{"id":23688,"date":"2023-03-20T19:42:27","date_gmt":"2023-03-20T19:42:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/pegasus\/?p=23688&post_type=story"},"modified":"2023-03-28T14:49:04","modified_gmt":"2023-03-28T14:49:04","slug":"how-to-plan-the-nearly-perfect-event","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/pegasus\/how-to-plan-the-nearly-perfect-event\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Plan the (Nearly) Perfect Event"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whether it was the wedding boom of 2022 or Swifties crashing Ticketmaster to purchase more than a record-breaking 2 million concert tickets in a 24-hour span, the demand for events<\/a> is back in a big way.<\/p>\n

So it\u2019s no surprise that UCF\u2019s world-renowned Rosen College\u00a0of Hospitality Management<\/a> is leading the change to help meet\u00a0this demand by equipping professionals with the proper tools and\u00a0knowledge to handle it.<\/p>\n

In Fall 2022, the college \u2014 which has long ranked among the\u00a0top five in the world by ShanghaiRanking \u2014 launched its event\u00a0leadership online master\u2019s program<\/a>, the first of its kind in Florida\u00a0and the second in the U.S.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe events industry is dynamic, exciting and complex,\u201d\u00a0says Associate Professor Jeannie Hahm \u201904MS \u201912PhD<\/strong>, who\u00a0collaborated with lecturer Michelle Holm \u201909MS \u201916PhD<\/strong> and\u00a0Professor Deborah Breiter Terry to develop the new program.\u00a0\u201cEvents come in all shapes and sizes. It is one of the most resilient\u00a0and evolving industries, which was proven during the pandemic.\u00a0This program provides a global perspective, strategic thinking and\u00a0critical thinking skills to use in event planning by combining current\u00a0industry issues and academic research.\u201d<\/p>\n

Students enrolled in the program\u2019s first cohort are mainly event\u00a0professionals with three to five years\u2019 experience who are looking to\u00a0set themselves apart.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis has become like a lot of industries where an undergraduate\u00a0degree is no longer enough for leadership positions,\u201d Hahm says,\u00a0\u201cbut right now employers can only ask for an MBA. We\u2019re going to\u00a0change that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hahm and Holm offer some key pointers that everyday event\u00a0planners can learn from to really knock planning out of the park.<\/p>\n

\n

\"An<\/p>\n

Step 1: Set your goals<\/h2>\n

Every event has goals and objectives. So the\u00a0first step is really to figure out what you or\u00a0your client\u2019s needs are, and use that as a\u00a0guidepost for your planning.
\n\"An<\/p>\n

Step 2: Do your research<\/h2>\n

Get quotes from at least three vendors\u00a0of a similar nature.
\n\"An<\/p>\n

Step 3: Prioritize your budget<\/h2>\n

List all of your expected expenses and rank\u00a0each one in order of importance. \u201cOne is\u00a0I absolutely need to have it. Two is it\u2019d be\u00a0nice to have. Three is it would really make my\u00a0event look or feel great if I had it,\u201d Holm says.\u00a0This will help you figure out where potential\u00a0savings may lie if you need to cut costs.
\n\"An<\/p>\n

Step 4: Plan your timeline<\/h2>\n

Holm says a common hiccup for novice event\u00a0planners is not allocating the proper time\u00a0for each activity in their event. \u201cI always ask\u00a0vendors the question, \u2018How long will it take\u00a0to complete this activity?\u2019 And then when\u00a0you build your schedule, you need to build\u00a0in buffer time to allow for issues to happen,\u00a0because issues will happen. There is never\u00a0a flawless event,\u201d she says.
\n\"An<\/p>\n

Step 5: Be prepared for anything<\/h2>\n

Thinking ahead of time about the potential\u00a0risks that could happen at your event will\u00a0help you be prepared in the moment.\u00a0If a speaker cancels or the bride is stuck in\u00a0traffic, what are you going to do when people\u00a0are waiting for this event to start? \u201cTalk\u00a0to the venue and make sure that they can\u00a0provide some food and drink to help keep\u00a0people occupied,\u201d Holm says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":23896,"template":"","categories":[],"tags":[1614,1615,297],"class_list":["post-23688","story","type-story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-jeannie-hahm","tag-michelle-holm","tag-rosen-college-of-hospitality-management","issues-spring-2023"],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Plan the (Nearly) Perfect Event<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"UCF hospitality experts provide practical tips for event planning and discuss the importance of degrees in the field.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, 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