Planning an event is tough. From figuring out the schedule to finding the right venue, it can be easy to overlook crucial components needed to host a successful event. Your plans for your event should be established from the start. With the right strategy, you can build buzz, excitement, and expand your audience well beyond the actual event.
Below is a general guideline for when and how to plan your event that you could customize for your organization.
P.S: This is a pretty lengthy list, so get your notebook and pen out.
6-12 months prior📅:
- Establish your goals and purpose (workshop for a skill, networking, etc.) of the event.
- What would make you consider this event a success?
- What is the end goal?
- Identify the event's team members and delegate their responsibilities accordingly.
- Figure out how you're going to track everyone's responsibilities and the overall progress of this project (weekly meetings, spreadsheets, project management software).
- Start discussing the date and time.
- Remember to give yourself and your team some breathing room for mistakes and unexpected curveballs.
- Decide the duration of the event.
- Identify your attendees. You need to establish who your target market is for this event.
- If this is an “invite-only” event, you'll need to start building an invite list and an outreach process.
- Make a list of favorable venues.
- It's good to weigh the pros and cons of each venue in order to make the best decision.
- Key things to consider are: location, price, accommodations, facilities, availability etc.
- If you're going to include promotional materials, decide on a selection of items that you'll use and how many you'll need. LGP Hub is a one-stop shop for all promotional needs. Visit our website and create virtual samples with your logo.
- If you're looking to have food and drinks (whether they're free or on sale), start looking at various catering options.
- Hors D'oeuvres and other snack items are a great option.
- You can also never go wrong with bottled waters, which you can provide to thirsty guests at long events. Get custom label bottled waters with your brand's logo on LGP Promo.
- Plan the program/schedule. You'll need to put a schedule together that will keep your audience engaged throughout.
- Identify the participants of the events.
- Create a list of the folks you'll want to include.
- Consider your brand's image when choosing your participants. Some artists, speakers and entrepreneurs have certain beliefs/values that may not align with you or your brand, so choose wisely.
- Reach out to the participants on your list. Even though you're making these plans 6-12 months in advance, some of these persons are busy and may have other engagements, so make your arrangements as soon as possible.
- Discuss options for the event budget.
- Finalize the costs associated with the event.
- Look into some funding options if needed and make a list of possible sources.
- Discuss awards, invitations, flyers, tickets, etc. with the design team. Products for events (including the ones I mentioned) are available on LGP Hub. Visit our website and request a quote.
- Have conversation with the entire team to review all the decisions and actions items before you start executing anything.
3-6 months prior:
- Finalize the details of the venue and the external vendors.
- Choose a venue and confirm this with the team.
- Security options.
- Make the necessary arrangements for the décor and catering.
- Book a photographer/videographer if necessary.
- Review any rules or protocols about the venue.
- Confirm with all performers, speakers, VIP guests, musicians and any other contributors.
- Approve all marketing materials/promotional items with the design team.
- Proofread all layouts for flyers, tickets, t-shirts and other promotional materials which you can find on LGP Hub.
- Broadcast the “save-the-date” notifications via email, social media, text—whichever platforms you use to communicate with your audience.
3 months prior:
- Make any necessary deposits for the venue, caterers, performers, musicians, etc.
- Order the design materials (preferably from LGP Hub 😉).
- Awards/promotional gifts for attendees.
- Flyers and posters.
- Name badges or place cards.
- Signs.
- Confirm accommodations for guests if applicable (hotel stays, transportation, etc.).
- Confirm the event schedule.
- The lineup for the speakers or performers.
- Topics.
- Time and duration of performances.
- Confirm options for catering.
- Finalize the overall menu.
- If this is an exclusive event, check in with the guests for allergies and preferences.
2 months prior:
- Approve the final copy for programs, brochures and other printed materials.
- Check out the venue.
- Do a walkthrough to ensure that the different set ups make sense.
- Confirm arrangements for tech/AV equipment.
- Ensure that all participants sign necessary forms or agreements.
1 month prior:
- Send out an email with the latest updates.
- Ensure to include any changes which might've occurred.
- If it's applicable, add a personal touch and include a “things to do in the city/town” section, in case some of your guests are foreigners/from a different town.
