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5 Best Practices for Organising Community Events
- hugo6188
- Feb 24
- 8 min read
Updated: Apr 21
Community events bring people together, strengthen local bonds, and improve quality of life. To plan a successful event, focus on these five best practices:
- Set Clear Goals: Define specific, measurable objectives and understand your target audience.
- Master Planning Basics: Create detailed timelines, manage budgets, and collaborate with local partners.
- Use Digital Tools: Leverage event software for planning, registration, and promotion.
- Ensure Safety and Accessibility: Address risks, plan for emergencies, and make events inclusive for all.
- Review and Improve: Collect feedback, track metrics, and refine strategies for future events.
These steps help create meaningful, impactful events that foster genuine connections and community pride.
7 Tips for Planning a Community Festival
1. Set Clear Event Goals
Setting well-defined goals is the backbone of any successful community event. Your objectives should address community needs while being measurable and actionable.
Know Your Target Audience
Understanding your audience is key to effective event planning. Joakim Jönsson highlights this:
"Defining your target audience is a crucial first step in event planning. Understanding your ideal attendee profile helps you choose the best promotion channels, secure a suitable venue, attract compelling keynote speakers, and much more."
To build a clear picture of your audience, consider these factors:
- Their professional roles and responsibilities
- Challenges they commonly face
- Trusted information sources
- Events they usually attend
- Transportation preferences and accessibility needs
Leverage data from past events, website analytics, and social media to create detailed attendee profiles. For instance, if many attendees use public transit, prioritize venues near transit hubs.
Once you understand your audience, you can set measurable success metrics to track your event’s performance.
Create Specific Success Metrics
Translate your goals into measurable outcomes. Lindsay Niemiec McKenna, VP of Revenue Marketing at Yext, stresses this point:
"Everything we do has goals and metrics tied to it to ensure that we are creating opportunities to close business for the company. The hyper-focus is growing revenue for the sales team within all of the activations we have."
Metric Type | Example | Target Range |
Attendance | Registration-to-attendance ratio | 50% conversion (Bizzabo's 2020 benchmark) |
Andrea Rosen, Head of Communications at Adobe Design, takes a hands-on approach by engaging with attendees directly before, during, and after events, including repeat participants.
Colleen Bisconti, IBM's Vice President of Global Conferences and Events, notes:
"We're seeing that events are still the primary driver of marketing results. Events touch almost every single opportunity that progresses and ultimately closes. It's a great place to be, and it's a great way to lean in and provide business results."
Regularly tracking these metrics helps you identify trends and areas for improvement. Use digital tools to simplify data collection and analysis, ensuring your event fosters community engagement and meaningful connections.
2. Master Event Planning Basics
Once you’ve defined clear event goals, the next step is nailing down the planning essentials. Successful event planning hinges on managing timelines, budgets, and partnerships effectively. With 70% of North American event organizers anticipating higher meeting costs, careful preparation is more important than ever.
Build Your Event Timeline
Create a detailed timeline that includes all the critical deadlines and planning stages. Break it down into phases like initial setup, vendor coordination, marketing efforts, registration, and final preparations. Be sure to add buffer periods to handle any unexpected delays.
Set and Track Your Budget
With per-attendee costs climbing 4.3% to $169 this year, keeping a close eye on your budget is non-negotiable. Separate your expenses into fixed costs (like venue and entertainment) and variable costs (such as food and staffing). To stay on track, set aside a 10–15% contingency fund for surprises. Tools like Expensify can help you monitor expenses and make real-time adjustments.
Work with Local Partners
Teaming up with local businesses can elevate your event while keeping costs in check. For example, the WeAreDevelopers World Congress in Berlin brought in over 10,000 attendees in 2022, showcasing the power of strong local collaborations. Build these relationships by:
- Connecting with local vendors for unique food and entertainment
- Partnering with nearby businesses for cross-promotion
- Engaging local organizations to expand your network and resources
These partnerships not only help manage costs but also foster deeper community connections.
"Unity in strength. When there is collaboration and teamwork, wonderful things can be achieved."
Measure the success of these collaborations by tracking metrics like engagement levels, attendance figures, and feedback from participants.
3. Choose the Right Digital Tools
Planning community events becomes much easier with the right digital tools. Event management software comes in a range of prices, from free to enterprise-level options, so it's important to choose tools that fit both your needs and budget.
Pick Your Planning Software
Using integrated platforms can simplify tasks like registration and reporting. A combination of specialized tools often works best. Here are some options to consider:
Purpose | Recommended Tools | Starting Price | Best For |
Project Management | Trello | $5/user/month | Tracking tasks & team collaboration |
Event Platform | Eventbrite | Free up to 25 tickets | Ticketing & promotion |
Communication | Slack | $8.75/user/month | Team coordination |
Registration | RSVPify | Free basic plan | Customizable sign-up forms |
Pairing effective planning software with a strong social media strategy can help boost your event's reach.
Market on Social Media
Social media drives about 25% of event traffic. With Facebook alone attracting 3 billion monthly users, a solid online presence is crucial. A great example is Heineken’s #WorldsApart campaign, which went viral and improved brand perception.
Here are a few practical tactics:
- Design event banners tailored for each platform
- Use targeted ads to connect with specific community groups
- Create and monitor event hashtags
- Share behind-the-scenes content to build excitement
Set Up Online Registration
With over half of internet traffic coming from mobile devices, having a mobile-friendly registration system is a must.
