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Lisa Price

Imagine you just volunteered to help organise the company Christmas Party, the school fete, the football club social night, your cousins's wedding and you have no idea where to start? Don't let this opportunity pass you by without giving it your very best effort.  What most people think is that event management is easy and they go over budget or they under deliver on customer or attendee expectations.  If you are looking at this course then you are not most people and you understand that you don't know it all and you can use some help.

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Imagine you just volunteered to help organise the company Christmas Party, the school fete, the football club social night, your cousins's wedding and you have no idea where to start? Don't let this opportunity pass you by without giving it your very best effort.  What most people think is that event management is easy and they go over budget or they under deliver on customer or attendee expectations.  If you are looking at this course then you are not most people and you understand that you don't know it all and you can use some help.

If this is you then this course is most definitely for you.  Drawing on 25 years experience organising some of the biggest events in Australia Lisa Price will take you through seven steps to organising brilliant events.  It doesn't matter if your event is small or large this course will set you up for success and make sure you sound like you know what you are doing.   With over an an hour of video along with additional resources and set tasks you will learn strategies used the world over by event gurus.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Speak with confidence about the event management process.
  • Plan, execute and review your own event.

Syllabus

After watching this lecture students will understand the content of the course and get to know their instructor.

In the introductory lesson hear about why you should take this course, how it is structured, what you will learn and more about the background of your instructor.

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Every great event has a vision, in this lecture you will learn why a clearly defined vision is crucial to the success of your event.

Once you have a vision for your event the next step is to develop an event concept. This is where you and your team can get really creative.

How will you know if your event is a success unless your have some goals? In this lesson you will be given some tips on how to write SMART goals for your event.

Check how much you have learned by completing the course!

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Provides a seven-step framework for organizing events, which can be immediately applied to real-world scenarios, such as company parties or weddings
Includes practical exercises and tasks, which allows learners to apply the concepts and strategies discussed in the video lectures
Covers topics such as event vision, concept development, and goal setting, which are essential for laying a solid foundation in event planning
Explores the importance of stakeholder management, which is crucial for ensuring that all parties involved are aligned and satisfied with the event
Examines the characteristics of successful event managers, which helps learners understand the skills and qualities needed to excel in the field
Features content from an instructor with 25 years of experience, which may provide valuable insights and practical knowledge

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Reviews summary

Practical event management for beginners

According to learners, this course provides a fantastic foundation for absolute beginners in event management. Many found the course structure, built around 7 steps, to be clear and easy to follow, offering practical tips and tools like useful checklists. The instructor is frequently praised for being knowledgeable and experienced. However, some reviewers note that while it's a solid introductory overview, it lacks depth in certain areas, particularly for those with prior experience or seeking professional-level skills beyond simple events.
Serves as a broad introduction, not a detailed study.
"It's okay for absolute beginners... looking for professional-level skills, this might be too basic."
"It's a broad overview, not a deep dive."
"Good introductory course covering the basics. It gives a solid overview of the event planning process."
Instructor's experience enhances the learning.
"Lisa is a great instructor, very clear and easy to follow."
"Lisa is inspiring and her experience shines through."
"The instructor's experience is evident and reassuring."
"The instructor is knowledgeable..."
Features actionable steps and useful tools.
"The 7 steps framework is simple yet effective. I feel much more confident planning my first community event."
"The checklists were particularly useful."
"This course broke it down into manageable steps. The practical tips were invaluable."
"Breaks down the process into simple, actionable steps. Highly practical and useful."
Provides a strong, accessible start for novices.
"As a complete beginner, this course was fantastic! Lisa is a great instructor, very clear and easy to follow."
"Exactly what I needed to get started. I was tasked with organizing an office event and had no clue."
"Fantastic course for anyone new to event planning. Breaks down the process into simple, actionable steps."
"I feel equipped to handle my next event project after taking this course."
May be too basic or superficial for some.
"...if you have any prior experience or are looking for professional-level skills, this might be too basic."
"Expected more depth. While it covers many topics, it feels very superficial."
"The videos are short and don't go into enough detail for practical application beyond very simple events."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Event Management for Beginners with these activities:
Review 'Event Planning: The Ultimate Guide'
Familiarize yourself with industry best practices and gain a broader understanding of event planning principles.
Show steps
  • Read the book's introduction and table of contents.
  • Focus on chapters related to event vision and goals.
  • Take notes on key concepts and strategies.
Review Project Management Fundamentals
Strengthen your understanding of project management principles, which are essential for successful event execution.
Show steps
  • Review project management methodologies.
  • Study the project lifecycle stages.
  • Practice creating a basic project timeline.
Plan a Mock Event
Apply the course concepts by planning a hypothetical event, from defining the vision to creating a detailed plan.
Show steps
  • Choose a type of event to plan.
  • Define the event's vision and goals.
  • Create a basic event plan including budget and timeline.
  • Identify potential stakeholders and their needs.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Create an Event Budget Template
Develop a reusable budget template to improve your financial planning skills for future events.
Show steps
  • Research common event budget categories.
  • Design a spreadsheet with relevant columns and formulas.
  • Test the template with sample event data.
Attend an Event Management Seminar
Learn from experienced event professionals and expand your network within the event management industry.
Show steps
  • Research local event management seminars.
  • Attend the seminar and take notes.
  • Network with other attendees and speakers.
Develop a Post-Event Survey
Create a survey to gather feedback and measure the success of a past event, reinforcing your understanding of event evaluation.
Show steps
  • Identify key metrics to measure event success.
  • Design survey questions to gather relevant feedback.
  • Pilot test the survey with a small group.
Review 'The Business of Events Management'
Deepen your understanding of the business side of event management and learn about strategic planning and financial management.
Show steps
  • Read the chapters on strategic planning and marketing.
  • Focus on the sections related to financial management.
  • Summarize the key concepts in each chapter.

