3 tips to make event operations more efficient!

Today, let’s talk about event operations . The so-called event operation, product operation, user operation, content operation and other types of work can actually be interconnected, but each operation module is independent and has a set of general methodology that can be sorted out. As an activity module, what do you think is the most basic and needs the most attention?

According to the timeline, we roughly divide the workflow of event operations into four stages: preliminary planning - design and development - online operation - review and closing. The planning stage should be a very important link, which determines the tone and logical framework of your event. Here I want to talk about a phenomenon. You will find that when it comes to planning activities, operations staff are often more passive. “Let’s do a big promotion”; “Next month is Chinese Valentine’s Day, let’s do an activity to attract new customers”; “Recent indicators are not good, let’s add an activity”. However, few students would think of taking the initiative to improve this dilemma.

To effectively solve this dilemma, you might as well take the first tip: create your own event calendar.

Tip 1: Create your own event calendar

The event calendar, as the name suggests, is a management tool that combines time/theme/content/crowd classification. This tool has three benefits: 1. It can help you plan ahead and avoid cramming; 2. It can effectively classify and achieve refined operations; 3. It can provide a source of creativity and test the completeness of the plan at the same time.

The implementation plan of this calendar is very simple. The first step is to create the following Excel table; the second step is to collect dates and nodes/hot spots. You can directly search through Baidu or find the full-year version. To avoid errors and omissions, you can compare multiple versions; note that hot spots also need to be combined with the situation of your own platform, such as anniversary celebrations/listing events, etc.; the third step is to clarify your operation plan. The figure below roughly summarizes several major points. This module actually includes user conversion, transaction conversion, channel content, etc. The more detailed the better. It can be extended by combining several modules in the universal formula. The fourth step is to fill the table with the most suitable activity content you can collect/think of, and develop rich activity gameplay based on different user stratification, different incentive forms, and different channel positioning.

Event Calendar-by Mrs. Mingli

As the saying goes, sharpening the knife does not delay the chopping of wood. For students in event operations, the event calendar is a magic trick that can be used at any time. The next time the leader gives an order, you can not only respond quickly, but also get the monthly and semi-annual plans at the same time. Isn't it an eye-opener?

Skill 2: Master the project management process

To handle a large or medium-sized platform activity is to implement a standard project management process. In large or medium-sized companies, there will be professional project managers to follow up on the R&D execution of each project to improve the efficiency of the activity. So what benefits will it bring to an operations staff if they master this process? The answer is obvious.

At the beginning of this article, we mentioned that the second and third timelines of event operations cannot be carried out by operations alone, especially when a medium or large event involves multiple departments, and all aspects such as design, R&D, finance, brand, etc. must be involved in the process. Therefore, if you are familiar with the project management methods of large and medium-sized operational activities, you will not only be able to understand the needs of all parties, quickly familiarize yourself with the organizational structure, and find contact personnel, but you will also be able to accurately control the execution path and avoid omissions.

So let's break down the execution process of large and medium-sized operations activities in the figure below.

Activity flow-by Mrs. Mingli

First, the various characters and their connections. "User operation" actually takes on the role of initiating the event, which can be called event operation or user operation; "mall/financial operation" can be understood as category operation in e-commerce companies, and can be the operation of various product lines such as P2P/funds/bank financial management, etc. in financial companies; "Financial Analysis Department" is usually the role of the finance department, or the department/personnel responsible for cost-related matters; "Brand Market" is the marketing department of the brand, and they often control a lot of replacement or free channel resources.

Secondly, focus on understanding the core issues of each stage. I won’t go into details here, but will just highlight the key points: 1) demand communication + cost budget 2) demo and framework + schedule review; 3) promotional materials + data embedding; 4) online tracking + data monitoring; 5) emergency plan; 6) offline check + review analysis.

Skill 3: Master the skills of review

Reviewing is not a particularly tedious task. You only need to master two key points: 1. During the event, be sure to pay attention to the data and record problems in a timely manner. If problems are found, you can even adjust the pace of the event or benefits to avoid the problems from continuing to ferment. If necessary, we must also review during the event; 2. Review the event in a timely manner after the event. When reviewing medium and large-scale events, it is important to clearly inventory the roles of all relevant links and the problems in the process. This is of great significance to the optimization of subsequent projects. Regardless of the size of the event, output is the best learning, and any complete review can benefit you a lot!

Related reading:

1. Event operation and promotion: How to plan the core gameplay?

2. How to build an event operation and promotion framework in 4 steps?

Author: Mrs. Mingli

Source: Mrs. Mingli