- Ensure that all printed items are sent to the printer.
- Ensure that all requests made by participants are met.
- For example: Some speakers like to do presentations, therefore, you would need to ensure that a projector and laptop are available.
- Arrange all press and PR activities.
- Finalize all payments to vendors, the venue, contributors, etc.
- Send out a final reminder to guests and participants and this can include.
- Directions to the venue.
- Dress code (if applicable).
- Agenda.
- Delegate tasks to the onsite team on the day of the event.
1 week prior:
- Send out reminder emails, texts or social media platforms to guests.
- Confirm transportation for everyone involved.
- Review roles and responsibilities for the on-site team. This is especially important if any teammates are unable to make it.
- Final confirmation is needed for the venue, such as the décor, equipment, entertainment security, etc.
One day prior:
- Send out a “see you soon” email, text or social media post to your guests.
- Do one last final check at the venue to ensure that everything is set up and ready for the next day.
Day of the event⏰:
- If you use social media, send out posts/tweets about sessions, speakers and other activities happening in real-time.
- Broadcast an email reminder to your audience. You can include last-minute deals on tickets if there are any left.
- Run through the entire event with your staff.
- Make checks on all tech and equipment to ensure that everything is working.
- Check in with all vendors and communicate all last-minute requests with them.
Ideally, you'll want at least 6 months to effectively plan an event. The success of any event is dependent on a clear road map, complete with goals and action items for your team to execute. You can purchase promotional items and other marketing materials on LGP Hub. We have a vast selection of promotional products to make any event a successful one. Contact us and get a free swag consult.
A company event is six weeks out. Someone sends an email: "We need merch." A rush order goes to whichever vendor picks up the phone fastest. The products arrive. Some are fine. Some aren't. Nobody measures anything. The leftovers sit in a closet until someone throws them away. Three months later, another event. Same scramble. Different vendor. The products don't match what was ordered last quarter in quality or design. Nobody remembers what was sent, let alone why. This is what reactive branded merchandise looks like. And it is expensive in ways most organizations never calculate. The cost isn't just the budget. It's the missed opportunity. Every rushed order was a chance to make employees feel recognized, to reinforce culture, to signal that leadership is paying attention. Instead, the message was: "We almost forgot about this. Here's a tote bag." When merch is treated as a last-minute line item, quality becomes inconsistent, strategic value disappears, and nobody can measure whether it worked. No strategy means no ROI. No ROI means that budget becomes the first thing cut. The alternative is not better ordering. It's a program. A structured quarterly cadence turns reactive spending into strategic recognition. Q1 resets energy with a curated kit tied to annual goals. Q2 acknowledges mid-year momentum with something tied to a real milestone. Q3 celebrates culture and identity with products that feel collectible, not disposable. Q4 closes the year with a premium gift that carries your brand into the next year. Four quarters. Four strategic touchpoints. One consistent experience that compounds over time. Compare that to four separate rush orders from four different vendors, hoping somebody remembers what was sent last quarter. The results when you run it as a program In our Microsoft activations, 94% of employees said they felt valued and appreciated. The overall experience rating averaged 4.94 out of 5. 100% said they wanted more. Those numbers did not come from a rush order. They came from a structured program with strategic curation, professional execution, and built-in measurement. Your team shows up. We handle the rest. We manage product curation, branding, logistics, on-site setup and staffing, breakdown, and a post-activation recap with survey data and insights. Zero lift for your team. Full impact for your people. If your organization is already spending on branded merchandise but running it reactively, the budget is there. The intent is there. What's missing is the structure. See how the framework works and plug in your numbers → Fatina Malik is the CEO and Founder of LGP, a WBENC-certified branded merchandise and employee experience company with in-house production in Atlanta.
