A well-planned and written program is necessary for the successful

execution of an event and to give attendees a good experience. It’s

like the blueprint for a house that determines what the final output will
look like, and the order in which the event must happen.

Creating a program can seem like a daunting task, but with a little bit
of planning, research, and organization, you can easily create a
comprehensive event program that will keep your guests informed and
engaged throughout the event.

In this blog post, we created a complete guide on how to create a

program, the fundamentals of the event program, strategies and tips
to craft an engaging event, examples, and some bonus event
templates you can download for free.

What is a Program for an Event

An event program is a document that contains all the details of the
event with a detailed schedule of activities. It usually contains the
sequence of events, adlibs, inside information on activities, notes on
speakers, a background of the company, and other additional details
event organizers want attendees to know.

Event programs are used to provide attendees with a clear

understanding of what to expect during the event and to help them
plan their time accordingly. They may also be used to promote the
event and provide information to potential sponsors or partners.
Event programs can take many forms – ranging from simple printed
schedules to more elaborate booklets or creative digital experiences
with documents or videos or pictures or event videos.

How to Create a Program For an Event

As an event organizer, creating a program is the first step you want to
take in order to have everything in place. Here are step-by-step guide
on how to get started:

1. Organize and list the event details – As with every event planning,
basic event details like date, time, address, speakers, and topic/ theme
must be determined first. This is the foundation for your event before
proceeding with other supporting details and strategies

2. Identify the objectives and purpose of your event – Your event

program must be clear in addressing the objectives and purpose of
your event. Once this is clear, this should translate into the different
aspects and details of your event program. Some examples of event
objectives are: raising awareness, networking, fundraising, education,
entertainment, celebratory, team building, etc.

3. Decide on the format of your event – The format of your event is

influenced by the objectives or purpose your event wishes to achieve.
Some usual examples of formats are conferences, seminars,
workshops, webinars, networking events, product launches, trade
shows, charity, festivals, camps, etc. Your creativity is the limit when it
comes to event organizing.
4. Write the event program content – This is where you write the
specific details of your program flow like session descriptions, speaker
profiles, activity details, venue details, acknowledgments, sponsor
information, keynote speeches, instructions for hosts, contact
information such as email addresses or social media profiles, and
marketing strategies. The event core team usually sits down together
to craft this to make sure everyone is aligned.

5. Edit and proofread – Double-check the important details before

proceeding to production. Your event program will be the main source
of information for your whole event including your vendors, so you
want to make sure that every detail is clear and accurate.

Elements of an Event Program

To help make sure you don’t miss out on writing your program for
your event, here is a checklist that can be a guide on the must-have
elements of your program:

 Welcome and Introduction

 Schedule of Events
 Speaker Bios
 Session Description
 Venue Map
 Execution of Activities
 Sponsor and Partner Information
 Special Announcements
 Contact Information
Each event program is different depending on the type of event you
are hosting but you’ll not go wrong with these.

Strategies and Tips for Creating an

Engaging Event Program
Your event program is important to make sure your events are not
boring but engaging. As event planners, we want to make the most of
our attendees’ attention and time once they attend our events.

The event program has the capability to boost publicity, retain an

audience, and increase conversion so it’s important to apply sales and
marketing strategies to your event program planning. The event
program can also be memorabilia from the event that can remind
people of their experiences and attract them to attend again.

Listed below are some strategies event marketers and planners can
refer to:

Develop these Skills as Event Organizers

Event Planners are the ones responsible for creating the event program
and flow. With that said, these skills are necessary to note.

 “Event Chill” – This term was mentioned by Event experts

from the Better Events podcast as they were talking about
their learnings in handling events. As event organizers, it’s
essential to recognize that organizing events can be
stressful and demanding. Mishaps and unforeseen
circumstances are bound to occur, but how you handle
 stress plays a vital role. Managing stress effectively is crucial
as it directly impacts the guest experience and the overall
success of the event.
 Willingness to learn – There is always something new coming
in events. An event organizer must continually learn to adapt
and be flexible with the rapid changes happening in the
industry. Even with a role that you’re not used to, having the
attitude of a willingness to keep learning can bring
additional expertise to your craft. After all, we continue to
learn as we live.
 Interpersonal Skills – Interpersonal skills are fundamental in
the field of event management. Event organizers have direct
interactions with various individuals and personalities. The
ability to communicate clearly and engage effectively is a
skill that can be honed. Possessing strong interpersonal
skills provides an advantage when planning event programs
as it facilitates a better understanding of the diverse
audiences that the event aims to cater to.
 Creativity Skills – Social Media has elevated how organizers
do events. Event programs should not only be engaging but
also have to have “social media-worthy” moments. Fun
games, activities, and creative aesthetics on the venue are
now considered during the event planning process to make
it shareable.
 Marketing Skills – Events are a marketing tool and activity. In
order to create a program for your event that converts and
meets your objectives, organizers should have basic
marketing skills like understanding the target audience,
branding, content marketing, social media, and more.

