How to run a successful event

Organising your event will require some planning but it doesn’t have to be daunting. There are a few things to consider such as where to hold your event, what to do and who to invite. Here are a few helpful tips to make your event a success.

1. Decide on a day and date

Think about your target audience. If they are likely to be working then weekends or evenings are usually best. However if they are retired or are likely to be at home with children then it may be difficult for them to attend in the evening but events during the day will probably work well. You don’t have to run your event during Ethnic Minority Cancer Awareness Week but we would appreciate it if you could try to.

2. Find a venue

Consider the likely size of your event and the target audience when choosing a venue. Make sure it is local to the people you want to attend and ideally it should be easy to get to on public transport and has some parking available. Consider venues that are familiar to and popular with your target audience, such as common space attached to religious buildings, community centres and sports centres. You will need to contact the owners of these venues and get their permission. Make sure you plan your event well in advance as some venues book up quickly.

3. Plan in advance

Make a list of everything you need to do in advance and plan when you need to do everything by. This will help make sure you get everything done in time and will make it easier to organise the event. Don’t be afraid to delegate some jobs to other people, as many hands make light work!

4. Create a team

Organising an event on your own may be a lot of work. If you get other people to help you not only does it become easier but it is also a lot more fun. Find out what skills your team have and try to give them some tasks they will enjoy, for example if one of your team is creative you could ask them to design posters.

5. Advertise

You need to make sure as many people as possible know about your event. Word of mouth is one of the most successful forms of advertising so tell as many people in your target audience as possible. If you are working with a specific community find out who is influential and get them to help you spread the word. Make and put up posters around the local area; in shops and community spaces. You can also contact the local media to try and promote both your event and the wider issues (see our sheet on how to contact the media).