Know your key objectives and make them your guide.

For every event you ever do, there will be a handful of essential accomplishments that will determine its success (and fewer is always better). Take the time to think them through and write them down. It won’t always be possible to attach a numerical goal, but be as specific as possible; objectives with a numerical value feel more real to everyone involved.

Here are examples of key objectives:

· Get 250 people to attend.

· Attract three media outlets.

· Persuade 20 VIPs to attend (from a list of 50 that you have created).

· Provide a fun evening.

· Make 15 new contacts.

· Boost your reputation as a leader in the local auto industry.

For example, if you are planning a health fair, then your key objectives might be the following:

· Obtain 10 sponsors who provide at least $1000/each.

· Recruit 100 healthcare-related booths.

· Attract 500 people.

· Sell $2000 worth of healthcare supplies.

· Gather 30 new qualified sales leads.

Notice that the objectives reflect a mix of the sorts of results that any successful event would want (such as attendance) and others that are specifically related to your business goals (such as sales). If you don’t think this through, it will be easy to get caught up in the fun of an event and lose sight of its purpose.