22: Size and Types of Events

 

B A (JMC) (3-YDC), SEMESTER SYSTEM

SEMESTER –IV

SEC III: PUBLIC RELATIONS AND EVENT MANAGEMENT

Unit -2: EVENT MANAGEMENT

LESSON – 2: Size and Types of Events

 

Objectives:

1. Understand the size and types of Events 
2. Learn planning differently for different events
3. Know about various resources that helps manage different events
4. Learn how to apply requirements based on size and types of events
5. Understand the usage of PR & social media tools to get best results.

Introduction

Event management industry is a sector that specializes in planning, organising and executing various types and sizes of events such as Conferences, Meetings, Weddings, Festivals, Trade shows, Product launches, Award ceremonies etc. The industry has grown significantly in recent years with more companies and individuals seeking professional help to plan and execute events. Technology has also played a significant role in the industry with the use of event management software and virtual events becoming more popular.

The events industry has demonstrated remarkable resilience in pivoting to the new normal. In the uncertain post-pandemic business environment, events have gone hybrid. Online events are on the rise, with people gradually warming up to in-person events again. 95% of marketers believe in in-person or physical events as critical for business success. This industry is expected to continue growing with a projected global value of over $1.5 trillion by 2025.

In this lesson we are going to deal with the size of events, types of events and the importance of understanding their nature together with role of Public Relations.

Importance of understanding size and types of events:

Events play a significant role in our lives, in bringing people together for various purposes and create memorable experiences.  From personal functions to social gatherings, conferences, cultural events, educational webinars etc. Events have now become integral part of human society. Social gatherings are to strengthen the relationships with friends, acquaintances, knowns and unknowns, celebrating special occasions.

Event types can be separated into corporate, private and charity. Corporate events focus on business and customers, whereas private events are more recreational and charity events are for philanthropy purposes. The best corporate events have concrete and achievable goals associated with them, which makes sense given the cost and amount of planning that goes into each one. Every event has its exclusiveness and importance.  One single rule may not apply to another. We would have seen and participated in different events in our neighbourhood or in public places. Every event has its own outlook and needs.

It is important to know, understand and equip oneself to cater to various requirements of an event and plan it appropriately because an event can be a public event, community event or personal event. Whatever is the event, the planning and execution differs. It is also important to know the size of events of any corporate programmes like conferences, seminars, employee activities, etc, or recreational activities for children and adults, marriages, launch of audio releases, announcements of a movie release, product or service promotional activities, baby shower, picnics, tours to name a few.

An event planner may be overwhelmed and confused with different types of events. Each event has its own unique purpose, target audience, and desired outcomes, making it crucial for organizers to grasp the subtle nuances that distinguish one kind of event from another. Understanding these differences is essential to ensure that the events are planned and executed effectively and successfully to meet the objectives and expectations of not only clients but also the attendees.  Every event has a different objective or goal, and as the organizer, it is important to understand each subtle nuance to ensure that the events organized are considered a success. Events are either smaller and larger. Sizes differ from budget to budget. Types and sizes of events go hand in hand.

Size of events:

Events can be small or big depending on their nature and purpose. Small events are for targeted audience or personal invitees whereas big events are for larger gatherings and for information to the general public.

Small events

• Weddings and Anniversaries
• Engagements
• Community events
• Baby showers
• Personal parties & Birthdays
• Office meetings and Team outings
• Retreats

Weddings and Anniversaries: These are family events that target audiences are the families and friends. These events require a wedding planner who can cater to the needs of the wedding, like creative ideas from rituals, catering, venues for wedding or reception or anniversary.  Also the pavilions, receiving them, transport, accommodating the guests, the families of bride and grooms, the clothes they need, gifts, photography and videography. It doesn’t stop here. The entire event coverage is recorded and made a digital and physical album for the two families to recall or share with friends. For an event manager, sometimes, such events are quite a money.  Pre-wed shootings also require logistics like venue, properties, photographers and videographers and this event also needs a better management.

Engagements: For this event also, all rules and logistics are same as in the case of wedding and anniversary. It begins from match making. The parents of bride and groom upload their requirements on websites like Bharat matrimony and the like for suitable alliance on payment of some amount of money towards matching charges. Once the suitable alliance comes in, the same website allows their own planners to get in touch with the two parties to works out ideal event plans.

