When it comes to events, both in-person and virtual, there are many moving parts that need to be planned and overseen. In order to keep your events organized, be sure to have an event director as well as run of show documents. How does a run of show template help event organizers? All of the information regarding the event is stored collectively in one place and can be shared with your team, ensuring everyone who is involved is on the same page.
A run-of-show is a live document that outlines every single detail of the event, down to the minute. This document can include items such as event topics, guest speakers, and even setup and breakdown times. This document gives event staff an idea of what they need to do and when they need to do it. Event organizers can write their run of show right down to the minute, ensuring that every topic is addressed during the allotted time. Also, it gives guest speakers a time frame in which they can frame their speech around.
A run of show is different from an event agenda in terms of how the items and topics are broken down. A run of show is all of the event details broken down to the minute. An event agenda is more of an outline, highlighting the event topics and guest speakers, on a broader scale. Event agendas do not have the allotted time assigned to each guest speaker, unlike a run of show.
While it is not a requirement, virtual events can benefit from having a run of show. According to Sweap, 81% of event managers host virtual events. A run of show helps keep everyone, both event staff and attendees, organized. Event organizers can help end panel discussions right on time, switch to a new event topic, and overall, keep the event running smoothly. With virtual events, you may run into technology issues, as everyone is using computers, laptops, and cameras. While keeping this in mind, event organizers should add in extra time, just in case they do run into certain technical issues.
Run of show templates can be created to fit whatever type of event you are hosting. Event organizers can add items to your run of show that are important or special to your event to ensure that you have time to address them. By keeping the following steps in mind, you will be able to effectively create a run of show and organize your event.
Most events tell a story, and the event topics and guest speakers are the roadmap to telling that story. When you determine what your event topic is going to be, you can then begin to find and invite your guest speakers. Be sure to let your guest speakers know how valuable they are to your event, and how valuable their knowledge can be to your guests! Guest speakers and their stories can help tie your event together, as they bring new insights and knowledge to the event. Once you have your guest speakers and the topics they plan to talk about, you can then determine the order in which the event will flow. Tell your guest speakers how much allotted time they have to speak so they can create their talking points and know when to stop so the event can move on to the next subject.
Unlike an event agenda, a run of show provides all of the necessary information regarding your event! Down to the very last detail, a run of show needs both major event details and any supporting details as well. Your run of show should also contain any contact information for both the event organizers and guest speakers! This way, in case anyone needs to get in contact with the event organizer or the guest speakers, their information is readily available. If you choose to send out your run of show through email, provide any necessary links that attendees will need. These links may include any streaming tools, briefs or scripts for everyone to follow! You may want to do a trial run of these links to make sure they work before the event. By doing this, you will know ahead of time that the links will work during the event and you won’t have to waste any time with unexpected technical issues!
As mentioned above, events, both in-person and virtual, have many moving parts. Sometimes, these moving parts can be overlooked, and event organizers can get themselves into a jam trying to navigate their way through. In the beginning of creating the run of show, begin with color-coding all of the segments. According to Effectiviology, color-coded material is more effective than black and white material because it helps the reader process new infrormation as you’re learning. Event organizers can use whichever colors work best for them, but it helps them to stay organized from beginning to end! Color-coding each segment can be a visual aid for everyone who has access to the run of show. Sharing the color-coded run of show with your guest speakers allows them to see where in the event they are speaking and how much time they have to speak. This also allows them to make notes of their own, in terms of their talking points. Be sure to keep in mind that in-person speakers and virtual guest speakers should be color-coded differently. If you have virtual guest speakers, be sure to have them queued up and ready to present right at their allotted time.
In the early stages of planning, you will want to acquire your guest speakers. This way, you can use their names as a part of the marketing for your event. The guest speakers that you choose are going to be a pivotal part of your event, and by keeping them aware of the timeline and when they will be speaking, the event will run as smoothly as possible. According to research presented in this Ethos3 article, effective public speaking presentations are comprised of 38% voice, 55% non-verbal communication, and 7% content. If your guest speakers are not attending the entire event, and only the part where they are presenting, they will also know what time to show up. Not all of your attendees need to have the run of show, as a lot of the information is only necessary for event organizers and event staff.
No matter how well you plan your event and your run of show template, there may still be some hiccups that occur during your event. While this can be frustrating, try to remain calm and be flexible! If something occurs that isn’t on your run of show, being flexible can help you to navigate through any unexpected hiccups. The details on your run of show document may need to change, and it’s about how you work through those changes that can help you create a successful event. Your run of show is going to be your guideline for how your event runs, so if your event does stray away from what you have planned, you can refer back to the run of show to get your event back on track.
Yes! A run of show helps works for all types of events, not just in-person events. Virtual events typically have guest speakers and panel discussions, which can sometimes run over the allotted time. When you create a run of show template, event organizers can keep track of the time and monitor the topics so the event runs smoothly and on time. As previously mentioned, be sure to add any buffer time into your run of show, in case you run into any issues. If your event doesn’t run into any issues, and you are left with extra time at the end, you can use that time for a Q&A session or networking opportunities.
Creating a run of show for your event is fairly simple, but making sure that you have every detail accounted for can be the tricky part! Adding details down to the very minute helps event organizers stay on top of the time during the event. Adding timestamps to your run of show helps the event run smoothly and in a timely manner. Events usually have segments running over their allotted time, meaning that the next segment has to be cut short. However, when you stick to the run of show document, along with any added buffer time, you can be sure that your event will hit every segment and finish right on time.
Hubilo is a virtual event hosting platform that helps companies plan both in-person and virtual events. When it comes to planning an event, Hubilo takes the guesswork out of planning! Hubilo can help you create a run of show, specific to your event, with every aspect of your event included. Every detail will be accounted for, with nothing left out; we can help plan your event from start to finish, whether the event is a one day event or spans over a few days! To experience the seamless planning and execution of your event, request a demo of Hubilo today! Our virtual event hosting platform will assist you in creating a comprehensive run of show tailored to your specific event needs. Contact us now to request a personalized demo and see how Hubilo can elevate your event planning process!
While there are many things you could add to your run of show, you should stick to the important and supporting details. Be sure to include any talking points for your guest speakers, the timestamps of when those guest speakers are talking and any other panel information. If you have any links that are necessary to your event, such as pictures, videos or virtual guest speaker links, they should be included in your run of show as well.
Event descriptions are the best way to inform your potential guests about what is going to happen at your event. Be sure to highlight any main points of your event, especially any guest speakers you have! If guests see a big name on your event description, they will be more likely to attend your event. You should also highlight any value that your event will bring to your guests. If a guest is knows they will be made to feel important and take away something from your event, they are going to want to attend!
While you should be as detailed as possible when creating your run of show template, there are some details that should be left off. For example, the details about the catering or unrelated events do not need to be included. If you wish to include a drop off time for catering, just so event staff know when it is set to arrive, that’s fine. However, the menu of food and beverage does not need to be included.
Another thing to leave off of your run of show is any full length speeches. Guest speakers may not have time for a full length speech, as there might be others speakers there as well. Be sure to communicate this with your guest speakers, and let them know they should have a few talking points to reference. And finally, never put the guest speaker’s notes on the run of show. Those notes are for them to reference during their speaking portion.
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