If you are organizing a business event, working with an event planning template proves to be very useful. A basic event planning checklist will make sure you don’t miss anything important, and will help you use your energy most efficiently by focusing on the things that really matter.

Simply take the below event planning template, type the answers right behind the questions, and you stay on top of business event.

What, Where, When – The name of your event, date, time and location.

Desired Audience – Who do you want to reach? Want kind of reaction would you like from them? How will you keep their interest?

Your Message – What message do you want to bring across through your event? What should be on the mind of the participants after they’ve gone home?

Your Goals – How many people would you like to attend the event? How much funds would you like to raise?

Assessing the Risks – What are dangers and weaknesses related to your event? How would people be held off from participating or donating money? What is your answer to that?

The Budget – How much does the whole thing cost and how are you going to finance it?

Invitations – Will you send out invitations directly to your target audience, and which ones? Think of your newsletter, direct mail, etc.

Advertising - Which means of advertising will you use to let your target audience know about your event? Think of free publicity (press releases), radio, newsletters published by others, social media, and other means of communication.

Registration – Should people register for this event or not? Is entrance free, and if not, how will they pay? Will attendees wear name tags?

Catering – What foods or drinks will be available for the attendees? How and when will you present them? Have you arranged the logistics (tables and chairs etc.)?

Program - Who will be the speakers or other special guests at your event? How is the event structured? Do you need any audio or visual equipment?

Freebies for Guests - Will attendees receive gifts when attending the event? Think of a special offer which is valid only on this event, discounts, free samples, etc. You can even run a contest with prizes, if only you make sure the winner is decided on the basis of his skills, or you may have a (possibly illegal) lottery.

Keep It Safe – What is the security situation around your event? How will you ensure everything is in good order?

Staff – Do you need to hire extra staff for this event? Who will meet and greet guests?

Take-Down - When and how will the event be dismantled?

Feedback – If the event went well, you will have made the right impression on your target audience. How will you check if this was the case? Think of a way to take comments from the attendees, and consider sending them a thank you note for the participation.

When you follow the above event planning template, you will effectively determine the purpose and outcome of your business event and you will have solidified your connections with your target audience.