Event Planning Checklist To Prepare For Events [Perfect Guide]

Recently updated on June 20th, 2024

Why Is An Event Planning Checklist A Game Changer

Planning to attend an event or trade show without an event planning checklist can be stressful for many.

This is due to the endless amount of preparation that it takes to ensure everything goes smoothly.

But the truth is that sometimes there are small things that get overlooked and lead to you rushing at the last minute!

Is there a solution to all this madness?

Lucky for you, we have created an event planning checklist to ensure nothing gets missed at your next event.

It allows you to prepare for things before, during, and even after your event.

But let’s first jump into some reasons why preparing for your event can be a game changer to boost your business or company to the next level!

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What Event Are You Planning to Attend?

This is where it should all begin, knowing for sure that you are going to attend an event and the timer has started to tick.

This question is important since no two events are the same.

So, what event are you planning to attend?

The two most essential factors when asking this question is whether the event is indoors or outdoors.

Indoor events usually have restrictions as to height limitations, product restrictions, and space available to use.

Outdoor events are a bit more lenient when it comes to height restrictions, and most of the time the available space is larger as well.

But depending on whether your event is indoors or outdoors, you will also need to take into consideration which products you will be able to use.

Event Planning Checklist For Before The Show

What’s your budget?

Knowing the response to this question will prevent you from throwing money at the wall and hoping that it will stick.

There are many things to take into account when deciding your budget, and how far it allows you to go?

The initial costs of reserving a spot at an event will most likely be the biggest charge.

But here are some other things to take into consideration:

• Flight Tickets
• Hotel Room or Airbnb
• Transportation Service or Car Rental
• Food Expenses
• Custom Printed Event Products
• Trade Show Booth Setup
• Shipping Costs

Make sure not to overspend on unnecessary services or items such as oversized cars, bigger rooms than needed, or luxurious dinners unless necessary to build up business or earn clients.

Once you have your budget set after assuming all these costs, think to yourself, “what are the possible ROI’s (return on interest) from attending this event?”.

Think of this as an investment, to help you grow your business, gain new clients, or even share with others what your company can do to help them.

Attending An Indoor Trade Show Event?

Are there any restrictions on the type of products you can take?

What is your booth space?

Where in the convention are you located, and how can you adapt to gain more traffic to your booth?

Going through your event planning checklist to make sure you have answers to all these questions will prevent any last-minute surprises.

For example, most indoor events prevent your booth from being above a specific height, will your custom booth be within those regulations?

Look into the restrictions because this will allow you to know whether what your company sells will be okay to take to show your audience.

Showing your physical items will always be better than just providing information to your clients, it allows them to test quality, see the design, and test them out on the spot instead of leaving it up to the imagination.

If your business is based around food, check to see if you will be able to provide samples and if you will need to rent any additional equipment to prepare those samples.

Use your event planning checklist to cross off everything you have done and keep track of the steps you still need to take.

Event Planning Checklist For Outdoor Events

Outdoor events are great to attend, but make sure to go through your event planning checklist to ensure you’re prepared.

While outdoor events are less strict as to what you are able to use for your trade show booth or present at your booth for your customers, they have some challenges of their own.

Have you checked the weather?

The last thing you want is to get to your event and realize that you will be miserable the whole time because you didn’t dress for the weather.

Will it be hot or cold?

Always be prepared, if the weather is going to be hot, then make sure that your booth provides plenty of shade for your employees and guest.

If possible, get some fans and even an igloo with cold waters.

Attending an outdoor event during the winter, get space heaters and enclose your booth to prevent strong winds from blowing your items away.

Event Planning Day-Of Checklist

Once you are at your event, you need to double-check all the items you have taken with you.

If you think of additional items that could have helped you during your event, write them down, so you don’t forget next time.

Double-check all your custom displays for your booth made it to the show safe and undamaged.

A day of event planning checklist is just as important, since this is where the real heavy lifting begins.

Exchange as much information with your audience while they are in your booth.

Show them how you can be of service to them and explain the purpose of your business.

Entice them to ask questions by showing them examples, samples, videos, or even pictures.

Give them an experience that they will remember and make them want to reach back out to you.

Have a process ready to capture their information such as name, email, and phone number at the very least.

You can do this with a simple pen and paper or using your phone or computer.

Strike conversations and make yourself known, this will help you grow your business by promoting what you do and how you can help.

The Show Is Over, What Now?

Now that the event is over, you need to ensure that you get all your products back home safely.

This means preparing them for shipping through the convention or any additional shipping service available in the area.

Once you make it back home, make sure to reach out to all the people you were able to interact with during the show if you were able to exchange contact information.

Ask if they are interested in purchasing some of your items, or if they need any additional information that you can help them with regarding your products.

Following up is just as important as having conversations during your event, this can lead to more sales and better return on your investment.

After everything is done and over with, think back and see what was beneficial about the event.

Think about some other exhibitors at the event, and who was receiving the most traffic?

What were they doing differently?

Learn from your experience and implement changes to make your next event even better!

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Always Use An Event Planning Checklist

Now that you have conquered your first show with your event planning checklist, make sure you take tons of notes of how to make it better!

Attending an event with an event planning checklist is a game-changer.

You will be prepared with everything from start to finish with little to no hassle in between.

This will help you grow your business since you will be on top of everything and allow you to focus on providing a great experience to your trade show booth visitors.