Create Preliminary Research

With your objectives and goals in place, you can start understanding
your target audience and what value can benefit them the most. In
conducting your market research, these are the starting questions you
can ask:

 What are the needs and preferences that the program of

your event can address?
 What motivates their purchase behavior and how can the
program aid in the conversion process?
 What are the trends and shifts in the market industry your
audience is in? How can this be incorporated into the
program flow?
 Who are your competitors or what are the hindrances/
hesitations your market faces with regard to your product or
service? How can this be eliminated throughout your
program?

Additionally, if there are similar events as the one you’re planning, you
can do an analysis of what went right and what went wrong with theirs.

The preliminary stage is also the part where event planners can list
down budget considerations, appropriate vendors, and the best
marketing strategies for your market.

Structure your Event Content Strategically

Event experts suggest incorporating interactive and enjoyable
elements within educational or formal activities. By sandwiching these
elements, you can prevent dead air and awkward moments.
To facilitate ice breakers, it is recommended to come prepared with
prompts or conversation starters. As the event organizer, it is
important not to solely rely on guests for initial socializing. Instead,
take the initiative to create a welcoming atmosphere by introducing
activities or engaging talking points.

For the program proper, try mixing up and adding variety to keep the
audience engaged. Use visual aids, add personalization, and
incorporate technologies if needed.

Humans are social beings so adding networking activities in your event

program will be of benefit. Whether through an icebreaker, short
game, breakout groups, or team-building activities, these can help the
audience loosen up throughout the event.
The Power of Experiential Marketing in Your Event
Program
Experiential marketing has been a buzzword in the events industry for
a while now. It is a type of marketing strategy that is based on creating
imaginative and memorable branded marketing experiences for
consumers. The idea is to emotionally connect brands through
customer engagement and experience thereby increasing awareness
and customer loyalty.

Event experts from the Event Marketing Redefined podcast shared

some valuable insights about this. They discussed how the end goal of
an experiential event is to form a narrative-driven experience. It starts
with truly understanding what is motivating your market and asking a
lot of “why”s.

Event professionals can employ a reverse engineering approach to

shape the desired experience for their attendees. Just like designing a
retail store, where careful consideration is given to what customers
should encounter first and the emotions they should experience, a
similar mindset can be applied to event planning.

By envisioning the desired outcome, event organizers can strategically

plan their event program to create a specific atmosphere and evoke
intended emotions. This thoughtful approach ensures that attendees
have a memorable and impactful experience.

Getting Your Customers Talking about Your Event

Program
In marketing, word of mouth is still king. With the presence of social
media, word of mouth is more important than ever. User-generated
content on social media is one of the ultimate goals of any event
organizer for their brands. Nothing beats actual testimonials or
recommendations from peers about your brand or event.

Event expert Dan Gingis shared in an event marketing podcast shared

a helpful acronym to make an experiential event worth talking about.
He introduced W-I-S-E which means witty, immersive, shareable, and
extraordinary.

As event planners, we want people to share things because they want

to not because we told them to but because they were presented with
something that compelled them to. This can be done in a series of
touchpoints that can stop them in their tracks and get them to smile.

Creating shareable experiences doesn’t need to be expensive but can

be simple and practical. An example would be through signage in your
event. A usual and ordinary signage can just say “Do Not Enter” or you
can create something more witty and creative that can make them
smile. After all, no one’s going to hate you for being too creative.

Aside from signages, another idea shared was improving your agent’s
script. Instead of the usual sales-y pitch, you can create a narrative
that can resonate with your target audience.

Always think of your attendee’s experience from start to finish. Walk

through the actual touchpoints they will experience from ticket
registration until the post-event experience. Remove parts that are
boring or repetitive and make sure to add a hint of creativity and
personalization in every step. For ticket registration, you
can customize your own webpage and copy with Event Smart.

Prepare a Contingency Plan for your Event Program

There are a lot of factors that can make an event unpredictable so a
well-planned event program has a backup plan in place.

Here are three key elements to consider when planning for

contingencies in your event program:

1. Risk assessment: Before you can plan for contingencies, you

need to identify potential risks that could impact your event
and guests. This includes everything from weather-related
issues to technical difficulties, security breaches, and more.
Once you have identified these risks, assess the likelihood
and potential impact of each one. This will help you
prioritize which contingencies to plan for and allocate your
resources accordingly.
2. Contingency plan development: Once you have identified
potential risks, you can begin developing contingency plans
for each one. This involves outlining specific actions that you
and your team will take if the identified risk materializes. For
example, if there is a risk of inclement weather, you might
develop a contingency plan that includes an alternate indoor
venue or a rain plan for outdoor activities. Make sure to
communicate these plans to your team and stakeholders to
ensure everyone is aware of the contingencies in place.
3. Testing and refinement: Once your contingency plans are in
place, it’s important to test them and refine them as
necessary. This could involve running simulations of
 potential scenarios, conducting tabletop exercises with your
team, or doing a walkthrough of your event site to identify
any potential issues. By testing your plans in advance, you
can identify gaps or areas for improvement and make
adjustments before the event.

Something to take note of is that these contingency plans have a cost

for your budget so as an event organizer, you must be willing to
educate your clients or decision-makers. By taking a proactive
approach to risk management, you can help ensure the success of
your event, regardless of any unforeseen circumstances that may arise.