I get asked often, "I'm think of starting an event, can you help?" and as this is my income, my first question is "Is this a commercial opportunity?" and often its not, its someone wanting to start their own event or meet-up style event so to help I usually share this, and thought, why not make it a blog to point the next person at:
High-level, actionable checklist (summary)
Define the why + who: purpose, target audience, success metric.
Pick format + date/time: talk/panel/lightning/networking; weekday evening is safest.
Set budget & funding plan: self-fund, sponsor, tickets (or mix).
Choose venue (or online): capacity, location, access, AV, catering options.
Lock suppliers: catering, drinks, AV, photographer, signage/print.
Create registration: platform, ticket tiers, refund policy, capacity cap.
Plan marketing/comms: channels, content calendar, partners, speaker promo.
Design the run-sheet & staff roles: MC, registration, AV, runner, sponsor liaison.
Prep on-site ops: check-in flow, signage, safety, accessibility.
Deliver the event: run on time, capture content, manage vibe.
Follow-up & measure: survey, thank-yous, content recap, metrics, next date.
Detailed step-by-step with decisions & options
1) Define objectives & audience (T-8 to T-6 weeks)
Decisions:
Primary outcome? (community building / lead gen / learning / recruiting)
Audience? (role, seniority, industry, local vs wider region)
Success metric? (attendees ≥ X, NPS ≥ Y, Z intros)
Options:
Niche theme (“AI in retail ops”) vs broad (“Tech Leaders Meetup”).
Single persona (CIOs) vs mixed (founders + eng + data).
Output: 1-paragraph purpose, 3 audience bullets, 3 KPIs.
2) Choose format & program (T-7 to T-6)
Decisions:
Format:
Networking-first (short welcome + 90% mingle)
Speaker talk (20–30 min + Q&A)
Panel (3–4 ppl + moderator)
Lightning talks (5×5min)
Unconference (breakouts; good for practitioners)
Interactivity: live Q&A, table topics, show of hands, polls.
Options:
Icebreaker (one-word intros) or “buddy intro” (swap & intro your partner).
Sponsor 3-min “community welcome” only (avoid hard pitches).
3) Date & time (T-7)
Decisions:
Weeknight (Tue–Thu) 5:30–8:00pm tends to maximise turnout.
Avoid school holidays & major local events.
Options:
Morning coffee (7:30–9:00) for exec audiences.
Hybrid stream if speaker is remote.
4) Budget & funding (T-7)
Line items: venue, catering/food, drinks, AV, security/cleaning, signage/print, photography, ticketing fees, contingency (10–15%).
Funding options:
Self-funded: simplest, you control experience.
Sponsorship: venue/drinks/food in kind + logo & brief welcome.
Tickets: free (maximise RSVPs) vs paid (reduce no-shows).
Break-even quick math:
Total cost ÷ expected paid attendees = min ticket price.
Add 5–10% for fees/no-shows.
5) Venue (or online) selection (T-6)
Checklist: capacity 1.2× target, central location, public transport/parking, accessibility (ramps/lifts), noise, AV (screen, HDMI, mics), catering rules, bump-in/out times, Wi-Fi.
Options:
Coworking/office after-hours: often free with sponsor.
Bar/function room: built-in bar, may require bar tab/min spend.
Library/community hall: budget-friendly, stricter hours.
Online: Zoom/Teams; plan rehearsal + screen-share policy.
Decision tree:
If you need budget → community hall or sponsor office.
If you need vibe → bar with private room.
If you need talks → quiet room + projector + 2 mics.
6) Suppliers & services (T-6 to T-4)
Catering:
Light canapés / pizza + salad / grazing table. Label allergens.
Estimate 1.2–1.5 pieces/person/hour; water always available.
Drinks:
No-host (cash bar), hosted (bar tab), or sponsor-funded.
Offer alcohol-free options (0% beer, kombucha, softs).
AV: 1–2 handheld mics or lapel, projector/screen, clicker; spare HDMI/USB-C.
Photography: 60–90 min arrival + group shots covers most needs.
Signage/print: welcome board, agenda, Wi-Fi, QR for check-in/survey, name stickers.
7) Registration & tickets (T-6)
Decisions: platform (Eventbrite/Humanitix/Meetup), free vs paid, capacity, waitlist.
Options:
Ticket tiers: General / Sponsor guests / Speakers.
Promo codes for partners/sponsors.
Clear refund/no-transfer policy.
Collect fields you’ll use (name, role, dietary) only.
8) Branding & assets (T-6 to T-4)
Create: event name + tagline, hero image, short description (who it’s for, what they’ll get), square + banner assets, simple intro slide.
On-site: welcome slide loop (sponsors, agenda, house rules), table toppers, door sign.
