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Writing a good event brief is of great importance especially when hosting your event in conference venues, as you want the conference to have a great turnout. We have put together a guide to ensure your conference will be a huge success.
Planning an event can be daunting. So many things need to align and come together to make it a success. Just one small thing can derail everything. As an event planner, you need to be aware of the event’s target audience, purpose, logistics, budgets and practicalities on the day – a lot for anyone to keep track of.
An event brief helps by pulling everything together in one document and sets the expectations of what the event will deliver from all perspectives. This relieves the pressure on you, as all the vital information about your event will not just be on your shoulders. It also means everyone involved has a clear understanding of the event’s scope and rationale.
There are nine easy steps to create a comprehensive event planning brief that will help you stay organised and ensure your event is a success.
What is an event brief?
An event brief is a document that collates all crucial information about your event. You should create one as early as possible, as it forms your plan for the event. You can always populate it as you go if you don’t have all the information at the outset.
It should contain details about the budget, timeline, purpose and target audience of your event, as well as any other key information. It can be used by your event team and other stakeholders as a blueprint for the event’s success, providing a structured plan towards a shared goal.
The brief is different from the event plan. The plan breaks every section of the event down into exhaustive detail. The brief is a simplified version that provides important details to all stakeholders.
Why are they important?
An event briefing document is important because it makes the goals and objectives of your event clear at the outset, setting expectations and giving you a plan to follow throughout the process.
As well as capturing the scale and scope ofyour event, a plan can help with the details. You can set a more accurate budget from the start, saving time and money as goals are clearly defined.
Having a central document with all the key information also helps to avoid issues like booking the wrong venue or date, as everyone has a plan they can stick to. Having defined goals provides clear metrics that you can measure – so you can measure performance from the start and highlight areas for improvement.
What to include in an event brief?
As we’ve discussed, your event brief is a simplified version of the event plan. The way your brief will look will depend on the type of event you are planning. They are fully customisable and can be adjusted to match the reality of your event.
However, all briefs should contain information about the event overview, brand guidelines, logistics (date,time and venue), budget and timeline. We will look at these in more detail below.
1. Event overview
The first page of the event brief should cover the core information about the event. These should include:
- The name of the event and the tagline.
- A brief description of the event.
- Its USP. For example, our USP is ‘Central London location, great travel links and a multipurpose space.
- The date and time of the event.
- The venue and location.
- The website URL and registration details.
- A list of speakers and sponsors.
- The format of your event, e.g. Is it split over several days or an afternoon?
- Important contacts, team leads and contact details.
The more direct and to the point you can beon this page, the better. This is the section stakeholders will be using most frequently in the run-up to the event, so make sure information can be picked out at a glance.
2. Event objectives
Your brief should also contain your event objectives. By outlining your goals, you can ensure that everyone involved is aligned with the same vision.
To do this, think about why you’re hosting the event. Is it to raise awareness for a cause? To make money through ticket sales? To share knowledge or information? Make this clear at the outset and you will find it much easier to achieve your aim – it will also mean that everyone is working towards the same shared goal.
3. Event target audience & positioning
For your event to be a success, you need people to attend. In order for this to happen, you need a clear idea of whoyour event is for. What is the message you want to get across, and to who?
Making this clear from the start will helpyour event resonate. The more specific you can be, the better. Some events cater to a wide audience, but if you can define this, you can focus marketing activities and messaging to appeal to them – translating into a popular event.
4. Choose the event type
You should have a clear idea of the type of your event and this should be a part of your brief. Each type of event follows a different format, and settling on this at the beginning provides you with a template for planning how it will run. Common types of corporate events include:
- Conferences
- Exhibitions
- Trade show
- Seminars
- Product/service launch
- Team building
- Company parties
5. Event Logistics
You should note down the logistics of your event so everyone can quickly find the information they need. The first things to include are the date and venue. These might seem so central tothe event that they are not worth including, but it’s vital that they can befound by stakeholders quickly and easily.
However, other teams will also need more information when marketing and answering queries, so make sure to also include:
- Venue capacity
- Travel information
- Public transport availability
- Accommodation
- Start and finish times
- Facilities, e.g. food, toilets and drinking water
Including these details confirms you have not overlooked anything and helps ensure your event runs smoothly.
6. Event timelines/schedules
Not all events will have a rigid timeline. For example, book launches are likely to be much more free-flowing without aset structure. It is important to get the balance right so people do not feel they are rushing from place to place to meet a schedule, but also that there are not large gaps in the event.
However it’s structured, it’s worth building in some breathing room between sessions just in case things overrun or people need to move from one space to another.
As an example, your event timeline might look like this:
- 8 am: Registration opens
- 9:30 am: First speaker
- 10:30 am: Breakout session
- 11 am: Second Speaker
- 12:30 pm: Lunch
- 1:30 pm: Third speaker
- 2:30 pm: Breakout session
- 3 pm: Fourth speaker
- 4 pm: Breakout session
- 4:30 pm: Closing speech
- 5 pm: Refreshments and networking
- 7 pm: Event ends
7. Budgets
Setting your budget at the start of the planning process means you have limits to keep your event within from the outset. This helps with resource allocation and avoids overspending.
You can link to a document with a granular budget for the whole event, but your brief should include an overview of key areas. These include things like the venue, catering, transport, marketing and entertainment. Accompany these with a rough payment schedule and any financial considerations that need to be taken into account.
8. Marketing and promotion
As you have already decided on your target audience, you can start promoting your event with them in mind. Marketing should also take into account things like the location and budget, as these will dictate how and where you promote your event.
You do not need to include the full marketing plan, but a brief outline of the strategy, important messaging, KPIs,the channels you will be using and any partnerships should be present.
Targeting the right people will lead tobetter sales, attendance and engagement, so this is a crucial step for your event’s success.
9. Measurement and evaluation
We have already talked about how setting outyour expectations and KPIs makes it easier to evaluate the success of yourevent. Set out how you’re going to capture this and how you’re going to use thedata. For example, will you use an attendee survey? If so, make it clear when and how it will be distributed.
It’s also a good idea to decide on the metrics you will be measuring at this stage, such as attendance, sales orattendee opinion. This ensures that the important KPIs will be reported on –giving you an accurate picture of success and a good idea of what should be improved next time you hold an event and how to do it.
If you are looking to book a conference meeting or exhibition in London there are lots of reasons to use Cavendish Venues:
- Conference Venues in the West End of London and the City
- Seating from 2 – 350 delegates
- No Venue more than a 5 min walk from a major Underground Station
- Market Leading Green Credentials
Get in touch now on 0207 706 7700 or enquiries@cavendishvenues.com