Career center

Learners who complete Event Management for Beginners will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Meeting Planner
A Meeting Planner specializes in organizing and executing meetings, conferences, and seminars, ensuring they run smoothly and meet the objectives of the organizers. This course can help build a foundation for understanding the entire event management process, which includes vision, concept, goals, and feasibility studies. You'll learn to plan, execute, and review events of any size, which are crucial for a meeting planner. With strategies used by event gurus, this course equips you to confidently manage various aspects of event planning, from the initial vision to on-the-day execution. The course's emphasis on creating event vision, managing stakeholders, and measuring success will significantly benefit anyone aiming for a career as a meeting planner.
Event Coordinator
An Event Coordinator organizes and executes events, ensuring they run smoothly from start to finish. This course helps build a foundation for understanding the entire event management process, including vision, concept, goals, and feasibility studies. You'll learn how to plan, execute, and review events of any size, which are crucial skills for an event coordinator. With strategies used by event gurus, this course equips you to confidently manage various aspects of event planning, from the initial vision to on-the-day execution. The course's emphasis on creating event vision, managing stakeholders, and measuring success will significantly benefit anyone aiming for a career as an event coordinator.
Corporate Event Planner
A Corporate Event Planner manages events for companies, such as conferences, product launches, and team-building activities, ensuring they align with the company's objectives and brand. This course helps provide a solid foundation in event management principles. It covers areas like creating an event vision, understanding event scope, and managing stakeholders. The lectures on pricing, marketing, and communication are particularly valuable for corporate events. With the strategies learned in this course, you will be on your way to becoming a corporate event planner.
Wedding Planner
A Wedding Planner specializes in organizing and executing weddings, ensuring every detail aligns with the couple's vision. As the course includes discussion of a cousin's wedding, this course is very helpful for learning the fundamentals. The course provides a structured approach to event management, covering essential aspects like creating a vision, developing concepts, and setting goals. Learning to manage stakeholders, handle logistics, and ensure safety are directly applicable to the wedding planning, and you will get these skills in this course. The course content regarding contingency planning and stakeholder management are useful for aspiring wedding planners.
Party Planner
A Party Planner specializes in organizing and executing parties, ranging from small gatherings to large celebrations, ensuring they are memorable and enjoyable for all attendees. This course helps learn the fundamentals of event management, providing a structured approach to planning and executing events of different scales. The course emphasizes the importance of creating a vision, developing concepts, and setting goals, which are crucial skills for a party planner. The course will discuss how to create a feasibility plan, manage project scope, and communicate the value of your event.
Experiential Marketing Manager
An Experiential Marketing Manager creates engaging and interactive brand experiences through events and activations, designed to connect with consumers on a personal level. This course can help build a useful skillset for people who want to design creative marketing events that stand out. This course will help you to create a vision, develop concepts, and set goals, which are crucial skills for an experiential marketing manager. The course will discuss how to create a feasibility plan, manage project scope, and communicate to your stakeholders.
Fundraising Event Planner
A Fundraising Event Planner organizes events to raise money for nonprofit organizations or causes, combining event management skills with fundraising strategies. This course helps teach the fundamentals of event management, emphasizing the importance of planning, execution, and review. You will learn how to create a vision, develop concepts, and set goals, all of which are essential for successful fundraising events. Learning about stakeholder management, real-time monitoring, and contingency planning are all relevant skills you will pick up in this course.
Conference Organizer
A Conference Organizer is responsible for planning and executing conferences, seminars, and workshops, ensuring they meet the needs of attendees and organizers. This course helps equip you with the knowledge and skills to manage all stages of conference planning. The course focuses on understanding event scope, identifying customers, and implementing project management approaches. The tools and strategies provided in the course prepare you to confidently handle the multifaceted demands of conference organization. By learning about real-time monitoring, you will be prepared to handle any situation, and the course may be useful for aspiring conference organizers.