9) Marketing & comms plan (T-5 to T-1)
Channel mix: LinkedIn posts & personal DMs, relevant Slack/Discord/Meetup groups, partner newsletters, community calendars, speaker/sponsor amplification.
Cadence:
T-5w: announce (value + speakers)
T-3w: speaker spotlight / topic teaser
T-2w: “50% full” nudge
T-1w: last call + waitlist
T-2d: “See you soon” logistics email (time, map, parking, agenda)
T+1d: thank-you + slide links + survey
Copy tips: lead with outcomes (“leave with 3 practical tactics”), not agenda.
10) Sponsorship (optional) (T-6 to T-3)
Packages: Venue Partner, Food/Drink Partner, Community Partner (cash).
Give/Get examples:
Logo on assets, 3-min welcome, 5 guest passes, social shout-outs, table space.
No sales pitch; content neutrality preserved.
Agreement: 1-pager email/MOU with deliverables and dates.
11) Risk, safety, compliance (T-4)
House rules: code of conduct, photo policy (opt-out lanyard sticker), evacuation plan.
H&S: max capacity, trip hazards, hot food handling, sober duty manager if alcohol served.
Data/privacy: registration data only for event comms unless consented.
12) Accessibility & inclusion (T-4)
Step-free access, accessible bathrooms, low-fragrance area, quiet corner, seating variety.
Ask dietary needs; provide AF/DF/V/GF options with labels.
Pronoun stickers optional; inclusive language in comms.
13) Sustainability (T-4)
Digital tickets; reusable signage; avoid single-use; donate leftover food; recycle name badges.
14) Run-sheet & staffing (T-2)
Roles:
Lead/Producer (owns timeline)
MC (timekeeper)
Registration lead + 2 ushers
AV tech
Catering/drinks point
Photographer (first hour)
Sponsor liaison
Sample run-sheet (evening meetup):
4:30 Venue access; AV test; signage up
5:15 Staff briefing; registration open
5:30 Doors; music; networking
6:00 MC welcome (house rules, agenda, sponsor thanks)
6:05 Talk/panel/lightnings (20–40 min incl. Q&A)
6:45 Networking resumes
7:55 Closing remark + next date
8:00 Pack-down; venue clear 8:30
15) Final pre-flight (T-2d to T-0)
Print/charge: attendee list (or QR), spare pens, name stickers, clicker, power board, gaffer tape.
Prepare speaker intros (name, role, 1-line bio, pronunciation).
Confirm counts with venue & catering (+10% buffer).
Send “Know before you go” email with map, timing, accessibility notes.
16) On-the-day execution
Arrive early; walk the room (flow, signage, hazards).
Brief team with run-sheet and comms channel (WhatsApp/Signal).
Greet by name; tag shy arrivals with a warm intro to 2 people.
Start on time; finish on time.
Capture photos + 3 key quotes for recap.
17) Post-event follow-up (T+1 to T+7)
Send thank-you email with slides/links, photo album, and 2-min survey (NPS + 3 questions).
Post recap on LinkedIn; tag speakers/sponsors/venue; share key takeaways.
Log metrics: registrations, check-ins, attendance rate, NPS, costs, sponsor ROI notes, leads/introductions made.
Soft-announce next date; open waitlist.
Decision quick-guides
Free vs Paid tickets
Free: +signups, –show rate (expect 40–60% show).
Paid (small fee): lower signups, +show rate (70–90%); offset costs.
Hybrid: free early-bird, small fee late; or refundable on check-in.
Food & drink level
Bare-bones (chips + softs) → Budget/short event
Light bites + beer/wine + AF options → Standard meetup
Platters + staffed bar → Premium/networking-heavy
Speaker structure
Single keynote (clear expertise)
Panel (varied viewpoints; needs strong moderator)
Lightnings (energy; needs tight facilitation)
No talks (pure community mingle)
Minimal templates (copy/paste)
Event description (100–150 words):
Who it’s for → What they’ll get → Why now → What happens on the night → Logistics (time/place/accessibility).
House rules (slide or print):
Be kind. No recruitment or hard selling.
Photos OK unless red-dot sticker.
Share the mic: short questions, no monologues.
Accessibility: see host for assistance.
Emergencies: exits here ➜ and here ➜.
Survey (3 Qs):
NPS (0–10)
What was most valuable?
What should we improve next time?
Timeline snapshot
T-8–6 wks: purpose, format, date, venue hold, sponsor outreach.
T-6–4 wks: ticketing live, assets, first promo, suppliers.
T-4–2 wks: promo cadence, confirm AV/catering, draft run-sheet.
T-1 wk: logistics email, staff briefing, finalize counts.
T-0: deliver.
T+1–7 days: follow-up, survey, recap, metrics, next date.
