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5 Do’s and Don’ts of Event Planning

by Pritika Pau, Virtual Assistant and Event Planner, Versatility Virtual Assistant Services


Hey, I’m Pritika, a versatile VA and Event Planner! I’ll be coming up to two years in my VA journey and have over seven years of experience planning events! At VersatilityVAS I provide small business owners, entrepreneurs and solopreneurs with admin services, social media services and event planning solutions. I can also plan social events. My favourite task to work on is platform management (Zoom, Kajabi and Salesforce so far) and my least favourite task is anything to do with numbers – the reason why I did English at University! 


My favourite events to organise are conferences and gala dinners. My least favourite must be tradeshows. 


Event planning isn’t easy, it can get stressful and have a lot of moving parts so it’s easy to forget many things. But they are a great way to become visible. Pretty much every Industry from medical to education incorporate events into their business objectives to sell, network, build relationships and collaborate. So here are 5 do’s and don’ts of event planning that can help you along the way! 


DO = Have an Event Vision

I can’t stress how important it is to have a clear Event Vision. An Event Vision helps you, your team, and suppliers understand the overall objectives for the event. Here are some things to think about: 

  • What type of event do you want to plan?

  • Who are your attendees and why should they attend?

  • What type of venue and feel are you going for?

  • How long will the event last (times and days)?

  • How do you want your attendees to feel and take away from the event?


DON’T = Forget about your budget.

Your event budget is your guide. But I can also guarantee that it will change as you start planning your event. Your budget gives you your starting point. As you start planning your event, it will help you understand how much and where you should spend X amount of funds without compromising on the quality of your event. And it also allows you to keep track of the funds you have. 


DO = Communicate and keep everyone in the loop.

One of the main reasons an event can fail is because of no communication or a miscommunication. It sounds so simple but easier said than done. Make sure you keep all your suppliers and venues in the loop. Something simple like the number of mics needed for a session can make or break an event.


DON’T  = Underestimate the power of teamwork.

Trust me, again a simple thing to do but easier said than done. For event planners, the event is like their baby! Only they know the whole event properly but often forget that they cannot be at two places at the same time. That’s where your team comes in. Like everything else in business and life, delegation is the key to the success of an event. Delegate and trust your team and their capabilities. 


DO = Get feedback at the end of your event.

This is something (me included) many event planners forget to do! At the end of the event, our social batteries are drained, and we just want to sleep, so the idea of asking and chasing people for feedback is a task in itself. Better yet, allocate this task to one of your team members. But getting feedback is crucial to understanding what went well and what needs to be improved for future events.


And an extra pro tip: DON’T = Forget about attendee experience!

Things like accessibility to the venue and in the venue, the room set-up, the food, the entertainment, the networking areas and the overall vibe of the event. This is what attendees and guests remember the most!


In Conclusion

Planning an event is all about teamwork, research and connections. But it’s also about being flexible and adapting to each situation and task with a clear but open mind. No event is perfect, and it doesn’t matter how much planning goes into it, something will always go wrong but it’s how you tackle that challenge that counts. 


If you need any help with tackling an event challenge you are facing, then my 60 min Event SOS session might just be for you. Let’s chat and discuss solutions on how to overcome your event challenge!


More about Pritika at VersatilityVAS, www.versatilityvas.co.uk

I’m a VA from Buckinghamshire but moved to the UK when I was nine from Kenya. Before I became a VA, I worked as an event coordinator for corporate organisations planning events for up to 500 attendees nationally and globally. I’ve been planning events for the last seven to eight years. The skills I gained while event planning gave me the opportunity to start my VA business. My mission is to assist my clients with their workload, one task at a time so they can dedicate their time to grow and succeed not only in business but in life too!

My favourite part of being a business owner is building relationships. I’m a people-person and I love to learn from others within the industry and on different parts of life. 

You can find me on social media by following one of the below: 




This blog was prepared by Pritika Pau in their personal capacity. The opinions expressed in this blog are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Kayleigh Johnstone or COZ PR.


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