How to Write an Event Brief: a step-by-step guide

An event brief is a document that contains all of the essential information about an event. 

This includes the event's purpose, date, time, location, and any other relevant details. The event brief is used to ensure that everyone involved in the event is on the same page and knows what to expect. Having an event brief can help to make sure that your event goes off without a hitch!

When you're asked to write an event brief, it's important to remember that this is a document that will be used to help plan and execute your event. As such, it should be clear, concise, and easy to read.

Here’s a complete guide on how to write an Event Brief. Let’s walk you through all the important aspects of writing a perfect event brief.

Write the Perfect Event Brief

When you're tasked with planning an event, the first step is to put together a detailed and comprehensive event brief. This document will serve as your roadmap for the entire planning process, and will help you communicate your vision to all of your team members and stakeholders.

So, what exactly should be included in an event brief?

1. Determine Event Goals and Objectives

When planning an event, it's important to have a clear understanding of what you hope to achieve. 

Are you looking to increase brand awareness, drive sales, or build community engagement? Being specific about your goals and objectives will help you determine the best way to go about achieving them.

• Make sure you're using the right channels to reach your target audience, and consider hosting a pre- or post-event reception to generate buzz.
• If your objective is to drive sales, then you'll want to make sure your event is well- publicized and that attendees have a clear understanding of how they can purchase your product or service. You may also want to offer discounts or special promotions at the event.
• Finally, if your goal is to build community engagement, then you'll want to focus on creating an enjoyable and interactive experience for attendees. This could include things like games, activities, and opportunities for networking. 

No matter what your objectives are, keep in mind that the overall goal is to create a successful event that meets the needs of both your organization and your attendees.

2. Identify the Target Audience

One thing that every event brief template has in common is that it figures out the target audience of your event.

When determining your target audience for an event, it is important to consider who you want to reach with the event. Is the target audience customers, employees, or both? What demographics are you targeting?

• For example, if you are hosting a customer appreciation event, your target audience would be customers.
• If you are hosting a training seminar for employees, your target audience would be employees. 
• However, if you are hosting a company-wide holiday party, your target audience would be both customers and employees.

It is also important to consider the tone of voice when determining your target audience. 

• For example, if you are hosting a networking event, your target audience would be professionals and the tone of voice should be professional. 
• However, if you are hosting a family-friendly event, your target audience would be families and the tone of voice should be friendly and inviting.

3. Select a Format 

Another important step in the process is determining the format you’ll move forward with. It's important to first decide on the format of the event. 

Are you envisioning a trade show booth, a company picnic, a gala dinner, or something else entirely? 

Once you've decided on the format, you can start to determine the tone of voice for the event. Is it going to be an informal gathering or a more formal affair? The keyword will help guide your writing and ensure that all of the important details are included in the event brief.

4. Draft a Budget

Every event brief template makes you draft a budget for your upcoming event, so it's important to include a detailed budget. 

This will help you and your team to understand the costs associated with the event, and ensure that everything is accounted for.

When putting together a budget, 

• Be sure to include all of the small costs that can add up, such as stationery, postage, and printing. 
• You'll also need to account for any venue hire fees, catering costs, and equipment rental. 
• And don't forget about things like insurance, permits, and licenses!

If you're working with sponsors or partners, be clear about what their contributions will be. 

• Will they be covering specific costs? 
• Or are they simply providing in-kind support?

Once you've got a handle on all of the costs associated with your event, you can start thinking about ways to save money. 

• Are there any areas where you can cut back? 
• Can you get discounts from suppliers? 
• Is there anything you can do to reduce waste or reduce your carbon footprint?

By taking the time to put together a detailed budget for your event, you'll be able to make more informed decisions about how to spend your money - and avoid any nasty surprises down the line!

5. Delegate Tasks and Responsibilities to Team members

In order to ensure that your event runs smoothly, it is important to establish team roles and responsibilities from the outset. This will help to avoid any confusion or overlap of duties on the day.

• The Event Manager should be the key point of contact for all members of the team, and will be responsible for overall coordination. They will need to liaise with venue staff, suppliers and any other external partners to ensure everything is on track.
• The Event Coordinator will assist the Event Manager in all areas, including helping to develop the event schedule, managing guest lists and registrations, and ensuring that all logistics are in place.
• The Marketing Manager will be responsible for promoting the event and generating interest. This includes creating marketing materials, managing social media activity, and liaising with press and media outlets.
• The Finance Manager will keep track of event expenditure and manage the budget. They will also process invoices and make any necessary payments on behalf of the team.

While these are the major job roles, one can customize it according to their event requirements.

6. Identify your Unique Selling Proposition

As you plan your event, one of the most important questions to answer is what will be your unique selling proposition (USP). 

This is what will make your event stand out from all the others and attract attention. To determine your USP, ask yourself what makes your event special or different from any other. 

It could be 

• The location, 
• The theme, 
• The speakers, 
• The entertainment, or anything else that you feel sets your event apart. 

Once you've identified your USP, make sure it's prominently featured in all your marketing and promotional materials.

