A detailed guide on creating an effective event proposal, covering essential elements like event plans, business credentials, relevant data, and unique value propositions to ensure a successful virtual or hybrid event. Learn More.
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Trust us when we tell you that having an event proposal document makes running a successful virtual and hybrid event that much easier.
It’s easier because it applies to so many different aspects of the virtual or hybrid event planning process – be it getting your event team on the same page, or pitching your event to potential sponsors.
In the case of virtual events, there’s another benefit in that it gives your dedicated events provider an idea of what you’re hoping to do, alongside important information about your brand, your event budget, and more.
There’s not a lot you can’t include in this document. That being said, there is a right and wrong way of writing an event proposal – especially when planning a virtual or hybrid event where the stakes are slightly higher.
If you’ve been doing your research then you’ll know that the internet has no shortage of event proposal templates and guides. Only, not all of them are as detailed or as comprehensive as they need to be.
This is why we’ve opted to create our guide, complete with our event proposal template!
An event proposal is a comprehensive document that details every notable aspect of an event. It is typically created during the early planning stages of an event to act as a rough guide on the what, how, and when relating to an event you’re looking to run.
An event proposal has multiple uses, other than being a resource for your team to use for reference:
We should point out that not all event proposals are so uniform. Some serve multiple uses, depending on the brand in question.
In other words, how you choose to approach your event proposal is completely up to you. Just remember to include all of the important information as you’ll need to include this within all proposals, regardless of what your intentions are.
How much information you choose to include can and will vary based on the type of event you’re running and other contributing factors (i.e. audience or budget).
While event proposals can and do vary, they all must include the following to aid in your success:
The success of your virtual or hybrid event depends on how detailed those above items are within your document. You see, all play an essential role in the planning and execution of your events.
Getting these things nailed down beforehand goes a long way in helping the relevant parties get on the same page – be it sponsors, stakeholders, or other members of the team, alongside various other benefits.
You will always need to outline your event plan within your event proposal, that much is a given. Are you running a virtual conference? A virtual open day? Or a hybrid exhibition? Be sure to include this information at the very beginning.
Top Tip: If you’re in the stages of planning a virtual event, be sure to mention how your event will be delivered within your event proposal document.
Within your event plan, you should also talk about your target audience and how many attendees you’re expecting to take part in your event. This number can range from the dozens to the thousands.
Try to outline your vision as best as you can. Go into as much detail as possible without going crazy with your word count. Talk about what you hope to do, and how you’re going to do it, that should be more than enough.
You might think that adding your company credentials to a proposal is nothing more than a formality. While true to some extent, putting your credentials into this document is how you apply context to whatever else you’ve written.
Context is key, as it can help those reading contextualise what it is you’re hoping to achieve with your event. What’s more, it’s also an opportunity to talk about past events and how successful they were (if applicable).
Your credentials typically cover the following:
The goal here should be to convince anyone reading that you are a credible trustworthy company capable of generating tangible results. So, ideate and then come up with some tangible results.
Relevant data is very effective at providing evidence that helps back up your plans, which is very helpful to have if the purpose of your event proposal is to convince others within the company to run with your plans.
Be sure to use data from previous events if possible.
Data of this kind speaks volumes in terms of helping you convince others that the plan you’ve mapped out is likely to be successful. Not sure what type of data to include? No problem, take a look at the following examples:
Remember, the data you include should always be in service of what type of virtual event you’re looking to run.
Easily one of the best ways to source data that is exclusive to you is either by asking people to fill in event surveys. Another option would be to simply look at the data through your virtual event platform.
Most virtual event platforms come with extensive reporting tools, allowing you to see invaluable metrics both during and after your event. The data you collect here can easily sit within your event proposals, again, increasing your chances of running a successful event.
One of the most important things you must do in your proposal is separate yourself from your competitors. By elaborating on what makes your event unique, you instantly give your event credibility, not to mention give prospective attendees a reason to take notice.
This is something that your sponsors will take notice of too, which could mean the difference between them choosing to partner with you over partnering with a rival event.
Be as specific as humanly possible when talking about your UVP. The more specific you are, the easier it will be to transition your ideas from one stage of this process to the next.
For example, let’s say that your UVP is that you have more speakers and streams than any other related event. In which case you could then suggest using that fact within your marketing strategies to help promote the event.
Do keep in mind that this is but one example.
Your UVP could be very different in comparison, which is totally fine, just as long as you get it across within your proposal.
Get started on your events.
Are you ready to get started?
We’ve briefly looked at what a proposal for an event is, and the most important inclusions across all templates. Now it’s time to go into much greater detail, as we outline exactly what needs to go in this document.
Before we begin, be sure to download our blank event proposal template and fill it in as we work through this section. You can find this document right here.
Are you ready?
Right, let’s get into what should be included within your event proposal template.
In this section, you need to discuss the specifics of the event you’re planning to deliver. This should include things such as the date and time of the event, not to mention, the location and venue you have in mind.
If you’re looking to run a virtual or hybrid event, talk about how you hope to execute the event, too. Here is where you could also mention which virtual event provider you have in mind too.
Keep this section short and sweet, but try to keep your reader engaged, if possible. You see, it’s this section that sets the tone for the rest of your proposal, and can even convince most readers to want to engage with you right then and there!
Not sure what to include within your outline?
Try the following:
We covered what credentials you need to include above. Here’s a quick refresher for those that don’t want to scroll up:
The goal of this section is to give your reader a better understanding of who you and your company are, alongside other relevant bits of information. It might seem insignificant, but it helps the reader gain a better understanding of who you are.
Who are you hoping to attract with this event?
This is the question you need to answer in this event proposal section. When outlining your target audience, make sure to mention things like:
We should mention that you don’t have to cover all of the above. If it feels important to include to help sell your event idea, then feel free to include it.
Anything you can include here to help sell your events to others is a win, so try to implement relevant data and metrics wherever you can in this section.
So you have an event idea, that’s great. But how are you going to promote the event? That’s the next big question you’ll need to answer.
While there are multiple ways to promote your event, your event marketing strategy should always be tailored toward the audience you’ve just talked about. Do keep in mind that this is only a proposal, meaning you don’t need to map out an entire social media strategy, for example.
Simply mention what marketing strategies and channels you hope to utilise in order to help sell your event. Here are a few marketing examples for you to consider:
If you have anything else you’d like to add that doesn’t fit in any of the other sections, then this is where you add it. What you choose to include is completely up to you, just ensure that it’s relevant.
For example, you might mention what you hope to hand out at the event to attendees. You might also mention timescales or a clear deadline for when everything needs to be signed off.
We hope this guide on how to write an event proposal has helped bring you one step closer to your ideal event. Forming your own ideas can be tough without the right guide in place.
Hopefully, we’ve been that guide for you, alongside our event proposal template included within this post. That’s a free template, by the way, so feel free to use it as much as you like.
Do you have a virtual or hybrid event proposal you’d like to send our way?
If you do, we’d love to see it. At iVent, we’re always looking to connect businesses with their base through our bespoke virtual event technology.
For over 11 years, our online event specialists have produced incredible virtual events tailored to the needs of each client. From complex simultaneous plenary sessions to hybrid product launches, we’ve done it all.
Get in touch to find out more.
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