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4 Steps to a smooth Christmas Event

The lead up to Christmas can be quite hectic, especially when you are planning a special Christmas function. With so many elements to an event, it’s important to remember how crucial your audiovisual needs are to the event’s success. Keeping in contact with your AV Event Coordinator in the week leading up to your Christmas event will ensure everything runs smoothly on the day.

Here are four tips for ensuring your Christmas function goes smoothly:

Hand digital content and run sheets over

You have spent countless hours preparing incredible content to display throughout your Christmas function. In the week before the event, hand the content over to your AV Event Coordinator and their team who will test your content and ensure it performs as expected. Leaving the content to the day of the event and discovering that the file does not open or play correctly on the screen is a pitfall nobody wants. Checking this a few days out ensures that any corrections can be made in time.

Put your entertainment in touch with the audiovisual team

If you booked any live performers such as a band, it is a great idea for them to touch base with the audiovisual company before the event. This ensures that they can discuss equipment requirements, stage set-up, sound-check and anything else that will ensure smooth transitions between event audio, speeches and live music.

Finalising floor plans

Finalising the floor plans locks in the layout of your event space and ensures correct catering for the event. Confirm the final numbers — particularly on large events, confirm any dietary requirements, check floor plans and make any changes to the room layout. If you have assigned seating, discuss how seating charts can be displayed; if this will be digital supply the media content.

Have a walk-through with your AV Event Coordinator

Your AV Event Coordinator is your contact for all aspects of your audiovisual needs, and it is important to schedule a walk-through with them if possible. If time and geography permits, this face-to-face meeting is when you have an opportunity to see your event space and make any last-minute requests or changes to audiovisual needs or setup and have a final review of the digital content.

About Ritchie Harland

Ritchie Harland is the Partner at Novotel Sunshine Coast Resort for AVPartners, an unrivalled provider of fully integrated event solutions to premier conferencing and event venues in Australia. AVPartners delivers superior technical production and audiovisual technology, tailored event design and styling, with teams of highly-skilled industry professionals. www.avpartners.com

Originally published in Business Events News publication 26th November 2019 for the column ‘Partner Up’.

How long does it take to plan an event?

Planning events takes a lot of organisation, effort and time. It’s best to start as early as possible and give yourself a checklist so you don’t miss important elements. Lists and spreadsheets will become your best friends. Always make sure you have contingency plans in place for things like unexpected weather or a speaker not being able to present.

Below is a general timeline of some common event tasks that may help you plan your next event. Remember that every event is different, even those held at the same venue, so it’s important to work out a plan that suits your needs.

6-12 months before the event

  • Establish the event goals and objectives
  • Select a date and choose a venue
  • Get cost estimates and create a budget
  • Identify speakers and/or entertainers
  • Seek out and contact sponsors or partners for the event

3-6 months before the event

  • Promote the event through the appropriate channels; for e.g. social media, radio, TV, newspapers
  • Establish the audiovisual plan and equipment needed with your AV provider
  • Finalise arrangements for speakers and/or entertainers
  • Confirm if the venue requires any permits and confirm access for guests such as parking

2 months before the event

  • Send reminders to the attendee list
  • Follow up with sponsors or event partners
  • Release announcements about VIPs or keynote speakers to the media

1 week before the event

  • Do a final registration check of names
  • Brief your team and volunteers about their event duties
  • Finalise the seating plan
  • Inform the caterer of final numbers
  • Make copies of any speeches, videos or presentations
  • Identify where photo opps and interview opportunities will be

1 day before the event

  • Ensure all signage is in place
  • Do an audiovisual test
  • Ensure registration and guest tables are prepared or decorated
  • Ensure all promotional items or gifts are on site

The day of the event

  • Have copies of all important documents, phone numbers, information and seating charts for the event team
  • Ensure the event is running to plan and manage any issues as they arise
  • Enjoy the event and the work you have put into it!

After the event

  • Send thank you notes or emails to attendees and sponsors
  • Post event photos on social media
  • Conduct a post event evaluation to assess the event’s success against your initial goals and objectives

Your event will be much more complex than this snapshot alone. We recommend creating a project plan to ensure transparency on all tasks and to ensure they are completed on time.

Need advice on the timing of AV or staging tasks for your event? Contact us.