Closing the Culture Gap: How to reach shift-based and distributed Teams Culture moments work best when everyone can participate—not just those on the standard daytime schedule. When you’re supporting multiple shifts, multiple sites, or a distributed team, culture can turn into unplanned activations that only some people experience: • One crew gets the in-person moment • Another crew gets a recap • Remote sites get an email (maybe) • Recognition starts to feel uneven The fix isn’t “more events.” It’s consistency across schedules—delivered the same way, every time. How QMA helps Quarterly Morale Activations (QMA) from LGP are designed to make culture predictable and inclusive across shifts and locations, without creating extra work for HR. What you get: • Shift-friendly timing so each schedule has a real chance to participate • Multi-location consistency so the experience feels the same across sites • Tangible recognition with curated merch your team will actually use • Zero lift for HR because LGP handles planning, production, on-site setup/staffing, and breakdown What you do: • Pick the dates • Share the message internally • Let LGP run the activation Want to see what it looks like for your team? 👉 https://calendly.com/fatina-lgp/qma-discovery-call
HR leaders are often tasked with improving engagement, but few are given the bandwidth to build the systems that sustain it. Quarterly Morale Activations (QMA) gives you a practical framework for sustainable engagement: a reliable quarterly rhythm of tangible recognition that helps employees feel seen, connected, and valued—without your team rebuilding the plan from scratch every time. The QMA Framework (Built for Busy HR Teams) Think: predictable, repeatable, and easy to run. Each quarter, you deliver a curated morale moment employees can actually use and enjoy—supported by a clear plan and clean execution. What LGP Handles (Zero Heavy Lifting) • activation planning + timeline • curated merchandise strategy and selection • sourcing + in-house production in Tucker, GA (reliability, quality control, and fewer handoffs) • samples/approvals • on-site setup, staffing, and a smooth “shop the merch” experience • breakdown, recap, and next-step recommendations Your part is refreshingly small: confirm the date, share internal comms, and show up. Why It Works Long-Term Consistency builds trust. A quarterly cadence turns engagement into a steady signal—not a once-in-a-while spike. Ready to see the deck and how QMA fits your team? 👉 https://calendly.com/fatina-lgp/qma-discovery-call
Let’s be real there’s no shortage of vendors who can slap your logo on a T-shirt and call it “merch.” But if your branded merchandise doesn’t drive results, what’s the point? At LGP, we don’t just print things. 👉 We partner with you to transform branded merch into brand strategy. Our clients don’t come to us for swag. They come to us for impact — and we deliver it through a proven, consultative approach built around results. Here’s how we do it:
When people hear the word “merch,” they often think of trade shows, conferences, or festival giveaways. But the smartest brands today are using merch far beyond events as part of their culture, their sales funnels, and even their revenue models. At LGP , we help brands rethink merch as a strategic extension of their message not a last-minute add-on. If you’re only pulling out branded gear for events, you’re missing out on huge opportunities to engage your audience year-round.
When most teams envision branded merchandise, they picture T-shirts launched into a crowd, drawstring bags gathering dust, or nondescript promotional giveaways that barely make it home. But here’s the truth: when executed thoughtfully, branded merch is one of the most potent marketing tools you have and it merits a permanent spot in your strategic playbook. At LGP, we’ve watched firsthand how strategic merch transforms brands not only in perception, but also in connection, conversion, and loyalty.
As health and wellness become increasingly important in today's modern world, businesses are now offering useful healthcare promotional items to their customers. These freebies show your customers and clients that you care for their wellbeing, which will give your business a positive image.
The thought of doing a trade show is exciting because they are an excellent way for you to engage with your target market, collect leads and establish your brand within a particular niche. You will have the opportunity to talk to people who are most likely interested in your products and services, so you'll really want to plan and maximize the potential here. Gearing up for a relevant trade show requires a lot more than just bringing a sales rep and plenty of business cards. The trade show planning timeline that I’m going to share with you can serve as a checklist to help you effectively plan your trade show exhibit.
With the advent of Covid-19, virtual events have become increasingly popular. They allow companies to connect with their customers in new ways and they're a cost-effective solution to host events like conferences and workshops. Virtual events are growing in popularity because they offer several advantages over face-to-face meetings. For example, they save time and money, reduce travel costs, and enable employees to attend from anywhere. It's a little more challenging to distribute swag bags for a virtual event, but I assure you it's not impossible.
Many of us can agree that pens are a favorite when it comes to choosing your promotional items. Some of LGP Promo's clients consider them a must - have for their swag bags because they are one of the most cost - effective, simple and useful options. People can’t seem to have enough of pens despite technological advancements like keyboards and phones. Below is a list of re asons why you should consider pens for your next swag package:
