Creativity is a key asset in event planning. From coming up with the perfect theme for your event to formulating the most resourceful event plan, creativity goes a long way for event professionals in the industry.

Creativity is something that’s within us all, however, it can easily be stifled if we don’t take steps to help bring it out.

Fortunately, there’s a lot you can do to make any event you’re planning go smoothly and be everything you want it to be, it’s just about knowing how to get organised and harness creative thought.

From writing invitations by hand and trying to avoid getting ink stains on your clothes to giving yourself time away to recharge, here are four top tips for creative event planning.

1. Start again from scratch

Sometimes it’s essential to go back to the basics of event planning to help unleash your creativity. If you’ve been working in event planning for a while, you may find yourself stuck in old habits that prevent you from moving forward.

Simply because you are organising nice events, it doesn’t mean assessing the way you work from time to time can’t be beneficial. There might be new tools, new ways of working you hadn’t considered which would allow you to put into practice some ideas you thought weren’t feasible before.

Starting again from scratch will also allow you to approach your work with a fresh mind.

2. Think outside the box

The most important thing is to not be afraid to try things and see how they look or work. As long as you’re well organised and have enough time to have a go at different things there’s no reason you won’t land on some brilliant ideas through trial and error.

Don’t be afraid to come up with crazy ideas! You’ll be able to narrow them down after brainstorming and to assess which ones are actually feasible. When it comes to creativity, your worst enemy is often your lack of self-confidence.

Trust yourself and be a little bit more adventurous. As Nelson Mandela said:

“I never lose. I either win or I learn.”

Be open to learning from your experiences!

3. Develop a creativity routine

Always keep a notebook on hand and try to write down at least 5 new ideas every day. They can be about an event concept, new activities, or simply a colour palette you’d like to use.

Let your creative juices flow and don’t worry too much about getting pen on your clothing because you scribbled down too many ideas in your notebook, as once you know how to remove ink stains from clothes it’s easy.

You can also take 5 minutes every day to catch up on the business news to draw inspiration from the latest trends in event planning. Open your eyes and let the world inspire you!

4. Be collaborative

Sticking with the experimentation theme, there’s no need to be creative on your own. The more, the merrier! Gather the thoughts, views and opinions of others in your process of coming up with new ideas.

Brainstorming with your team is always useful. Encourage your colleagues to think up with their own ideas and follow the process of trying them out to see what works best.

There’s no need to be stuck in your own head if you don’t have to be, a simple suggestion from someone else could lift your event from good to great.

5. Start early

One of the biggest potential issues to effective event planning is not having enough time to plan the way you want. Getting up an hour or two earlier will give you some headspace and the chance to approach your day with a fresh mind.

In addition to gaining extra time from waking up a little earlier, being consistent with your morning routine will help focus the mind too. The key is to start the day ready to go.

The less time you spend trying to figure out what needs to be done before you start, the more efficient (and less stressed out) you’ll be.

6. Give yourself a break

Finally, give yourself a break! Event planning can be great fun, but it can also be such hard work, so make sure you take time to get away from things when you need to.

It might be a day off, or something as simple as a 10-minute walk to clear the mind when something happens that causes problems. Some researchers have hypothesized that regular exercise can even benefit creativity!

Whatever the cause, whatever the length of time, taking breaks will keep your mind fresh. You’ll then be able to stay on top of what needs to be done to ensure your event goes smoothly.

7. Enjoy!

It’s no secret that enjoying what you do helps keep you motivated and more open to new ideas. Don’t let stress stifle your creativity and take a moment to enjoy the result of your hard work.

Be proud of yourself! Seeing everybody enjoying the event you organised is always rewarding and is the best way to stimulate your creativity and make you want to organise an even better event.

Event planning can sometimes be very challenging, but it’s important to remember why it’s also the best job in the world!

Put these tips into practice and let your creative instincts soar — happy planning!

Wish to know how Hubilo’s all-in-one event-tech solution can help you plan the perfect event? Know more about us here.

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