"Expo Logic has revolutionized our process and made the entire registration process better. The ripple effects of a nice registration process can be felt throughout the meeting. Plus, our staff is happy. There is no need to work weekends anymore and we've saved weeks of staff time and expense."– Erik Brown, Database and Registration Manager, Association of American Law Schools (AALS)
For registration management, platforms like Kinnect offer tools designed to engage your community effectively. Look for features such as customizable forms, secure payment processing, automated confirmations, analytics, group registration options, and mobile-friendly interfaces.
4. Ensure Safety and Access
Organizing safe and accessible events is crucial. In fact, 41% of organizations encounter three or more major risks during events.
Plan for Safety
Effective risk management starts with assembling a team that includes members from logistics, security, communications, and finance. This group should focus on identifying and resolving common safety challenges:
Risk Category | Key Considerations | Required Actions |
Crowd Management | Traffic flow, capacity limits | Clear signage, entry/exit strategies |
Medical Safety | First aid, emergencies | On-site medical staff, supplies |
Weather Issues | Outdoor event risks | Backup indoor locations, weather monitoring |
Food Safety | Vendor compliance | License verification, safety standards |
Security | Antisocial behavior | Trained personnel, communication protocols |
"Considering potential issues is critical during event planning." - Blerter Team
Prepare contingency plans for situations like technical failures or speaker cancellations. While strong safety measures protect attendees, thoughtful planning ensures everyone can fully enjoy the event.
Make Events Accessible
Proactively address accessibility needs to create an inclusive experience.
Key accessibility requirements:
Area | Minimum Requirements | Additional Considerations |
Physical Access | Wheelchair-accessible entrances, restrooms | Reserved front seating for vision/hearing impaired |
Communication | ASL interpreters, CART services | Multiple registration options |
Materials | Large print, braille options | Accessible digital formats |
Technology | Screen reader compatibility | Caption verification |
"Inclusion of all is one of the core values at the University of Kansas. Our goal is to create a campus climate accessible to all, and proactively plan events free of all barriers: physical, communication, or others so that all individuals may meaningfully participate in campus activities and events." - Accessible KU
Assign an accessibility coordinator to handle accommodation requests and oversee emergency procedures. This person should be familiar with venue technology and work closely with IT to provide assistive tools.
Leverage tools like Wordly for real-time captions and ensure your event management platform supports accessibility. For example, Cvent's Attendee Hub can automatically identify color combinations that may hinder visibility.
5. Review and Improve Results
Once safety and accessibility are addressed, it's time to evaluate how your event performed and refine your strategies. To measure success, use structured feedback and analysis. For in-person events, attendance stands out as a key metric (67%), while 56% of organizers also prioritize revenue generation.
Collect Attendee Input
Gather feedback through various methods. Post-event surveys are a great option - keep them short and include a mix of multiple-choice, rating scales, and open-ended questions. Shorter surveys tend to get more responses.
Feedback Method | Best Timing | Key Benefits |
Digital Surveys | Within 24-48 hours | Quick responses and easy to analyze |
Feedback Cards | During sessions | Immediate reactions with high completion |
Social Media Polls | During and after | Broad reach and casual engagement |
Personal Conversations | Throughout event | Detailed insights and stronger connections |
Tools like Kinnect's community manager portal simplify feedback collection by offering built-in analytics and real-time tracking. This allows organizers to gather responses efficiently and make quicker adjustments.
Check Key Numbers
Evaluate both numbers and attendee experiences.
Metric Category | Key Indicators | Target Range |
Attendance | Registration-to-attendance ratio | 50% or higher for virtual events |
Engagement | Session participation, social mentions | Event-specific benchmarks |
Financial | Revenue vs. budget, cost per attendee | Based on event goals |
Satisfaction | Net Promoter Score, survey ratings | Based on event goals |
Metrics like attendance, session engagement, revenue, and satisfaction provide a clear picture of your event's impact. Use these insights to make strategic improvements.
Use What You Learn
Turn feedback into actionable steps. For example, Hanapin Marketing used an event app to gather speaker feedback, which helped them keep top performers and improve future sessions.
Here’s a simple process to guide improvements:
1. Analyze PatternsLook for recurring themes in feedback. These patterns can reveal what worked well and what needs improvement. AI tools can help identify trends in attendee behavior and responses.
2. Implement ChangesMake specific, measurable adjustments. For instance, if attendees found session timing problematic, tweak session lengths or add more breaks.
3. Track ProgressMeasure how your changes impact future events. As IBM's Vice President of Global Conferences puts it:
"Events touch almost every single opportunity that progresses and ultimately closes. It's a great place to be, and it's a great way to lean in and provide business results".
Use these steps to refine your approach, ensuring each event builds on the last for better outcomes.
Conclusion: Better Events, Stronger Communities
Community events play a key role in fostering connections. The pandemic has highlighted just how important community involvement is, making effective event planning more critical than ever.
The focus has shifted from simply planning events the community to planning the community. As Myron "MAGA" Chandran, founder of Afro Soca Love, explains:
"Regularly gathering in person is the 'only way you can get in front of them … have a conversation, and allow them to get to know you.' Creating an intimate experience that helps people feel they are part of something bigger themselves is key to building, and maintaining, a dedicated community."
By setting clear goals, planning thoroughly, and using the right digital tools, you can not only improve your events but also build lasting community connections. Tools like Kinnect's community manager portal make it easier to gather feedback, share updates, and track engagement. When paired with strategic planning, these tools help create meaningful experiences while preserving genuine human interaction.
Community engagement is always changing. Mindy Anderson, director of lifestyle for FirstService Residential, offers a practical tip:
"Setting your budget well in advance helps ensure you have enough money to cover your expenses"
Regular evaluations and smart adjustments ensure your events stay relevant to your community's needs. By combining these strategies with effective digital tools, organizers can create long-term, impactful engagement.
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