Department of Humanities and Sciences (310) 825 7093 Summer Quarter 2014 Special Events Planning X 435/Communication Reg# 248557 # Units: 2 Instructor: Lucy Harel Dates: Saturdays: July 12, 19, 26, 2014 Time: 9:00 AM 3:00 PM Location: 1010 Westwood Center, Room 320 Course Description: Designed for those interested in planning special events of all sizes for either public relations or fundraising outcomes, this three day workshop examines how special events, produced to gain favourable media attention, convey a specific message or secure recognition can significantly contribute to the image and reputation of a company, organization, product, or program. Participants gain a broad overview of basic marketing concepts and action plans critical to successful event coordination. Topics include getting started; setting objectives; defining a target audience and its needs; establishing a budget; theme and concept development; timeline management; catering; securing entertainment; cost saving tips; and staying on track through administration/finance, facility/site coordination, arrangements/programming, graphics/printed collateral materials, and media relations. Students develop an event plan as a class project. Required course toward Fundraising Certificate. Elective credit toward Public Relations Certificate. UCLA Extension Contact for this Course: 310.825.7093 fundraising@uclaextension.edu Student Records: Students can access and update student records by visiting: www.uclaextension.edu and clicking on My.Extension on the left navigation bar. My.Extension lets you view your grades, request an official transcript, change credit status on a current course, obtain enrollment verification, update your personal information, and much more. Student Conduct: Student Conduct: By enrolling in this course, all students are expected to have reviewed the Student Conduct and Sexual Harassment information provided in the current Quarterly catalog (print or online) under General Information. Accommodations: If you need accommodations for a disability, please contact the UCLA Extension Disabled Student Services at: (310) 825 7851 or via e mail: access@uclaextension.edu. 1
Grading: Course grades will be based on the following: Grading Criteria Percentage (%) Participation & attendance 30 Assignment #1 10 Assignment #2 20 Assignment #3 5 Assignment #4 30 Assignment #5 5 Letter Grade Equivalent: A (90 100%) points B (80 89%) points C (70 79%) points D (60 69%) points F (<59%) points All grades are final when filed by the instructor on the Final Grade Report. Grading Rubric Participation & attendance Assignment #1 Assignment #2 Assignment #3 Assignment #4 Excellent Good Fair Poor Attends all sessions, Attends most Attends some Does not attend all actively participates sessions, actively sessions, sessions, does not in class discussions participates in most participates in some participates in class class discussions class discussions discussions Provides an insightful and articulate response. Provides a thorough and well thought out response. Directly relevant to class discussion. Actively contributes to Q&A with interesting and relevant questions. Demonstrates good presenter s business. Actively contributes to Q&A with Provides a response that answers most of the questions. Provides a decent response with most items addressed. Contributes to Q&A session with reasonable questions. Demonstrates some presenter s business Contributes to Q&A session with Provides some information. Provides some information. Shows slight interest and interaction with limited information about the guest speaker. Shows slight interest and interaction with Very little or no response. Very little or no response. Shows little interest and interaction. Shows little interest and interaction. 2
Assignment #5 interesting and relevant questions. Demonstrates good presenter s business. The event plan is through, well thought out and creative. It addresses all the key event material outlined in the brief. reasonable questions. Demonstrates some presenter s business The event plan addresses the event material outlined in the brief and is good. limited information about the guest speaker. The event plan addresses some of the key event material outlined in the brief. The event plan is brief or incomplete. It does not address all the key event material outlined in the brief. Learning Objectives: Understand how to clearly articulate event objectives Understand different types of events and how to determine the type of event required that fits your event objectives and target audience Acquire the basic skills to competently plan and execute an event including the budget, project plan, and run sheet Acquire an understanding of how to find and consider event: locations, venues, and suppliers Understand important characteristics of event planners and career options for event planners Understand the key tools to publicise and market your event, and the marketing collateral required to support your event Understand the role and methods of fundraising and sponsorship in events Course format: Event planning is a very exciting field and involves a cross section of skills creativity, budgeting, project planning, communications, negotiating and more. As such, this course covers a lot of material. While the course material is delivered face to face in the classroom, references to Web sites, textbooks, articles are provided so students can find more detail about a topic. Case studies and examples will be applied throughout the course. Discussion is encouraged throughout the sessions to enhance the students understanding of key concepts and to apply the course material to the students experiences. Additionally I am delighted to present two amazing guest speakers during the course: a founder of an event management company and a celebrity special event planner who both have fantastic skills and experiences that can give students an insight what it is like to be an event planner. 3
