An event brief is an essential document that serves as a roadmap for event strategy, creative, planning, and execution. It’s a Creative Brief on steroids. A proper event brief provides clear communications throughout the team across both brand and agency. When integrated into your process, it helps:
- set realistic expectations,
- serve as a living, breathing reference point for all stakeholders,
- minimize risks,
- save time and resources,
- ensure your event meets brand intent and business objectives,
- and address audience needs in a way that inspires attendees to action.
Here Are 12 Elements Every Event Brief Should Include to Maximize Success:
1. Event Overview: Start by providing a general overview of the event, including its purpose, date, time, and location. Answer the ‘Why’ for hosting or participating in the event.
2. Objectives and Goals: Clearly state the goals and business objectives of the event, what you are hoping to achieve, and how you will measure success. Be as specific as possible, and limit yourself to no more than three objectives. Anything more is unrealistic to design for, and achieve in a single event.
3. Target Audience: Know your audience. Identify who the event is aimed at, including demographics, psychographics, techno-graphics, interests, media consumption habits, triggers, inhibitors, and any other relevant information. Who are they? The more information, the better. If you have a persona, it’s good to include it along with the event brief.
4. Context: Build a section that describes the environment in which the event is taking place. What social or economic trends are important? What’s happening in your marketplace? Who are the top competitors and what are they doing that is relevant?
5. Marketing Context: Also include information on how the event fits in the overall integrated marketing plan, campaign, or series of events. What role does it play? What other tactics are addressing different business objectives or audience needs?
6. Event Program (optional): If the agenda is set, outline the program of the event, including the order of events, keynote speakers, and any other entertainment or activities planned. If not, let the strategy and creative team suggest formats, programming, speakers, entertainment, brand experiences, to meet the spirit of the event brief.
7. Marketing and Promotion: Outline how the event will be marketed and promoted, including the target audience, channels used, and any key messages. Remember to think about what happens before, during and after the event for communications planning.
8. Venue Requirements: Detail the venue requirements, including the size of the space, seating arrangements, audio-visual equipment, and any other necessary facilities. If it is a uniques venue or outdoor event, be sure to include details bout the surrounding area as well.
9. Logistics: Provide details about the logistical aspects of the event, including transportation, accommodation, catering, and any other essential services required.
10. Budget: Detail the budget for the event, including estimated costs for each element of the event (again if this is planned before the brief) and any potential sources of funding. In general, provide at least a budget range for planners to suggest high, medium and low investments that meet the requirements of the brief.
11. Timeline: Include a timeline for the planning and execution of the event, including key deadlines and milestones.
12. Contact Information: Provide contact information for the key event organizers and stakeholders, including email addresses, phone numbers, and any other relevant information.
Summarize Strategy
Although there is a lot of information included in an event brief, you should be able to summarize the overall strategy in a single sentence. Follow the format “Verb | Audience | Audience Action | Reason.” For example, “Motivate healthcare providers to recommend Acme air casts because they are 30% lighter, easier for patients to use, and result in faster healing.” All elements around the event should then be aligned to accomplishing this brief, and answering the “how”. How will you accomplish this? Through paper sessions? Through product demonstrations? Through patient testimonials? Build your event around the experiences that achieve the strategy. No more. No less.
The Approval Process
It’s important the event brief be reviewed and agreed upon by all stakeholders who might have a say in the event, including those on the event team, marketing, PR, sales, and executives. The event brief is not only a good tool to serve as a foundation for the event experience, but early on, can be an alignment tool to ensure all stakeholders are in agreement before resources are allocated and money is spent on planning and execution.
A survey by Meetings & Conventions found that 84% of meeting planners said that a clear and concise event brief is essential to the success of their events. Ensuring your event brief includes these 12 elements, and integrating it into a robust event planning process will help align stakeholders and drive event success.