Community events: Gated communities organise important days like New year; festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi and Holi; national days like Independence Day and Republic Day etc and celebrate them together. The community hires an event manager to plan and execute these events appropriately. For example, to organise Ganesh Chaturthi, money goes into setting a stage, installing an idol, arranging a priest, performing daily Pooja, people’s participation, preparation and distribution of prasadam, immersion into a waterbody on the last day, etc. Similarly, when there is a final match of Cricket, the community spends money to put a wide screen with projector in an open place within premises for the residents to watch and enjoy.

Baby shower: Today’s trend is to picture every moment in life, making the memory more beautiful by way of videos and photos. Photographer does the magic with his lens. A venue is selected to shoot the event and candid pictures are shot. Pre-event and post-event pictures are considered as precious for the party.  

Personal/birthday parties: These are very personal to the host. It is a very small gathering to spend some time together. Host hires event managers to entertain the gathering with their games and entertainments from mimicry to singing and dancing. Small gifts are distributed. Event managers hold all responsibilities in organising the event.

Office meetings/Team outings: The corporates engage event managers to organise an outbound for the employees for a day or two, where they spend time in understanding themselves. Corporates help employees for their inner engineering. In today’s corporate life, one does not find time to spare for their physical and mental wellbeing. This leads to stress and depression amongst employees. Corporates believe in employee retention as an important aspect. So they organise such events to give their employees a break from the routine. Therefore, they spend some extra penny on them. This has opened another window for the event managers to pitch in. Such events are carefully planned so that participants detox mentally, completely. This helps the employers to retain good talents.

Retreats: This happens in specific venues. This can be a smaller group of people or community who look for a place where they do nothing. The venue provides organic food, walking inside the thick plantations or forest like venues. Learn more about nature and enjoy. Mostly such events are organised in Farm houses. Such venues are booked through summer. Event managers leave no stone unturned in facilitating anything and everything under the sun.

Large Events: Large events or Major events are :

• Public Rallies and Meetings
• Exhibitions, Expos and Trade Shows
• Product launches
• Corporate events and Conferences
• Appreciations and Acknowledgments
• Fundraising activities

Let us discuss these major events in detail.

1. Public Rallies/Public Meetings: Normally such events take place in political scenario, health marathons etc. The target audiences are public at large. Those with common interests gather at such events. Gathering will be in thousands. Event managers are expected to run the show with all facilities and without any causalities. From pavilions to barricades, the event managers organise everything. These types of events are held to create an awareness of any social concern or political concern.  Convening a public event requires establishing clear goals for the event and careful design of a process to bring people together to reach the desired goals. The process of convening, while often initiated by an individual, can be more effective when handled through the work of a group. Public rallies are generally peaceful, energetic, passionate, and a meaningful way for the community to unite and raise awareness about a particular concern or issue. A well-organized rally or march communicates a movement’s message clearly and accurately to the intended recipients and the broader public. They are the means to assert empowerment and to influence decision makers. It is one of many tools at the disposal of people and incorporates other tools like petition gathering, storytelling, generating media, and building partnerships.
2. Exhibitions/Expos/Trade shows: Whether it is a general exhibition of all kinds of stall, game points, eat points and stoppings or any specific industrial trade exhibitions where companies in the same business exhibit their products in a common venue to showcase the uniqueness of their own products, general public and industry enthusiasts are the target audiences. These events take place over a period of time. The footfall per day during these events are in thousands. Participating in these trade shows, trade fairs and international exhibitions and conferences can help reach out the targeted audience, promote and expand the business substantially. A trade show is a business event where companies in a specific industry gather to showcase and promote their latest products and services. The attendees at these events include representatives from companies, distributors, resellers, suppliers, members of the industry and media, in addition to general public.
3. Product launches: A product launch refers to the process of introducing a new product or service to the market. It involves various activities and strategies aimed at creating awareness, generating interest, and driving sales for the newly launched product. Companies manufacture new products or add to the running business, choose a day to launch the new ones expecting a huge turnout. It is important to keep the sales point ready and quick in action to disburse the products if there is any need. There will be stage presence by the company’s representatives. The media is also invited. Therefore, for more visibility, a formal press release and pictures pertaining to the event are sent out to media for a coverage. It is the responsibility of the event manager to report coverages to the client the next day to measure the return on investment (ROI). There are three main types of product launching events: (1) Creation of a new product (2) Adding brand new features to the existing product and (3) Support and maintenance to the existing product. These things result from and aim at market research, product development, marketing strategy, advertising campaigns, public relations efforts, sales training, distribution planning, and post-launch evaluation.
4. Corporate events/Conferences: Corporate event planners have to connect the dots between specific business objectives and event types. Trying to sort out what types of events are best for achieving the organization’s unique goals can be challenging since there are so many options to choose from. These Corporate events namely conferences and seminars are organised on a major scale where relevant functionaries are the invitees and participants. It is not easy for a corporate planner to put things together. Large-scale events present unique challenges. It is not a cake walk for event managers. They require an extra measure of planning, coordination, and event management grit. Not everyone in any event management company or its client’s organization will have the same sense of urgency. But to pull off a massive event, everyone needs to share the same goal and orient in the same direction. Otherwise, important budget approvals and last-minute decisions may not get addressed promptly. It needs a team work with those who can handle creative stuff and unique ideas, venue, possible speakers etc.
5. Appreciations/Acknowledgements: These are notable corporate events to encourage its employees and partners in the business. The corporate announces incentives as an encouragement. Incentives are aimed at rewarding the best employees, staffs, distributors, dealers, stockists and even customers sometimes. Here, these people are taken to a trip, make them enjoy and award them. Sometimes a formal program also takes place. Sometimes, families of employees are also included in the celebration. Some corporates offer jobs to spouses. It is all a form of appreciating the hard work of the employees and acknowledging their performance in the presence of others concerned.
6. Fund raising activities: Certain activities are taken up to raise funds for a social cause with a sense of giving back to the society.  Bureaucrats, stars, influencers and celebrities take interest in joining the cause.  It could be a cancer awareness event, heart specific awareness event, obesity awareness, general wellness. Fund raised from such events go to the organisations that provide the required treatment to those who cannot afford. Fundraising event ideas have become a staple in many organizations as a way to help with fundraising event planning to create an entertaining and engaging experience for the donors. In fact, each type of fundraising event idea will attract a different demographic. A fundraising event is an event designed to raise awareness and donations for an organization’s mission. A fundraising event can be a concert, silent auction, half marathon, neighbourhood cookout and more. Non-profit, not for profit NGOs use fundraising events to raise money to fuel their missions. Events allow donors and other community members to actively engage with the events.

Managing Different Types of Events:

The Event Management Process is a systematic approach that helps event organisers from idea generation to execution. It encompasses all the phases and methods employed to design and execute a truly impressive, successful occasion. This process is like a blueprint that provides a detailed framework for coordination, creativity and control. These are the needs in event management process.

1. Clear objectives: Outlining clear goals and objectives for the event, setting a direction for planning and execution.
2. Understand the audience: Identifying and understanding the target audience to tailor the event experience and engagement strategies accordingly.
3. Strategic Planning: Developing a comprehensive plan covering logistics, budgeting, and promotional strategies with the event purpose.
4. Logistical coordination: Ensuring meticulous coordination of all logistical aspects, including venue selection, vendor collaboration and technical requirements.
5. Post-event evaluation: Conducting a thorough evaluation post event, gathering feedback and analysing key performance indicators to identify areas for improvement in future events.

Planning for different events:

Event planning has significantly evolved in the wake of the pandemic. Whether planning an online webinar, a large in-person corporate tradeshow, or an internal employee workshop, the rules around planning an event have changed. Attendee needs and expectations differ substantially based on their location, age and industry, as well as many other elements. Needs of events based on venue and city differ. The importance of a good event management becomes critical in a digital environment where delegates demand personalized and mobile-first experiences.

