How to Plan a Successful University Event in 2023

Planning university events takes a great deal of hard work. Whether the event is for current or prospective students, alumni, faculty or staff, you need to make sure the event goes off without a hitch. The best way to be prepared is knowing in advance what to do. After all, it isn’t about just hosting a campus event, but planning for one in a way that allows you to stay in control and keep stress at bay. In this post, you will learn how to plan a successful university event in 2023.

What is the Key for a Successful University Event?

Managing university events can be quite demanding, as there is a wide array of needs to be met. You may be asked to prepare a large-scale welcome event for the whole student body one day, and organizing a small workshop for visiting faculty the next day. In addition, running campus events can be tough. Indeed, trying to match up the requisite event management know-how and skills with each university department's needs can be tiring and overwhelming.

As event planners, it is important to research and gather insights when organizing university events. Take the time to walk around campus and observe how students interact during breaks, and what their preferences are. Then, use this information to your advantage. With careful consideration, you can create an unforgettable campus event.

To effectively plan a successful university event that captures the attention of your target audience, explore using the latest techniques and digital solutions outlined below.

1. Establish the objectives for your university event

It may seem obvious, but knowing the purpose of your event will better help you plan for it appropriately. And this means considering all of the aspects of the event.

For instance, who is the audience? What are they going to gain from this event? What is the expected attendance? Is there going to be food or live music? What do you hope is the overall takeaway of the event? Questions like this are what you need to ask yourself before you start planning your university event.

2. Organize your approach

Scheduling an event, as you know, comes with many steps. Before you book a venue (whether on campus or off) you need to have an idea about your event budget. And you don’t want to have your event at the same time as another university event that might interfere with how many attendees show up. But, this doesn’t simply mean picking a date and hoping for the best. Moreover, you know you have to start promoting your event before expecting any event registration.

An event planning checklist will assist in making sure all the necessary components are taken care of in advance. By using a checklist, the event can be efficiently organized to ensure a successful outcome.

3. Promote, promote, promote!

Promoting and marketing university events are also important to guarantee their success. Event promotion generates event awareness, increasing ticket sales and attendance.

However, effective promotion requires a comprehensive strategy that begins well before the event takes place. An early promotional strategy should include publishing the event online, ideally at the university events calendar. Newsletters and social media can also be effective. In any event, promotions should be repeated for several weeks or months, and then re-emphasized closer to the event date.

All of these activities are important for creating buzz and excitement around the university event and driving more people to attend. With a well-crafted promotional plan, a campus event is more likely to be a success, leading to better overall results and a greater impact on the academic community.

4. Keep an open communication channel

If event organizers do not communicate well with the audience, it can be a disastrous setback. Often, event details are only available on event landing pages, and only with the purpose of making people purchase a ticket for the event. Sometimes, event pages do not offer enough information about other things that may be relevant on the day of the event. For example, what to expect of the event, what is the agenda, and how to get to the event venue.

Therefore, it is important to be aware of newcomers who may need extra guidance during their first event at the university. Create a comprehensive event landing page depending on your audience's needs. Additionally, listing the contact information of the event organizer or planner on the event page can provide an easily accessible platform for students to submit their questions about the event.

Another important tip is to prepare personalized email notification templates to communicate with registrants during strategic periods, such as event reminders for upcoming events. It will surely help your audience feel more confident about the event you are delivering, increasing pre-event engagement and attendance.

5. Take advantage of software tools to plan your university events

When it comes to university event planning, it isn’t only about planning for the details of the event. It is also about putting the resources and technology tools in place that will assist in your planning efforts, making your communication more effective, and enhancing the overall process.

With Timely event software solutions, you have the ideal tools to help you manage all your university events. From event calendaring to event booking software, Timely has several features at your disposal to ensure your university event is a success.

Timely not only provides an embeddable, aesthetically pleasing university event calendar, but also event publishing, promotion and management capabilities. In addition, it features a comprehensive event registration and event ticketing system. You can collect RSVPs or sell tickets online, with a variety of payment gateways to accept payments.

Timely has established itself as a leader in the higher education industry, having partnered with over 2,000 educational institutions worldwide. With our comprehensive event management software for universities and colleges, university event coordinators can trust Timely to manage all their events efficiently and effectively.