The Top 10 Mistakes Mindful Event Organizers Make When Planning Events

If you’re anything like me, you want to organize events because you attended events in the conscious or spiritual community that deeply resonated with you.  Now, you want to share that feeling and transformation with others.  You may have planned some events, but you want to ensure that your offerings are sustainable while providing profound moments of revelation for your audience.

Event planning is a beautiful and multifaceted undertaking that requires careful attention to detail and a deep understanding of human psychology. Mindful event organizers aim to create memorable experiences for attendees, but even the best intentions can lead to poor results. In this article, we will explore the top 10 mistakes that mindful event organizers often make when planning an event and provide insights on how to avoid them.

Ignoring Marketing and Promotion

The absolute biggest mistake I see is the mindset that since people wait until the last minute to purchase a ticket to an event (often at the door on the way in), that means the event marketing and promotion can be last minute.  You cannot microwave promotion.  This means you cannot compress your marketing into the last few days before your event and expect it to be successful.  It takes an average of 13 to 15 exposures to your brand and a specific upcoming event before most people will make a financial and time commitment to it.  Considering how little organic reach social media gives us these days (they’re encouraging you to buy ads), getting your message across to a broad enough audience to build a buzz takes a lot of repetition.  Also note that even though most attendees will wait to purchase their experience at the last minute, they may have already mentally committed to it or put it on their radar much sooner.  A beautifully planned event will only succeed with effective marketing and promotion. Many event organizers need to be more accurate in assessing the importance of marketing their event to the right audience. A strategic marketing plan, including social media promotion, email marketing, and partnerships, is crucial for attracting attendees.

Targeting a Broad Audience

When we are passionate about an experience that transformed us, we want to share it with as many people as possible.  In the internet and social media age, the content you want to share is most likely available and not unique.  The value these days is not in the information but in your interpretation, voice, and unique delivery.  It has never been easier to reach far and wide to find YOUR people.  Your focus should be spreading your message far and wide to find and bring them into your community.

Not Creating a Sense of Belonging

Speaking of community, another significant oversight I see mindful event organizers make is only promoting an event rather than doing any community-building between events.  If you only promote your events and don’t provide any connection, content, or caring for your audience between events, your promotions will come off as shallow and self-serving, and you will constantly have to find new people to replace those turned off by that approach.

Inadequate Venue Selection

Choosing the right venue for an event is a decision that significantly impacts the attendee experience. Mindful event organizers must consider location, accessibility, capacity, and venue layout. Overlooking these aspects can lead to overcrowding, poor acoustics, and a lackluster atmosphere.  For example, venue capacity posted at a venue is based on the fire code. It presumes a certain number of people per square foot of space to allow people to exit the building during a fire successfully.  Your event may need more square feet per person than this if it requires mat space like yoga or movement space like dance.  Not paying attention to this detail could lead to an uncomfortable experience for your attendees.

Not Evaluating Success Properly

I have had the privilege of being involved in many events in capacities other than an organizer and have witnessed numerous conversations by the event organizers on how they evaluate the success of their events.  I often hear, “Our event was well-attended, and everyone seemed to have a good time, so I’d call it a huge success!”  What this does not consider is subtle energies.  Most people will not voice concerns or improvements.  They will decide not to show up to your next event.  The mindful community is a go-with-the-flow community, so that reinforces this mindset.  Your event didn’t start on time?  All good.  Restrooms weren’t clean?  No worries.  Parking was inadequate?  Oh well.  This means an event organizer must have an internal passion for quality control and improvement.  It would be best if you were your event’s most prominent critic.  The details matter if you are planning on creating a sustainable event business.  No one has ever become wealthy or successful off of one initial event, so if you want to build sustainably, you must pay attention to the details, even if it seems everyone loves what you have created.

Poor Communication and Expectation Management

Effective communication is critical to successful event planning. Organizers must maintain clear and open lines of communication with team members, vendors, sponsors, and attendees. Miscommunication can lead to misunderstandings, delays, and dissatisfaction among stakeholders.  More specifically, the mistake I see is mindful event organizers not utilizing expectation management properly.  Expectation management is the art of consistency between what you are trying to create and how others interpret that creation.  If you intend for your event not to have pets, make that known prominently in the event description.  If you intend to close the container at a specific time, make arrival details crystal clear in your event description.  Vegan-only and vegan-friendly have two entirely different meanings.  You also cannot make any assumptions about what information people have seen.  If you have only shared your event information in bits and pieces on social media and don’t have it all in your event description, a significant number of people will show up unprepared.  Being specific, thorough, and transparent with your communication is vital to success.

Neglecting Comprehensive Planning

One of the most common mistakes event organizers make is failing to create a thorough event plan. With a well-defined roadmap, it’s easier to maintain track of critical tasks and overlook essential details. A comprehensive plan should encompass every aspect of the event, from budgeting and marketing to logistics and contingency plans.  If you don’t know the right questions to ask, it’s hard to get the correct answers.

Overlooking Budget Constraints

Financial planning is a crucial aspect of event organization. Going over budget is a common mistake that can jeopardize the overall success of an event. Mindful organizers must create a detailed budget considering all expenses and revenue sources. They should also prepare to adapt their budget as the event progresses.  The most significant blind side is unexpected expenses.

Ignoring Audience Needs

Failing to understand your target audience’s unique needs and preferences can lead to an uninspiring event. Event organizers must conduct thorough research to identify what attendees want and expect. This includes considering dietary restrictions, accessibility requirements, and preferred event timings. In today’s world, sustainability is a critical consideration for event organizers. Neglecting eco-friendly practices can result in negative publicity and harm to the environment. Organizers should explore options for reducing waste, energy consumption, and carbon emissions during the event.  Accessibility is a non-negotiable aspect of event planning. Failing to provide adequate accessibility options for attendees with disabilities is a mistake and a violation of fundamental human rights. Organizers should consider accessibility features like ramps, elevators, sign language interpreters, and designated seating areas.

Lack of Post-Event Evaluation and Communication

After the event concludes, many organizers make the mistake of neglecting post-event evaluation. Reviewing feedback from attendees and analyzing the event’s successes and shortcomings is essential for continuous improvement. Mindful event organizers should use this feedback to refine their planning and execution for future events.  Continued communication shows a dedication to building a community rather than just selling event tickets.

Mindful event organizers are passionate about creating memorable experiences for their attendees. However, they can still make common mistakes in the planning process. From inadequate planning and poor communication to neglecting accessibility and sustainability, these mistakes can harm an event’s overall success. By recognizing these errors and taking proactive steps to avoid them, event organizers can ensure that their events are well-received, memorable, and rewarding for all involved. Ultimately, mindful planning and constant improvement are the keys to organizing successful events that leave a lasting positive impression.