Event Outline Checklist

Here’s an event outline checklist to help you kick things off:

• Set Clear Goals: Decide if it's for fundraising or raising awareness. Determine your target attendance for a clear measure of success.
• Choose the Date Wisely: Pick a date that doesn't clash with local events or holidays.
• Secure the Venue: Understand venue requirements like insurance and alcohol permissions before finalizing.
• Craft a Detailed Plan: Leave no detail unaddressed to ensure a seamless event.
• Estimate Costs: Factor in expenses like space rental, food, equipment, speakers, staff travel, and insurance.
• Create a Budget: Based on the estimates, establish the overall cost and adjust as needed.
• Form an Event Team: Select a manager and sub-committee leaders for a well-rounded committee.
• Give it a Brand: Build a website or pages dedicated to the event, and design a logo and tagline.
• Publicize Effectively: Map out tasks like media, VIP coordination, design, and online presence.
• Confirm Speakers and Attendees: Ensure you have the right people on board for the event.
• Seek Sponsors and Partners: Tap into your network and use tools to find potential backers.
• Consider Registration Software: Explore tools that streamline the registration process.
• Explore Event Management Software: Platforms like WildApricot offer comprehensive solutions for organization.
• Release Early Tickets: Offer early-bird registrations to generate excitement.
• Inclusive Registration Forms: Ensure forms respect all attendees, including space for preferred names and pronouns.

Create the perfect summary of events templates - 6 Easy Steps

Here's a step-by-step guide to creating a stellar summary of events template:

• Streamline Data Tracking: While managing the event, it's crucial to jot down key occurrences and capture 'behind-the-scenes' moments. Consider using a virtual event platform that automatically compiles data.
• Prioritize Relevant Data: Respect your readers' time. Focus on providing stakeholders with the essential information first. For exhaustive details, reserve an appendix.
• Craft an Executive Summary: This is the TL;DR of your report. Condense event highlights, key data, objectives, KPIs, budget summary, and recommendations onto one page. Construct this section last.
• Highlight Popular Content: Showcase the most-viewed live and on-demand sessions, prominent speakers, etc. Rank them based on viewership, watch time, and engagement rate. Include a top 5 list and append the full session roster.
• Detail Participant Demographics: Cover attendee location, registration by country, company, and industry, as well as age and gender demographics. This section gauges if the event reached the intended audience.
• Quantify Media Exposure: Evaluate brand exposure beyond the event. Include data from paid campaigns and organic posts, such as impressions, CTR, and engagement rates.

Pro Tip: Visuals are key. Utilize graphs, infographics, tables, and photos to enhance data comprehension. Proofread diligently for a polished finish. 

Event Brief Example: Behavior Change Workshop

Given below is an event brief example of a Behavior Change Workshop:

Event Overview Template: Behavior Change Workshop

Using the same example above, here’s an event overview template to use:

With rich features of Oreed Event Management platform, you can make the event exciting, innovative and fun for your attendees. Along with keeping track of your attendees information, we will also generate certificates as a part of recognition at the end of the event.

Host your Event with Oreed!

Oreed is a powerful event management platform that offers 

• Online registration for attendees, 
• Smooth online payment processing, 
• And gamification features to make your event more engaging. 

With Oreed, you can also create custom recognition certificates for your attendees and store all your event data in a central database.

Oreed is an event management platform that makes it easier to access all event management capabilities in one place. With Oreed, you can more easily organize your work and manage events more effectively.

Final Thoughts

Once the event has been debriefed, it is important to go over the material that was covered in the debriefing. A meeting debrief will help ensure that everyone is on the same page and understands what happened during the event. It can also help to identify any areas where further clarification may be needed.

When you have finished writing your event brief, it is important to spend some time proofreading and editing it. This will ensure that your brief is clear and concise, and free of any errors. Once you are satisfied with your event brief, you can then submit it to the relevant authorities for approval.

Are you looking to host the best virtual event possible? If so, you'll need to find a great event management platform to help you do it. Oreed is one of the best options out there. With Oreed, you'll be able to easily manage all aspects of your event.

Promote lifelong learning through Oreed by experiencing the most powerful all in training and development intelligent platform that streamlines all your organizations learning, training and development activities in one place. So what are you waiting for? Partner with Oreed today and host the best event of your career.

FAQs

1. What Is A Brief Description?

An event brief is like your event's playbook. It's a comprehensive guide that covers everything from planning to execution. Think of it as the roadmap that keeps everyone on your planning team on the same page. It includes event details, goals, dates, audience information, staff profiles, budgets, and more.

2. How do you write a briefing template?

To craft a briefing template, one can take several approaches. The key is to maintain objectivity and present the most enticing details upfront to pique interest. 

Begin with fundamental information like the event's location and theme. 

Include noteworthy speakers or headliners (if applicable), outline activities, and conclude on a positive note highlighting the event's significance.

3. What is an event planning example?

An event planning example is when someone takes charge of organizing and managing an event. 

This involves tasks like budgeting, setting schedules, picking a location, getting permits, handling transportation and parking, and arranging for speakers or entertainment. It also covers things like decorations, security, and catering. 

This could be for various events like workshops, training sessions, conferences, fun corporate gatherings, award ceremonies, or board meetings.