Course Outline: Session 1: July 12 Overview and introduction Types of Events: corporate (galas, conferences, educations, product launches); social (weddings, celebrations, other life events, reunions) Event objectives: stakeholders and client's preferences; event objectives Target Audience: defining a target audience and its needs Initial planning: critical path, timing Budget: goal? break even/ funded/ profit; fundraising and sponsorship goals; cost saving tips Location & Venues: tourist boards; website tools; building and managing relationships; contracts; public spaces/ councils; negotiating; site inspection; site selection Theme and concept development: messaging, branding Suppliers/Vendors: caterers; staging and AV; entertainment; décor; floral design; tradeshow build; MC; Speakers; negotiation & contracts Session 2: July 19 Planning: tracking the critical path, timeline management, the project plan The event team: resourcing, assembling the event team; volunteers/paid staff/stakeholders/suppliers, managing the team; motivating the team The event planner: personality/characteristics; what it is like hours, the perks, the downside Becoming an event planner: qualifications/training; networking/finding work; getting experience Career options: in house, agency, venues, suppliers, starting your own business Guest speaker: Amy Green, Partner & Special Event Director, BDI Events Fundraising & sponsorship: fundraising goals and ideas, potential sponsors; prospectus; sponsorship management (lead up, on site) Session 3: July 26 Event Marketing: Marketing collateral (invitations and guest list; programs; evaluations; newsletters and other communications materials); media relations; advertising/publicising your event (including social media) Event day: venue event orders; onsite coordination; the run sheet; multitasking; contingency 12:30 1:30 PM Guest speaker: David Tutera, Celebrity Special Event Planner Post event: Debrief and reporting; feedback (attendees, client, sponsors, etc) Course wrap up and evaluation 4
Assignments: 1. Predisposing activity: Due July 9 Please tell me about yourself and your motivation for taking the course. What you would like to get out of the course? Are there any particular topics that you would like to see covered? Please submit your response directly to the instructor (lucy.harel@gmail.com) prior to the commencement of the course. 2. Creating an event brief: Due July 19 You have been assigned as the event planner for a not for profit medical association that would like you to run a gala dinner. You are meeting with the client next week. Prepare a list of the questions that you will need to ask the client to start planning their event. (Draw on material discussed in the first session). 3. Assignment: Review guest speaker s Web site and prepare questions: Due July 19 Please read the speaker s bio in this syllabus and review their Web site. Write down any questions that you have for the guest speaker. 4. Assignment: prepare questions for guest speaker: Due July 26 Please read the speaker s bio provided and review their Web site. Note any questions that you have for the guest speaker. 5. Building on the event brief you prepared previously, prepare a detailed event plan: Due August 2 The plan should include: title of the event, venue and location of the event, purpose and objectives of the event, description of the target audience, theming ideas, plans for marketing and advertising, organizational and staffing arrangements, financial arrangements (expenses and sources of revenue) and a critical path timeline. Guest speakers bios: David Tutera is an American celebrity wedding planner, bridal fashion designer, designer, author and professional speaker. He is the host of WE tv s show, My Fair Wedding with David Tutera and the author of seven books. http://www.davidtutera.com/ Amy Green is a managing partner of BDI Events, a full service event planning company based in Los Angeles. She has diverse experience in all aspects of event planning, fundraising consulting, business development, marketing and project management for organizations of all sizes. http://www.bdi events.com/ 5
References: No textbooks are required for this session however the following texts are recommended: Textbooks: Allen, J. (2009), Event Planning: the ultimate guide to successful meetings, corporate events, fundraising galas, conferences and conventions, incentives and other, special events, Ontario, Canada: John Wiley & Sons. Columbus, G. (2011), The Complete Guide to Careers in Special Events, New York: John Wiley & Sons. Goldblatt, J. (2005), Special Events: Twenty First Century Global Event Management, New York: John Wiley & Sons. Preston, C. (2012), Event Marketing: How to successfully promote events, festivals, conventions and expositions, New York: John Wiley & Sons. Saget, A.(2006), The Event Marketing Handbook, Chicago:Dearborn Trade Publishing. Shone, A. (2001) Successful Event Management: A Practical Handbook, London: Continuum. Web sites: Special Events Magazine http://specialevents.com/ Conventionbureaus.com directory of Convention and Visitors Bureaus across North America. Convention and Visitors Bureaus are each designed to offer location information that is helpful in planning your event. Discoverlosangeles.com is the official site for Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau Bizbash.com contains event planning news, ideas and resources Exhibitor Magazine has a good glossary of event terminology: http://www.exhibitoronline.com/topics/article.asp?id=1302&catid=102 International Special Events Society http://www.ises.com/ 6