Every event starts with a plan, whether it is an online training session, executive workshop, sales webinar, offline charity gala, or destination wedding. Planning for the event starts when it is just an idea and includes:

• Interacting closely with the client to execute their vision for the event.
• Outlining the overall event theme.
• Finalizing the budget.
• Selecting the event location and accommodating the participants.
• Finding the right event partners, vendors, and suppliers.
• Organizing the event agenda, including laying out the speaker line-up, scheduling timings, and setting up contracts.
• Ensuring seamless coordination between the client, organizer, event planner, vendors, sponsor representatives, and other third-party agencies

Various resources that help manage events: 

Putting every resource to action is event management. Every event whether small or large needs a master plan for resources. First in the list is Audience. Once this is clear then comes the Purpose of the events, then the Concept of event. These three are the three musketeers of every event. Once these three are clear, a master plan of events can be had. The resources are venue, infrastructure, design, concept, logistics, tent requirements, photo and videographer, DJs, master of ceremonies, stage decorations, lights, podium, mikes, projector etc. Event management is considered a project management. Resource planning tool is a project manager’s secret weapon. With them, project managers can select the right resource for the right task, ensure that their projects have enough capacity, and help plan future projects with precision. Resources are anything used to get a project and its tasks done - ranging from people to machines, meeting rooms to computer software. That means the best resource planning tools must accommodate diverse scheduling requirements, while also adapting to many diverse needs. When planning resources, need to create a singular, systematic overview of a resources’ skills, projects, availability, manpower and location. 

Requirements based on size and types of events:

Allocating right resources to the right event is very important. This process requires, preliminary preparations for successful completion. Resources allocation in event management is the process of assigning and distributing various kinds of resources to various tasks and challenges within the project.  The aim is to ensure that the right resources are available at the right time to complete the tasks effectively and manage possible constraints. Depending upon the audiences, size and budget resources are pooled in. If it is a small event, for example, in-house training programme, parties etc., the barest minimum facilities are required. If it is a larger event, facilities like parking, barricades, tokens, power backup, generator are the essentials.

PR & Social Media tools:

Good PR and a bad event will still survive, but good event without PR will not survive. Event management depends on its PR team to promote their business. Public Relations helps in networking with people connected with any event. Interaction with vendors, audiences, media requires specialised skills. PR helps in creating required visibility using traditional media and digital media. Public Relations helps not only in attracting customers, media or the stake holders, but also works hand in hand in creativity, concept, marketing and branding. PR not only manages the process of conveying information from individual or company to its relevant audiences, but also helps building positive image to them. Public Relations works as a bridge between an organisation and its public. PR manages from traditional media to electronic media to digital media and adapts to all the entrants in the business like social media. PR has evolved from just being a bridge between the company to its stake holders, to being a very influential entity in bringing changes in the society. PR is the POC (point of contact) for any business. Media largely depends on PR person to connect with corporate owners, government officials, celebrities or any decision makers. It is the backbone of any event. PR helps all departments of an Organisation, even in the event management company.

Analysing the events:

Every individual event gives an opportunity to learn from mistakes. Therefore, it is important to analyse the events after it is completed. Checking the budget allocation if it is properly used, if logistics and plans were handled well, if the data of audience is collected, if the attendees were properly taken care of etc are very important. These experiences will speak volumes about ability of the event manager.  Analysis of impact of the event increases the experience. An event report, also known as a post-event report or event summary is a document that gathers all the success metrics and other data to illustrate the performance of the event. The event report serves as the official follow-up with stakeholders namely company executives, partners, speakers, sponsors to communicate the level at which the goals and objectives of the event were met. It will ultimately help stakeholders calculate their ROI, as well.

Event summaries typically offer insights about:

• Number of attendees and registrations
• Attendees data
• Attendee demographics
• Most popular content/activity
• Attendee behaviour
• Media and Social media reach
• Expenses Vs. Revenue.

It is important to demonstrate success to the client for engaging the event management company for the event, having put time and resources into launching an event that has been months in the making. Internal stakeholders will want to know if the event is worth the money spent on it. An event report paints a complete image of the ROI for a company, with actual numbers, graphs and tables. 

Summary:

An event is considered successful when the size and types of events are equally facilitated with right resources. Events are of two types – Big events and Small events. Big events also called Larger events are normally major events or hallmark events. These can be repeated events.  Big events are enormous events that affect the economy globally for example Cricket, Football, Hockey, IFFI etc. They attract global players and bureaucrats that sponsor the events with advertisements and branding. Large events are majorly business meetings, conferences, sports and cultural arts events, marathons, protests and rallies. Local community events and family events are considered as small events.  All events need skilled man power to deal with planning, creatives, ideas, conceptualising an idea, implementing on ground, coordinating, managing resources, supervising of things on stage and off stage, transports, invitees, data collecting, parking, barricades etc Finally, it is overviewing the event along with the team before submitting the post event report to client. This will help in taking note of the loopholes in management, if any; the success rate in completing the project and learnings. Invitees’ feedback is very crucial for the next business of events. Public Relations plays an important role in the event management as it handles information, communication and public perception. Social media can’t be dispensed with while seeking publicity via traditional and digital media channels.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

1. What are small events?
2. What does large events mean?
3. How to distribute resources according to size of events?
4. What are global events?
5. How size of events impact economy?

