&A at the end.