A guide to organising an event that works
Organising an event is often complex and stressful, particularly as the number of attendees grows. Private event or company event, the goal is the same: create value for the people who show up.
For organisers4 min read
This guide will help you save not only on costs, but on the time the organising itself eats up.
1. Start from strategy: what do you want to achieve?
Before you contact a single supplier or look at a venue, lay the groundwork:
- Set the objective: networking? Motivating the team? Celebrating a milestone?
- Be clear about the audience: top management, the whole company, or external clients?
- Match the format to the message: a formal conference, or an informal day built around an experience?
- Pin down the budget: always allow an extra 15% margin. If the number is not yours to decide, insist on a precise one. Without a clear budget you cannot run the event well, and you cannot negotiate effectively with suppliers.
Your starting requirements
Write down a list of basic requirements. You will be dealing with several suppliers, so being extremely clear is essential.
Golden rule
When you send requirements to suppliers, be precise and never vague. The clearer you are, the fewer exchanges you need and the sooner the quotes arrive. Never leave room for interpretation.
An example requirements table
Use this outline as a starting point to share with your suppliers:
| KPI | Requirement | Notes / comments |
|---|---|---|
| Attendees | 50 | Could rise to 70 |
| Period | April, May, September | Weekends only |
| Duration | 3 nights | 5 people will stay only 2 nights |
| Accommodation | Mix of double and triple rooms | Full board |
| Meeting rooms | 2 rooms, 25 people each | Setup: screen, 2 microphones, 1 computer |
| Coach / transfer | 1 coach for 50 people | Allow for a second small coach if numbers rise |
| Team building | 2 half-day activities | Accessible to disabled participants |
| Bike rental | 20 bikes | Could rise to 25 |
2. Budget: saving without losing quality
Costs creep up far too easily. Track every expense, for instance in a dedicated spreadsheet. Here is practical advice for the line items that come up most often:
| Item | Advice |
|---|---|
| Venue | Favour low season and weekdays, avoiding weekends. Consider venues in other regions: the saving may well cover the travel. |
| Food & beverage | Go for a buffet for meals and drink packages for the bar. Choose local, seasonal menus. |
| Staging | Use materials you can reuse. |
| Speakers | Bring in internal speakers or valued clients instead of external professionals. |
| Team building | Choose the activities yourself: cutting out the venue's or the agency's intermediation removes their mark-up. |
| Agencies and tour operators | Use them only where you must. Their mark-up is often between 35% and 40%. |
| Sponsors | Bring partners in by offering visibility in exchange for money or in-kind services, catering for example. |
Golden rule
Never leave it to the last minute: plan 4 to 5 months ahead. The more time you have, the more negotiating power you hold over flights, hotels and suppliers. And remember: with any supplier, always negotiate.
Other general advice
- Internal communication: plan how you will handle sign-ups, save the dates, reminders and post-event feedback. Free tools such as Google Forms, SurveyMonkey, Typeform or Tally do the job.
- Accessibility: check parking, public transport, architectural barriers and facilities for disabled attendees.
- Food: collect information on intolerances and allergies well in advance.
- Plan B: if you have outdoor activities, always have an alternative ready for rain.
- Comparison: always ask for at least 4 or 5 different quotes for every service.
- Tracking: monitor everything. If you do not have a tool of your own, use the spreadsheet template we provide.
Where Eveo comes in
That point about comparison — four or five quotes per service — is exactly the work Eveo removes: pick the category, filter by region and by what you need, and ask for the quote from there.
The documents behind this guide
The guide points to a file for keeping track of costs — here it is, along with the guide itself as a PDF. Direct download, no sign-up.
- Download the PDF guide
PDF · 4 pages · 232 KB
- Download the spreadsheet
XLSX · 4 sheets · 208 KB
Keep reading
For organisers
How to choose the venue for a company event: the checklist professionals use
Objectives, real capacity, setting, the six questions to ask a venue, what to check on the site visit and how to compare quotes fairly: a checklist for choosing the venue of a company event.
For organisers
Wedding or private party: how to build the budget and where you actually save
How to build the budget for a wedding or a private party: the cost items in proportion, where to cut without spoiling the day, the three-quotes rule and a month-by-month timeline.
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