Exhibition Coordinator
An Exhibition Coordinator manages the logistics and operations of exhibitions, trade shows, and showcases, ensuring smooth setup, execution, and tear-down. This course will help learn the fundamentals of event management, providing a structured approach to planning and executing events of different scales. The course stresses the importance of vision, concept development, and goal setting. Learning about stakeholder management, venue selection, and safety are directly applicable to exhibition coordination. This is relevant because the course discusses event scope, venues, and emergency planning.
Festival Coordinator
A Festival Coordinator manages the logistical and operational aspects of festivals, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable experience for attendees. This course may be useful for developing a structured approach to event management, covering essential areas such as event vision, concept development, and goal setting. It addresses crucial elements like choosing venues, managing stakeholders, and ensuring safety protocols are in place. The emphasis on stakeholder management and community impact are also helpful. By completing this course, you will develop a strong understanding of event planning.
Nonprofit Program Coordinator
A Nonprofit Program Coordinator manages and coordinates various programs within a nonprofit organization, some of which may involve organizing events and community outreach activities. The course helps build a foundation for understanding the entire event management process. You'll learn how to plan, execute, and review events of any size, which may be useful. With the course, you will gain the skills required to manage various aspects of event planning, from the initial vision to on-the-day execution, which is helpful when managing donor events.
Public Relations Specialist
A Public Relations Specialist manages a company's or client's public image and communications, which often involves organizing press conferences, product launches, and other events. While the core focus of the role is communications, this course may be useful for understanding the event management aspects of PR events. The course's discussions on stakeholder management, event planning, and execution will assist in planning successful PR events, and will teach the importance of vision and goals. PR Specialists are often involved in the creation of promotional events.
Venue Manager
A Venue Manager is responsible for the overall operation and management of an event venue, ensuring it meets the needs of clients and guests. Although the role focuses on venue operations, this course may be useful in understanding the event management perspective. The course covers aspects like venue selection, accessibility, and community impact, which are all relevant to effective venue management. The course may give venue managers the ability to better serve and understand event planners.
Catering Manager
A Catering Manager oversees all aspects of food and beverage service for events, ensuring high-quality service and customer satisfaction. While not strictly event management, the course may be useful for understanding the broader context of event planning. Understanding event scope, stakeholder needs, and on-the-day logistics provides a valuable perspective for a catering manager. The course learnings on managing staff and customers, along with the real-time monitoring, can assist the catering manager in ensuring the event is a success. The course discusses suppliers, checklists, and stakeholder management.
Hospitality Manager
A Hospitality Manager oversees the daily operations of hotels, restaurants, and other hospitality establishments, ensuring guest satisfaction and efficient service. This course may be useful for enhancing their understanding of event planning and execution. The various sections of the course about what needs to be done to get an event happening, the project management approach, and other considerations could be helpful. The course may teach hospitality managers event planning for their specific facility.

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Event Management for Beginners.
Provides a comprehensive overview of the event planning process, covering everything from initial concept to post-event evaluation. It's a valuable resource for understanding the practical aspects of event management. It offers detailed guidance on budgeting, marketing, logistics, and risk management, making it a useful reference tool for beginners.
Delves into the business aspects of event management, covering topics such as strategic planning, financial management, and marketing. It provides a more in-depth understanding of the industry. It is more valuable as additional reading than as a current reference. It is commonly used as a textbook at academic institutions.

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