How to Create Contingency Plans that Guarantee Success

Before we get started, it’s important to know what a contingency plan is and why they are important to have in place for your upcoming event. A contingency plan is any “backup” plan that you have in place in case of any unforeseen circumstances. Some examples of unforeseen circumstances in the events world include:

• Budgeting issues
• Catering canceling
• Bathrooms failing (trust me I’ve seen this before)
• Time delays
• And much more…

In the events world, so many things can go wrong due to so many independent factors so it is best to be prepared with contingency plans ahead of time so that when something does happen you are prepared and the event can continue like nothing even happened in the first place.

Step 1: Create a List of Risks

The first step in creating contingency plans is to decide which elements of your event are potential risks. It is crucial to be extra diligent during this step because even though it may be unlikely that part of your event may fail due to unforeseen circumstances, it is still a possibility. Some things to consider putting on your list may include:

• Failure of specific guests (especially speaking ones) to arrive on time
• Weather, for both indoor and outdoor events. Even though your event is indoors, will the road conditions to get to your event be a potential risk?
• Injuries or accidents
• Team members calling in sick

Step 2: Rank the Risks 

The second step is to rank the risks in order of how large of an effect it will have on the event’s success. For example, weather for an outdoor event may have a larger impact than the special speaking guests arriving 15 minutes late. I like to use a scale ranging from 1 to 5, with 1 being a low risk and 5 being high risk. 

Step 3: Creating the Contingency Plans

Step three is one of the more crucial steps – making the plans. This step can sometimes take a little sprinkle (or a big sprinkle) of creativity. To develop contingency plans you need to think outside of the box. For example, at a wedding I attended a few years ago, everything was going smoothly until it wasn’t. The toilets at the hall started to fail and it was a very short time before not a single toilet worked, and there was an open bar to boot so as you can imagine it was a less than ideal situation. So, where’s the contingency plan? Porta-potties were quickly delivered just in time to save the day! Not a pretty problem, I know, but contingency plans need to be in place, or problems like these can end up being disasters.

If you’re planning an outdoor event, especially in the Edmonton area, we know the weather can be… let’s say a little unpredictable. Has it snowed in May? Absolutely. Weather is one of the more tricky elements to create a contingency plan for. Will your event continue rain or shine? Do you have tents as backup just in case of bad weather? Will your guests still want to continue with the event? All of these questions must be considered when developing your contingency plans.

Step 4: Briefing Your Team 

What’s almost just as important as the contingency plans themselves? Your team! Don’t forget to include your team members in the plans, whether it’s solely the ones they’re involved in or all of the plans to increase overlap. Ensure you notify team members of the following:

• Their role in any plan they are involved in
• Where they can find a written copy of the plan
• Who they can contact for additional support
• Any additional details that may assist them

Planit Events Inc. is at your service. If you want to run a successful event without the hassle of all the nitty-gritty planning, send us a message, we would love to chat about turning your vision into a reality. My numerous years in the industry have allowed me to face many challenges and become a great event planner over the years, and I would be happy to share my skills with you to ensure your event is just as perfect as you are envisioning it.

If you’re looking for more event planning resources, check out my blog page!