Organizing an event may be an overwhelming task, and if there is no proper organization ahead of time, the turn out might be undesirable. You read a lot about the same thing on how and where to start planning, that it is hard to sift through to find things which you didn’t know yet.
To help you break out from the typical how-to’s and learn something new to make you better in organizing your event, here are few important tips:
Before the event
Make a checklist which includes your objective, budget, logistics, 4 W’s: What is the objective of the event, Who will chair the respective committees and who are the guests, When and Where will be the event. Start with the basic information, the details of each item under your checklist will follow after you have identified the 4 W’s of your event.
Send out your save-the-dates or necessary invitations at least two months before your event. You would want to have an estimated headcount as early as possible to make possible adjustments to your venue seating, catering, or materials like leaflets and giveaway kits. Also consider sending out a print invitation six weeks ahead, and invitations via email or social media once in the remaining three weeks and two days before your event. Don’t forget to thank those who confirmed their attendance, and follow up pending invitations. 
In the registration process, it is important to collect all indispensable data and other information from your guests such as their golf handicap (for golf events), or dietary restrictions (for dinner events). So that organizers can provide necessary attention to your guests needs. Akubo has provided this in our new Events feature where you can easily manage the registration process.
Plan for publicity. Brainstorm all the available media in including marquees, school newsletters, church announcements, and cable and commercial stations. Make a detailed list with names of whom to contact and when. Utilize your existing social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Blogs, or your own website. Be creative in phrasing your invitations and posts.
During the event
Greet and mingle with your guests. Event and lifestyle expert, Collin Cowie gave an advice: “Make sure to walk around from one group to another, introduce people to one another finding their common ground in order for them to get talking to each other.”
After the event
Thank all the appropriate persons who took part in the event, maybe send thank you notes/calls/email to the co-host(s), guests, persons who loaned items, etc. You can also post their photos in your Facebook page or in your website. Do not forget to include the names of the people in the caption of every photo.
Evaluate. Before your event ends, consider giving out a short survey among your participants to get feedback, know how much they enjoyed your event, and see what they think needs to be improved. Meet with your team/committee as well and list down what went well and what didn’t, so you can apply this to your next event planning.
Good luck in organizing your event, it’s time to apply these new tips for a better experience. Do you have your own idea on how to organize your events? We would love to hear from you! – Akubo.com
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This article was written by Kareen Defensor.
Kareen is the team’s communications and research assistant who also works on Akubo’s other projects, including a new, growing resource portal for local nonprofits called NGO:PH.