10 Guiding Principles for Events in Today’s World
I never thought I would plan events professionally. It was never even on my radar for years and years and years. But as I built a successful marketing and public relations business, I realized that events are a part of marketing and PR — and vice versa.
(It didn’t hurt that my late wife and business partner was trained as an event planner and helped us figure out how to integrate events into everything else we did. She taught me more about events than I ever could have learned in some classroom.)
I guess events appeal to the part of me that wishes I went to film school. Done properly, an event should feel like a structured introduction to your brand, with an eye toward production value, plot arcs and building suspense. I gravitate more toward the strategic planning side of events — scripts, visuals, messaging, timing, event flow — all the things that make an event feel more like a production than just a gathering.
So when I work on events, I try to bring that strategic and production eye to the overall execution, and make it more of an experience for the guest — one that encourages them to engage with the organization hosting the event. In the case of nonprofits, that usually means encouraging attendees to give them money, or in the case of corporate entities, to engage with the brand or product.
But it’s 2026, and the event world has changed dramatically over the past decade or so. Yes, Covid-19 was the primary driver of that change, but there are additional factors as well. People are busy, their attention spans are shorter, and they value their time more than ever. As a result, there are 10 guiding principles for events in today’s world that I encourage everyone to keep in mind.
• Be considerate of people’s time. During the pandemic I had a friend who was planning an online event that they thought might clock in at longer than three hours. “Did you see ‘The Irishman’?” I asked. Yes, they said, why? “Because it better be as good as ‘The Irishman’ if you want people to watch for that long.”
Movies are a good corollary for events — an event, really, is a piece of live storytelling. If your event is the length of a nice, breezy movie, you’re probably good. If it’s longer, there better be a reason. And remember, no one has ever been upset because the event they’re attending ended early.
• With that said, let them breathe and mingle. If the average person goes through the trouble of getting dressed up, finding a babysitter, driving to your location and preparing to spend money, at least give them an opportunity to socialize and chat. Don’t just ram your event program down their throats without giving them a chance to mix and mingle.
• Think of it like a movie script. There’s a plot arc to almost every movie. You introduce the players and the concept early on. There’s action in the middle. It builds toward a climax where the most important action takes place — this is where you want people most engaged. And then it winds down, usually pretty quickly, leaving people with the takeaway the writer and director want them to have.
• Mix your mediums. No one wants to be lectured and talked at for two hours. No one wants to watch videos for two hours. But if you mix your mediums and give people breaks from each type, you can keep the program more fresh and ensure attendees are as engaged as possible.
Tom's Event Strategy Checklist
Before you spend another dollar, answer:
Why are we doing this?
What do we want people to feel?
What do we want them to do?
What do we want them to remember?
What happens the day after?
• Splurge on the brand. I cannot count the times I have seen organizations spend tens of thousands of dollars on food, audio/visual and logistics, only to then have someone on staff do a half-assed job on the PowerPoint presentation that accompanies the program. This is your brand, people. Make it look professional.
• Splurge on the auctioneers. If you’re a nonprofit throwing a fundraiser, please do not think just anyone can serve as an auctioneer. Charity auctioneers are trained professionals who know how to coax people into bidding and donating. They usually charge $5,000 to $10,000 per engagement, depending on the size of the event. They only have to get one big donor to up their bid or to give a donation they weren’t going to give otherwise to make that money back for you.
• DON’T splurge on the food and drink. Look, I love an open bar as much as anyone, but unless you have a really high-end budget, find ways for people to have access to food and drink without breaking your budget. Compromise by giving them beer and wine but make them pay for cocktails. Pare back on the passed appetizers. Most people just don’t care anymore.
• In fact, rethink the food and drink altogether. Are you having a sit-down dinner event? If so, why? This is also where a previous week's question comes back into play. Before you plan the menu, the entertainment or the PowerPoint, ask yourself: Why are we doing this?If the answer is to raise money, build relationships, introduce a brand or move people to action, then every element of the event should support that objective.
• Make sure there’s energy around the asks. Nonprofits, here’s a secret — your auctions and asks should be heavily scripted and should include people planted in the room to give them energy. People should be prepared to make bids at each fundraising level. The audience should be clapping. For a paddle raise, have committed donors ready to establish the first and highest level. That initial momentum can dramatically change the energy in the room.
• Finally, give people a call to action — and then follow up. Once all is said and done and you are wrapping up, by all means think about ways that people can engage with your organization or brand once the event is over. And then for the love of everything, follow up with them. Thank them for attending. Thank them for giving. Invite them to participate in other ways. Add them to your outreach lists. Keep the drumbeat going. Otherwise, all of this work is for naught.
Overall, you want people leaving your event going “Wow, that was really good. It was a good use of time, I learned something and I enjoyed myself.” If you can get there, then you’re doing it right and making the best use out of the time and resources you’re investing. And people will come back, just like seeing a movie for a second time.