Planning events at a large scale can be a big responsibility. It’s as much about managing people as it is about running events. As an event manager, you could potentially be dealing with crowds of hundreds of thousands of people. Things can get chaotic; you must keep things together. A few rotten eggs can ruin an event for everyone else. The crowd can cause a lot of damage if things get out of hand. You must think about the safety of others if you are planning to arrange a huge event that involves a lot of people.
The tips given below will help you to deal with the crowd:
Be Aware of Your Audience’s Characteristics
Suppose you are managing an event other than a heavy metal concert. In that case, you’re going to attract a different crowd, such as a corporate conference that involves a different kind of audience. It would help if you looked for preferences, temperament, security, and why they have gathered there.
Keep Crowd Control Barriers
If your event involves celebrities or political rallies, make sure you have crowd control barriers since people will be full of enthusiasm and energy once they see their favorite star. The crowd control barriers will resist the crowd from entering a restricted area.
Have plenty of ushers and security on-hand
A significant event demands the presence of large staff and security. A guest service station must be provided where the queries of guests can be resolved. There must be ushers to provide customer-related services, such as maintaining order in the check-in line, escorting guests, etc. Designate the check-in lines or entrances with stanchions to guide people towards ticket purchase windows or their seats. There must be security check rooms for checking bags for weapons and other banned substances at the gate if you are hosting an exhibition or a trade show.
Prepare the venue with lots of signage.
Ensure that there are plenty of signs to guide guests to various places that will help to reduce the confusion and a chaotic situation. This can include characters for:
- Directions to the nearest restroom
- Locations to exhibits or workshops
- restricted or staff-only areas
Have an Emergency Plan Just in case
It would help if you planned for the worst-case scenario too. There are so many things that can go wrong, such as a brawl in the crowd, break out of a fire, acts of terrorism, sudden change of weather, etc. You will require an orderly evacuation during any such emergency. Venue managers must know the venue layout, including entry, exit, and restricted areas.
Control Access to Liquor
Alcohol is a potent catalyst for stupidity that can affect any person. You need to keep the consumption and access of liquor under control if you plan to serve limited people at your event.
Encourage Patrons to Report Any Suspicious Situation
Although you have trained security guards at your event, some things can go unseen. Make sure to encourage your guests to report any unpleasant or suspicious activity to the nearest guard.
