Organizing an event is rarely a relaxing experience! Some events are organized weeks or even months in advance but, unfortunately, something unexpected can always happen. Here are some contingencies and areas to work on, which you can anticipate in order to maximize your chances of success:

Staffing challenges

Human beings are one of the main sources of unexpected problems. Your colleagues, who should normally be at the booth at a specific time, may be absent or late, sometimes for reasons totally beyond their control (this is especially true for events where the venue is far away from the invited employees' workplace, and a problem with the plane or train can quickly disrupt everything!).

Communication

Any event with poor communication upstream risks being a total failure and therefore a whole budget spent for nothing. You need to make sure that as many people as possible know about your event and want to attend, and you need to start communicating about your project early (but not too early).

Unexpected issues related to the event itself

Even though this rarely happens, the schedule or the location could change. There could also be logistical and organizational problems due to the fact that you received the wrong information or were informed too late.

Supplier-related pitfalls

Your suppliers may experience delays or cancellations in delivering resources you may need (furniture, TV sets, microphones, etc.). In addition, delivery times may not be respected and suppliers may deliver equipment that’s defective or doesn't correspond to what you had requested.

Date errors

Don't choose your dates randomly. An event held in the middle of summer or on 1st January isn't necessarily the best idea to maximize your chances of success. Also, check out your direct competitors' events to make sure you aren't holding an event on the same day as them: you risk losing a proportion of the expected visitors.

Not having a timeline for the event

It's crucial to have a defined roadmap to follow that respects the deadline and the schedule. The management of an event can quickly become complicated as well as expensive. Having a timeline is the only way to help you correctly plan every detail and to know where you stand in time.

Don't set numerical targets

The difficulties can be varied and often linked to unexpected issues. But managing the unexpected is made easier when anticipation prevails. Don't forget: your event, whatever it is, is the showcase for your business. It's an integral part of your branding and can serve or undermine its cause. BoothSquare was founded within this context: BoothSquare is a software program that helps trade show and event organizers increase revenue, reduce costs and improve the quality of their business operations and processes. BoothSquare aims to connect exhibitors with people who want to book a booth, part of a booth, or who may even need more services (marketing, sales, etc.) all over the world at the best price!