Principples of Event Management

Principles of Event Management

Since the dawn of time, in one way or another, events have existed to mark an important occasion that is to happen. Celebrating the changing of seasons and phases of the moon are all events because it gathers people of a common interest to a specified place at a particular place. Although events have been around for many years, the 1990’s saw the events industry emerge. The events industry saw the growth of events related education in colleges and universities. At present times, events have grown in popularity to such a scale, that it is now a global industry. There are different types of event, which include social life cycle events, sporting, cultural, business and fundraising. Events can be divided in terms of size and the impact they make on society economically and socially. These are called Hallmark, Mega and Major Events. A hallmark must earn its name. An event is considered to be so significant in the spirit or ethos of a city or region, that it helps form an identity for that city and region. It also gains widespread recognition. A classic example is the Carnival in Rio. It represents Latin vitality and the exuberance of the city. Social Cycle events include birthdays, anniversaries and funerals. This events occur in accordance to the calendar, for example a person’s birthday can only be an event at a specified time of year. Sporting events are categorised into three types, which are Mega events, calendar events, one-off events and showcase events. Mega events are events that are so large that they affect whole economies and obtain media coverage globally. Examples are the Olympics and Fifa World Cup. It is difficult for many other events to be labelled a mega event. Getz (1997) defines a mega event: “those that yield extraordinary high levels of tourism, media coverage and prestige. Their volume should exceed 1 million visits, and their reputation of a ‘must see’ event”. A smaller version of a mega event is called a Major Event. Major events are capable of attracting significant amount of visitors, media coverage and economic benefits. There are numerous major events particularly in the cultural sector. For example, major musicals such as Cats and Mama Mia receive huge amounts of tourism revenue for London’s West End. Glastonbury Festival is a main contender to be categorised as a major event. Festivals itself can i...

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...marketing mix is a vital factor of marketing in events. Event organisers need to be aware of the consumer decisions-making process. The acronym PIECE explains this process, which stands for problem recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, choice of purchase and evaluation of post purchase experience. Problem recognition is involved in selecting a target market and appealing to their needs. This links to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Refer to Appendix F. Does your target audience want to look for romance? Build self-esteem? Overall what need will your event fulfil. These needs must be highlighted through marketing. Other competitors are a vital component in the decision-making process. What will make your event appeal more than another? What will finally convince a consumer to attend an event? What are the incentives? Post event is just as important. Did the target market enjoy the experience? Was it enjoyable? How will customer satisfaction be monitored? Handing out questionnaires is one tool. Kotler et al defines the marketing mix in as “the set of controllable tactical marketing tools that the firm blends to produce the response it wants in the target market”.