How to Write a Truly Effective Event Brief

When planning an event, it usually feels like there could be a million things that could go wrong at any given time. An event brief template is an answer to your problems because it will help you organize and detail the critical information you need to keep close to you when planning an event. Essentially, an event brief will serve as a map to guide the course for you and your team from point A to point B. 


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What Is an Event Brief?


An event brief is a detailed description of an event you are planning to run. This type of document will help you organize and detail all the important information you need when planning an event, from the speaker’s agenda to the guest list, and to the venue preferences to the budget requirements. 


Event briefs are excellent planning tools that serve as a comprehensive, centralized overview of your event, detailing the critical elements involved, statuses, and timelines, as well as every internal and external element needed to successfully execute your event. 


Why Write an Event Brief?


An event brief helps you to gain a comprehensive overview of all the critical steps you need to complete when planning an event. This document can help you identify what needs to be done, and when it needs to be done to ensure your plan runs smoothly and without problems. 


Regardless of the type of event you’re running, writing an event brief should always be the first thing you do because it acts as the foundation and the guide to work from. 


Why Is an Event Brief Important?


Event briefs are important because when planning events, there are so many things involved. Taking the time to write an event brief is vital to staying on track, keeping everyone involved in the planning process, and keeping everyone informed of what needs to be done. It also helps you to ensure that nothing gets overlooked during the planning and execution phase. 

Moreover, events can cost a great deal of money and time to put together, so it’s critical for organizers to have easy access to all the information they need to guarantee things are on track, especially when it comes to budgeting and resources.


What Are the Steps to Creating an Event Brief?


Now that we’ve tackled the importance of writing an event brief prior to execution, let’s discover the steps you need to keep in mind when writing a brief for your next event:


  1. Describe the event


To give your team or agency a clear picture, it’s important to start with a detailed description of the event. What is the general purpose of the event? What is the theme? Who will be the target audience? How many people will be attending? What is the tone of the event? These key questions will help your team gain a clear idea of what the event will be all about.


  1. Overview


The brief overview is where all your information is outlined. By detailing every aspect your event will require, you will be making it so much more manageable for your team. Write the most crucial information about your event and outline critical details such as: 


  • Event title
  • Event date(s) and event format
  • Event run time
  • Event location 
  • Event description
  • Event management platform
  • Event website/registration link


  1. Outline your goals


Events must have a purpose but they also should have a measurable business impact. In this section, you need to identify your event’s achievable goals. And, according to your goals, your team will need to make decisions about the theme, format, look and feel, and other key elements. 


  1. Outline the budget and create a timeline


The critical elements you previously defined during the overview phase will help you and your team determine the budget. Be careful and specific, and always plan your budget around your expected income from the event. Once you have a clear idea regarding your budget, you can begin to assign costs to your tasks. This will help you keep your team on track with detailed expenses. 


Now, you need to create a timeline and establish your milestones. Be thorough and don’t be afraid to create as many subtasks as necessary to ensure every aspect is covered. 


  1. Establish team roles and responsibilities


If you want to run a smooth event, your team has to be clear about their roles and responsibilities. When writing and outlining this section, make sure to clearly establish each member’s role and associated responsibilities for your event. This way, everyone can be fully on top of what needs to be done, and most importantly, everyone will know who is responsible for what.


Plan Your Next Event With Instagantt


Regardless of the type of event that you are planning to execute, an event brief simplifies the complex process of planning it. Organizing your ideas, creating a strategy, defining roles, and outlining a budget for your expenses can truly make a difference in the outcome of your event. 


However, it’s no secret that planning an event is challenging. You’re going to need the right tools if you want a smooth execution process. The good news is that you can plan, organize, write, and manage an event brief with Instagantt, an online Gantt chart software for project management that helps teams all around the world plan, coordinate, schedule, and execute their projects, beginning to end. You can rely on Instagantt to create professional-looking Gantt charts in minutes. 

Event Brief Template


Wondering how you can create an event brief template with Instagantt? Take a look. 


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