The Ultimate Event Planning Checklist

Organizing a high-profile event whether it’s a company gala, a fashion show, or a national conference attended by thousands, requires both big-picture thinking and attention to the smallest of details.

To be a presenter at a large conference is a goal of many people in order to grow their profile, authority, and businesses. Firefly Junction is a boutique public relations and communications agency in York Region that specializes in elevating brands…
 

Every event planner has their own system and approach to project managing the big event. Here’s our checklist for flawless execution. 

 
 

STRATEGIC PLANNING 

  • Goals and objectives 

  • Event concept and scale 

  • Timelines, milestone setting and event date

  • Budgets, registration fees and resources 

  • PR and communication preparation

  • Event chair, teams and committees 

  • Identify and confirm speakers and sponsors

 

SYSTEMS PLANNING 

  • Registration and ticketing 

  • Record keeping plan

  • Document sharing  

  • Booking platform

  • Vendor protocol

  • Reporting system

 

OPERATIONS PLANNING 

  • Finalize budgets and timelines

  • Roles and responsibilities

  • Project planning software

 

EVENT PLANNING

  • Venue and site surveys

  • Vendors, catering and audio visual 

  • Contracts, logistics and staffing

  • Security, health and safety

  • Event run sheets

  • Team meeting schedules 

  • Presentation content and asset preparation

  • Speaker bio’s, photos, riders 

  • Travel and accommodation arrangements, room drops 

  • Set up and enable online registration

  • Sponsorship packages and levels

  • Insurance, underwriting risk 

  • Attendee survey systems

  • Mobile event apps 

  • Attendance tracking technology

  • Check in, registration, badging

  • Event team communication technology

  • Day before event walk through

  • Event day team meet ups 

Every event planner has their own system for planning and executing events. Here at Firefly Junction PR & Marketing we only work with the best suppliers.
Event conferences are a big part of our event services at Firefly Junctions, located in the Aurora Newmarket area. We handle all the planning, marketing, public relations, and post event wrap-up for businesses in Toronto and across the GTA.
Gala events are a small part of the services we provide at the Firefly Junction, a boutique PR & Marketing Agency in Aurora Newmarket, Ontario.
 
 

CONTINGENCY PLANNING

  • Venue change, alternate keynote speaker, loss of records or data 

  • Emergencies, terror attack, death, accident, loss of essential service, fire

  • Venue safety protocol and procedures 

  • Low attendance, senior executive changes, event team changes

 

MARKETING PLANNING 

  • Theme, concept, tagline, key messages, positioning

  • Brand and visual identity

  • Communications and social media planning

  • Microsites, social media platforms, cover photos, social campaigns

  • Print collateral including tickets, postcards, flyers, postcards, billboards, banners, wraps, decals, vehicles, selfie backdrops

  • Digital asset production 

  • Advertising traditional, online, advertorial

  • Media partner and agreements

 

PR PLANNING

  • Media relations and outreach, media kits 

  • Media advisories, press releases

  • Crisis communication preparation

  • Press conference prep, step and repeat backdrop, pool feed 

  • Interview set up and coordination

  • Influencer alignments

  • Executive talking points and interview preparation

  • Media monitoring and editorial coverage tracking

  • Event pressroom 

  • Government and stakeholder relations

 

POST EVENT PLANNING 

  • Take down schedule and team 

  • Event debrief and post mortem

  • Expense wrap up and final reporting

  • Thank you’s

Large scale event planning can be daunting and for good reason - a misstep can have significant repercussions to brand and reputation. When in doubt, partner with a PR pro that can help pull it all together. 

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