At every event I’ve ever organized, the people in attendance have shown up wanting to have a good time, and therefore have been pretty forgiving if everything wasn’t 100% perfect. I’m sure that you’ve attended lots of events where everything wasn’t necessarily going according to plan, and you didn’t even realize it! That’s because everyone was having a good time in spite of the glitches. So, strive for excellence, but don’t freak out if something goes wrong – keep breathing, and improvise! It helps if you try to anticipate the potential roadblocks, and formulate a contingency plan to overcome it or work around it.
There are a lot of things that are within your control, but many others that are not. Weather, technology glitches, vendors or others who don’t come through are potential threats to your success. A successful planner plans what she can, and anticipates the rest.
If you’re having an outside event, know what your backup plan will be in case of bad weather. If you’re relying on technology for a presentation, test the system ahead of time, find out if the venue has backup equipment, have a copy of your presentation on a flash drive, and have a handout available for photocopying. Confirm your third-party vendors once, twice, three times if necessary until you’re comfortable that they will be on time and on target with their product or services. And if you’re relying on volunteers, stay in constant contact to measure progress and assign more help if you’re not confident that they’re up to the tasks they’ve been given.
The Show Must Go On!