Model answers to FAQs:

1. Small events depend upon target audiences. They are Wedding, Engagement, Community events, Baby shower, Personal parties, screening of matches, Office meetings, Team outing, Retreats etc. These are close events that targets smaller groups, families and friends. Limited resources are used to satisfy the requirements. The invitees are in small numbers that managing such events is a cake walk to many event managers.  Budget spent is also low compared to bigger events. 
2. Large events call for meticulous planning and execution. More man power is used to manage different departments of the company. They require preplanning and distribution of resources. They are Public Rallies, Public Meetings, Exhibitions, Industrial Trade shows, Product launches, and conferences. It is organised in a larger venue and resources and logistics are pooled in advance. Event managers are expected to run the show with all facilities and without any causalities. From Pavilion to barricades the event managers organises everything. These types of events are organised to create an awareness of any social concern or political concern.
3. Size and types of events will decide requirements of resources. Marriages, birthdays, retreats etc need specific requirements. Based on the budget, event planner will use resources. Similarly, for larger events, team of people will discuss the event, its outreach and audience and then decide the resources for the event. It is important to know the size of events of any corporate programmes like conferences, seminars, employee activities, etc or recreation activities for children and adults, marriages, launch of audio releases, announcements of a movie release, promotional activities, baby shower, picnics, tours to name a few.
4. Global events are mainly sports events like world cup, Olympics, climate change meetings, IFFI, cultural exchange meetings. These events normally are sponsored by big business houses for their advertisements and branding that can translate into future business. It could be global players or the hosting city takes complete control of such events that transfer into a tourism events. Accommodations, hospitality, transport arranged for the participants impact the economy.
5. In addition to the direct impact relating to the event like the hospitality, logistics, accommodation for participating countries, host organisations can use events to stimulate tourism beyond the boundaries of the event, such as extended tourism trips within the city or country. By inviting other countries to participate in the event, the host country receives huge chunk of sponsorships, advertising, ticketing etc thereby impact the economy. 

Multiple choice questions (MCQs):

1.        Size and Types of events help in deciding ______ ________

a. Marketing strategies

b. Branding possibilities

c. Budget requirement

d. Future business

 

2.        Corporate events are _______ ____ ______

a. Personal and private

b. Celebrations and festivals

c. Conferences and seminars

d. Official and personal

 

3.        Every event must have _____ _____ ____ _____

a. Team of good engineers

b. Team of security guards

c. Team of creative staff

d. Team of skilled professionals

 

4.        A corporate reward is recognition for ______ ______

a. Good planner

b. Enthusiastic Coordinator

c. Creative Head

d. Organisation’s Employees

5.        Mega events are______ ____ _______

a. Weddings and Anniversaries

b. Retreats and Birthdays

c. Meetings and Conferences

d. Cricket and FIFA

Key to MCQs: 1. (c) 2. (c)  3. (d)  4. (d) 5. (d)

Glossary:

Hybrid model: It indicates both online and offline events. Normally events take place in a venue where physically it happens. During pandemic people learnt how to use online platform to host an event.  Running an event both online and offline is called hybrid model.

Fund raising: Events organised to create funds to help in charity. These funds are exempted from tax. Corporate organise such events as a corporate social responsibility initiative.

Mega Events: These are eventually larger than life events where counties unite for sports, culture and social causes.

Screening: Preview of any fil, documentary or feature film and sports events. Its showing of any events on a larger screen than television.

Public Relations: It manages the process of conveying information from individual or company to its relevant audiences, and also helps building positive image. Public Relations works as a bridge between an organisation and its concerned public.

Key words: Retention, Mega, Retreat, Logistics, Planner, Hybrid, Economy, Analysis, Public Relations, Social Media

Y. BABJI

Academic Counsellor, Public Relations (since 1989)

AP Open University/Dr BR Ambedkar Open University

Editor, Public Relations Voice 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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