12 Event Planning Problems and Solutions (and How to Implement Them in 2025)

If you’ve planned and managed events already, you’re probably familiar with at least some event planning problems and solutions. Unfortunately, not all are so clear-cut. Meanwhile, if you’re organizing your first event, it’s even easier to underestimate the workload. Still, it’s not only the freshmen in the event industry who run the risk of making common […] The post 12 Event Planning Problems and Solutions (and How to Implement Them in 2025) appeared first on Eventtia.

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If you’ve planned and managed events already, you’re probably familiar with at least some event planning problems and solutions. Unfortunately, not all are so clear-cut. Meanwhile, if you’re organizing your first event, it’s even easier to underestimate the workload.

Still, it’s not only the freshmen in the event industry who run the risk of making common event planning mistakes. Even the old stagers slip from time to time.

With so much to take care of, it’s perhaps not surprising that event management is currently ranked as the third most stressful job role. That’s also reflected in the data. According to research from Ciphr, 1 in 4 employees in the event management industry find their workload stressful, and almost 1 in 5 feel the same about their hours.

There’s not always time to become an expert before your event begins. So, rather than trying to figure it out by trial and error, it’s best to have a good grasp on potential event problems and solutions first.

In this post, we’ll cover everything you need to know for a great event, so you can avoid having months of hard work ending up in:

A frustrated team
Disappointed visitors
Upset exhibitors
Annoyed speakers
Exhausted resources
Loss of credibility

From budgeting to venues and event marketing, read on to discover the top event planning mistakes – and how to implement solutions.

12 event planning problems and solutions for 2025

You don’t have a back-up plan for your event

Be prepared for everything. Not having backup plans and alternative options for every (or at least almost every) aspect of your event, can cause big trouble. Of course, it’s always a hassle to deal with things that don’t go as planned. But it’s going to be much easier to handle if you’ve considered potential solutions beforehand. Trying to find emergency solutions when the bomb has hit ground already is quite a filthy job.

Just defining your event management process isn’t enough – you’ll need a contingency plan, as well.

Having the right team on hand is also essential. If one stage is carried out incorrectly, the whole event could go down the tubes.

Solution - Prepare for event planning problems and solutions

In order to avoid this scenario, one of the first steps of your event planning process should be an event risk assessment. Check the website of the Association of Event Organisers for more information and useful resources.

Furthermore, choose each member of your team strategically in order to cover all the tasks with the right competences. Create a standardized event management process you can follow step by step for various events.

Set aside some time for team meetings to make sure that everyone’s up to speed on their responsibilities and deadlines. Check if the communication between all the team members works efficiently. And make sure you’ve got all stages covered:

Venue
Equipment
Setup
Seating
Registration
Scheduling
Etc.

Having the right event management platform in place, is going to make this job so much easier for you.

That way you’ll avoid common pitfalls – like breaking the budget, last minute fiascos or, in the worst case, the event falling through.

You underestimate your event’s scale

Miscalculating the event’s size might seem like a bonus – you get more attendees, after all! Unfortunately, it’s usually a bad blunder that can cost you a lot of money and time. More people means you need to provide more space and attention. And if you can’t keep up with that, you’ll face big problems. You’ll have to be prepared for:

Registering large amounts of people
Providing them with drinks, food, and even accommodation
Handling large groups of people running in and out of your event

And those are only a few things you have to consider. Understaffing is another potential event planning mistake. If you’re not aware of the scale of your event, you’re also likely to be blind to your staffing levels.

If lots of guests show up to your event, you need to have the right amount of people to take care of them. If you haven’t planned carefully, you could be left with overworked staff and frustrated guests.

Solution - Monitor your registrations

In order to avoid the unpleasant surprise of an overcrowded event, do your research and try to make a realistic estimation about the number of attendees you can expect. If you’ve already organized some events, you’ll be able to estimate your event’s size more easily based on your experience.

If we’re talking about your premier as an event manager, gather all the information you can get that backs up your estimation. Have speakers at your event? Check how many visitors they have drawn to events in the past. Are events popular in your industry? Find out the average number of attendees.

Try to get as accurate as possible. An event registration software is typically the best solution here. That’s because you can track attendee registrations, so you’re aware of how many people will be taking part well in advance.

You’ll stay up to date as people register online – but if you’re also expecting last-minute registrations on the day, keep an eye out on social media to see how much buzz is circulating about your event.

Once you’ve got reliable information, allocate adequate resources to make sure everything runs smoothly.

Learn how to register attendees online the easy way with our simple tips.

You overstep your event budget

One of the most common event planning problems (and solutions!) is money. Cash is always an important consideration when planning an event. Corporate events can cost upwards of several thousand dollars. For the largest organizations, this can go even further. For example, according to data from Statista, in 2023, U.S. companies planned to spend an average of nearly 1.4 million dollars on trade shows.

From venue bookings to speakers, there are many different costs associated with events. So, you’ll need to be strict with your budget. Hiring a vendor or speaker outside of your budget could reduce your profits – and potentially block your event from going ahead as planned.

Solution - Be clear on your budget and stick to it

As with many other points on this list, don’t scrimp on the planning stage.

Create a clear plan of your expected costs well in advance. Use data from any previous events to inform your budgeting strategy.
Collaborate with your team and establish the core priorities for your event.
Make sure you’ve researched the pricing of suitable venues, speakers, etc. This will help you to plan and find the best options for your budget.
Continue recording your expenses as services are booked, and ensure your team is kept in the loop.

You’re not aware of what could go wrong

Problems happen, often at the worst time for your event. As we’ve explored, having a clear contingency plan is an important preventative measure. But it’s also worth knowing exactly what could go wrong.

For example, some specific setbacks you might face could include:

Problems with booking a venue
Weather issues
Technical difficulties

Solution - Develop clear plans to resolve any setbacks

Of course, the challenges of arranging your event will vary, but you’ll need to be ready to react to them. Don’t be tempted to leave things to chance. Always have alternatives and plans for how to respond.

In terms of the issues above, there are a number of ways to resolve or even prevent them from disrupting your event.

Solutions for booking a venue:

Ensure you’ve searched and booked your venue as early as possible.
Make sure the venue can accommodate your guests and any planned activities.
Keep in communication with the venue, ensuring they’re aware of any changes to your plans.
Get in touch for final checks in the week before the event.
Have back-up venues in mind should there be a last-minute cancellation.

Solutions for weather issues:

Develop alternative plans should an outdoor event be rained off, for example.
Search for venues with indoor and outdoor event spaces to facilitate easier movement for guests.
Purchase insurance for adverse weather conditions.
Keep an eye on the weather forecast in the days leading up to the event.
Make sure you have a communication system in place to update guests and stakeholders.

Solutions for potential technical difficulties:

Test, test, test! Don’t leave it to the last minute to check your equipment and software is working properly.
Ensure your tech team is familiar with your plans and equipment for the event, and even have a run-through before the big day.
As always, make sure you have a back-up plan should there be a last-minute technical disaster.
Check your software is up-to-date, and ensure remote attendees will be able to access any relevant apps or platforms for hybrid events.

You’re not keeping your team updated about changes

If there’s one constant in the whole event management process, it’s probably change. Just as in daily life, everything changes constantly, and most of the time, things turn out differently to what you planned. This might be due to a cancellation or problems with the weather, for example.

Think about how many people are involved in planning and organizing your event. How many tasks depend on one another? Now, imagine the outcome of not keeping track of the changes and not making sure everybody’s updated on the current state of affairs.

Got the picture? Kind of feels like looking at an artwork from Picasso, right? Nothing seems to line up.

If you don’t keep track of the progress, you will have to struggle with issues like unattainable deadlines, a drained budget, and a lost team. So, as well as being adaptable to changes, you also need to make sure your team is on the same page.

Solution - Use a centralized event management system:

Put a centralized system in place that helps to monitor your entire planning process. For example, Eventtia can keep your team clued in on:

How many attendees have registered online
Which attendees have checked-in at the event
Marketing tools, including promotional emails and landing pages
Real-time event reporting
Etc.

You can add as many users as you need to your account (for a fee), so all your team are kept updated.

You’re missing out on hybrid opportunities

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many event planners realized the benefits of virtual events. These digital events come with their own unique pros-and-cons, just as with in-person events. For example, virtual events can be offered to wider audiences, as they’re not limited to a single location. Meanwhile, in-person events can offer unique attractions and additional opportunities to network.

Choosing the right type of event can be difficult, particularly when you have potential attendees locally and globally. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid missing out on the benefits of both.

Solution - Run hybrid events

Even when you’re planning an in-person event, you can also leverage digital tools through hybrid events. Event management software integrates both online and offline aspects of your event, so attendees can interact with one another however they choose to join.

There are lots of ways to encourage engagement in hybrid events, including:

Setting up virtual networking sessions for attendees to connect
Developing custom schedules for online and offline participants
Encouraging attendees to engage with sponsors in virtual booths
Creating digital polls and Q&A sessions

Learn how to plan out your first hybrid event in our complete guide.

Your check-in process is outdated

Who wants to start an event with frustration? … Exactly! So, make sure you don’t. A great event doesn’t start with a huge line of people cooling their heels. As far as event planning problems and solutions go, you should aim to start as you wish to carry on.

There are tons of technology solutions out there that help you to run your check-in process without a hitch. Still planning to use documents to register your attendees and spreadsheets for the check-in process? Put simply – don’t! It can be tempting to stick to your usual methods, but they’re time consuming and vulnerable to human error.

Solution - Leverage software for your check-ins:

Find a tech system that makes your check-in go like clockwork. These will save you time, and potentially avoid costly errors. Ideally, you should have a real-time monitor of your event’s attendance. That ensures you know what’s happening and when.

If you want to go for the real deal in terms of event management technology, choose a provider that connects registration and check-in with detailed event reporting. Bonus points if they feed your database with all that information.

For example, Eventtia features an event check-in app, available for iOS and Android devices. This makes it super easy for your event staff to manage attendee check-ins, including last-minute arrivals and for specific event activities. It’s also simple to synchronize data across devices, and import guest lists into the software from CSV or XLS files.

You neglect attendee engagement

Event problems and solutions should all work towards one goal – a great event. Everything can go to plan, but if attendees are bored or frustrated, you’re less likely to get positive feedback and repeat attendees. Not to mention boosting your KPIs. So, making sure guests have a wonderful experience at your event should always be a priority.

Naturally, this starts early in the event planning process. You’ll need to choose speakers and activities that reflect the interests and needs of attendees. Make sure you have a good grasp of trends within your industry before you start.

Once you have the right activities, it doesn’t stop there. Attendees need tools to engage fully with what your event has on offer. Think about it this way – a long talk from a speaker is likely to be too dry on its own, and it’s also likely to elicit questions from attendees. If there’s no opportunity for engagement, attendees are likely to feel uninvested. Naturally, that’s a big event planning mistake.

Solution - Use engagement tools to provide inspiring events:

Again, software is a huge bonus here. Whether your event is in-person, online, or hybrid, event management software can provide tools to help attendees engage with speakers and other attendees.

For example, with Eventtia, attendees can connect with each other via live chat, use polls and Q&A tools to engage with speakers, and build community on the engagement app by posting comments and photos. Plus, if you’d like a more personalized solution, you can also integrate with other engagement tools, like Kahoot! and Slido.

Your event is overwhelming your guests

With so many creative ways to engage attendees, it can be tempting to cram everything into your event. But keep in mind that downtime is equally important. Event fatigue is a very real problem, and if you want your guests to get the most out of your event, you’ll need to give them time for a breather.

Solution - Block in free space and break time

Event planning problems and solutions don’t come easier than this. Make sure you’ve plotted enough breaks and free space into your event schedule. That should include lunch or refreshment breaks, and free space without any activities or networking sessions. Try to close out your event with a low-key activity, too.

Your event promotions are lackluster

Even the best events can’t succeed without attendees. Promotions are a core component of your event management – and they shouldn’t be neglected. After all, unless you have a huge line-up of attendees already, this is how people will find out about your event. There are lots of different ways to spread the word about your event. That includes traditional means like magazine ads and leaflets, of course.

But in the 2020s, event promotions require a social media presence. You’ll need a proper event marketing strategy, and a strong sense of the right platforms and target audience for your niche.

Solution - Take your event promotions online:

Don’t want to run the risk of a near empty venue? As with many event planning problems and solutions, the answer is to go digital.

Don’t limit yourself to a simple hashtag campaign. Take it to a whole new level of event communication, and connect with attendees and stakeholders online:

Engage your stakeholders on social media before, during and after the event. Step up the event experience, promote networking at your event, and help to create lasting connections among your stakeholders.

Here are a few other ideas for you to try when taking your event digital:

X / BlueSky: Use these to keep your followers in-the-know regarding your event by posting updates.
Facebook: Get your attendees hyped for your event before it even begins with a user generated content campaign. With UGC, your followers will create inspiring content for your socials. Make sure to use a branded hashtag to keep the posts together – and even provide special offers or rewards for the most popular posters.
LinkedIn: Initiate a LinkedIn group and provide a home for discussions about your event. Generate a buzz in your industry with event updates and teasers.
Instagram: Create a visual report of the event experience on your page. Share exciting details about your events to get followers hyped – for example, with quotes from your key speakers to snapshots of upcoming activities. Make people count the days till your next event takes place.
TikTok: Don’t lose sight of the importance of video content. Give your followers behind-the-scenes access to your events. Showcase the impact of your activities, and create relatable videos followers will want to share.

Digital does not only include social media though. You should also set up a website for your event. But be careful! Here’s another pitfall that could trap you. Pay attention to the details – they make the difference.

If your event’s website offers a poor UX, your first impression will be just as poor. Be convincing from the very beginning. A great event management technology solution should be equipped with a feature that lets you build structured and appealing websites.

You’ll be able to make everything your own with customized, branded landing pages and email marketing campaigns. You can set up custom pages from scratch – or integrate registration forms into your current website.

Plus, you’ll also be able to explore the performance of your website marketing and events through our detailed reporting tools. And custom surveys are another great way to find out what your attendees thought about your event. No campaign or event is perfect, so this all gives you flexibility and scope to keep improving and optimizing.

For example, the wine and spirits industry leader Pernod Ricard Group used Eventtia to record attendee info for its essential marketing insights. They were then able to leverage this for tailored remarketing campaigns.

Read the full Pernod Ricard Group case study to learn how they leveled-up their event strategy with Eventtia.

You don’t record data from your event

What do you want to achieve through your event? The only way to determine whether your event was successful is through recording and evaluating your KPIs. These are Key Performance Indicators, which are values used to evaluate the success of a project or event.

Ultimately, these can help you to establish the event’s Return on Investment (ROI). Put simply, this is a business term that clarifies the financial return on your event. An ROI of 100% breaks even, whilst 120% would bring in revenue of 20%. Aside from your team, KPIs are also useful for sponsors and stakeholders to be aware of.

For events, you’ll typically want to record KPIs before, during, and after the event. These include the number of registrations, present attendees, and returned post-event surveys. Altogether, this data can help you to understand the success of your event – and pinpoint potential areas for development.

Want to learn more? Read our full guide to measuring event KPIs to drive ROI.

Solution - Record and evaluate your event data

Recording event data manually is challenging at best, nightmarish at worst. So, wherever possible, it’s better to use event software to record and analyze your data. These tools gather and measure your data, so you can see all the information you need at a glance. This can then be shared in custom reports to inform your colleagues, and tailor and refine future events.

You don’t follow up after the event

After months of work and a (hopefully) successful event, you definitely deserve to get some rest. However, your work doesn’t end on the day of the event. When it comes to event problems and solutions, you don’t want to neglect the follow-up stage.

If you don’t communicate with your attendees after the event, you’ll miss a great opportunity to create stronger connections with them and potentially land future sales opportunities.

Solution - Send your appreciations via email marketing

Thank your attendees, show them you appreciated their attendance, and send them personalized offers tailored to data gathered at the event. For this, you’ll need a technology solution to collect necessary attendee data quickly, easily, and effectively. This will make your follow up actions a lot more meaningful – and therefore, valuable.

Event planning tools like Eventtia typically also include email marketing features, so you can stay in touch with attendees after the event. As well as personalizing the content, you’ll also be able to tweak the fonts, imagery, and style to fit your branding.

Plus, it doesn’t have to stop with attendees. Want to grow your event? Improve the attendee’s experience with each event you organize? Don’t forget to reach out to your speakers, advertisers, journalists, attendees, and venue staff too. Following up with all of your stakeholders will definitely pay off.

Did they do a great job? Maybe you feel you wouldn’t have been able to pull it off without them? Let them know! Send them well deserved thank you notes and you’ll be forming a solid base for your next event.

Avoid event planning mistakes with the right software

Although event planning comes with pitfalls, there are ways to avoid most of them – and bounce back from the rest. Just make sure you know what to watch out for.

Draw up an action plan based on all the event planning problems and solutions that can come up throughout the entire process. Even if it seems like a lot of work, in case something goes really wrong, you’ll be happy to whip out your contingency plan.

Event management processes can be notoriously unwieldy. If you want to avoid added stress, you need the right event planning software on hand.

That’s where Eventtia comes in. Eventtia streamlines your processes and saves you time – all from the same platform. That includes:

Managing online event registrations
Tracking attendee check-ins in real time
Providing engaging activities to keep attendees invested
Analytics to review your event after everyone’s gone home
And much more

At Eventtia, we’re not newcomers to the event management scene. Our software has facilitated 35,000+ successful events in over 50 countries worldwide.

Still unsure about how Eventtia could make a difference to your event? Don’t worry.

Book a free demo, and we’ll talk you through the platform and how it can meet (and exceed) your event planning needs.

The post 12 Event Planning Problems and Solutions (and How to Implement Them in 2025) appeared first on Eventtia.

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