When planning any type of large-scale event, it’s key that all the necessary logistics have been thoroughly considered in order to ensure a smooth operation from start to finish.
That’s why, in today’s post, our friends over at Vapester are detailing 4 logistical considerations every event organiser needs to take into account to guarantee a safe, practical and enjoyable experience for all attendees.
DO YOU HAVE THE APPROPRIATE PERMITS?
The less enjoyable side of event planning, permits are nonetheless an obvious necessity – whatever the event. The number and type of permits required will often vary regionally, so it’s always best to check in with your local authorities. As a rule of thumb, however, you’ll require permits regarding the following:
- Copyright and performance rights – If you plan on using music at your event (even if it’s just in the background), you’ll need a permit to ensure the appropriate royalties are being paid
- Excess noise – Whether it’s live music or just a set of lively guests, a permit will be required if your event is likely to exceed noise pollution restrictions
- Tent or scaffolding erection – Local authorities must grant permission before the erection of any structure to ensure it passes safety regulations
- Serving of alcohol – Permits are required to serve alcohol on the premises – usually, this involves both a beer and spirit licence
- Serving of food – Whether you’re serving food yourself or from local vendors, ensure you and any external suppliers have all of the necessary paperwork
HAVE YOU CATERED FOR A DIVERSE AUDIENCE?
Whatever your event, the likelihood is that you’ll have a large variety of different people attending. Of course, you want your event to be inclusive of all your guests, so ensuring you remain versatile is key.
First off, consider dietary requirements. If your event is offering any kind of food service, whether that be in-house catering or from external food vendors, ensure you offer something to meet everyone’s tastes and needs. From vegetarian and vegan options to accommodating those with gluten intolerance and various allergies, there’s a whole range of (increasingly common) dietary requirements out there, so make sure you don’t leave one guest missing out!
It’s likely that a significant proportion of your attendees will also be smokers or vapers. With that in mind, ensure the enjoyment of both smokers and non-smokers alike by defining a separate area within which smoking is permitted. Where possible, isolate this space far enough away from the heart of the event to prevent lingering smoke that may ruin the event experience for non-smokers – while still ensuring the space isn’t too far away from all the hustle and bustle.
ARE THERE SUFFICIENT TRANSPORT LINKS?
Ensuring you have an easily accessible venue for your event is straight from the first page of ‘event organising 101’. When picking your venue, be sure to consider a number of transport logistics – after all, it could make or break your ticket sales.
First off, you want to consider parking. No doubt the most popular mode of transport amongst your attendees, you’ll want your car park to be big enough to accommodate large numbers while remaining within a reasonable distance of your event. If this isn’t feasible, consider implementing a shuttle bus system that transports attendees to and from the event to their respective car parks.
Further this by implementing a similar system from the nearest bus, coach and rail links. Not only will this ensure a logistically smooth operation, but it will also actively encourage people to buy tickets by making attending as hassle-free as can be.
WHERE WILL GUESTS PURCHASE TICKETS?
The success of any event relies on ticket sales. With that in mind, consider how attendees will purchase tickets to your events, ensuring the process is as straightforward and direct at all points.
Local events should look to utilise local vendors as ticket distributors, giving attendees easy access to tickets and creating a buzz around town. Alternatively, larger scale events should look at incorporating digital platforms such as Get Invited into their ticket sales strategy, enabling organisers to sell tickets internationally in one logical and direct place.
Event organisation is no easy feat, but, with these thorough logistical considerations, you can create an operational event that (hopefully) goes off without a hitch!
