So you want to run an event?
Here is our easy 10-step guide on how you can get your event booked in and marketed, as well
as what we can do to help you with in terms of marketing and technical support!
If you have any questions you can e-mail us at [email protected]
Step 1: Booking your event
Come to UBU reception and ask for a green events booking form. All you need to do is fill in the
key details and hand it back to one of our events staff. At this point your event will be
provisionally booked but won’t be confirmed until you complete step two and then have the
event approved.
Tip: We’d suggest you book an event at least three weeks before the actual event to give time
for the event to be confirmed. If you have external speakers at an event, though, we’d suggest
at least six weeks if they’ve never spoken on campus before or four weeks if they have due to
the extra time needed to approve external speakers.
Step 2: Complete the Google Doc
You will shortly receive back a Google document for you to fill in the important details of your
event. Make sure details like start time, end time and date are correct, as well as your contact
details as we might need to get back in touch with you.
If you are bringing food to the event, have speakers or require technical assistance then make
sure you complete these parts of the form fully.
Also please make sure you complete the risk assessment as we can’t approve the event without
it. If you need any help e-mail us or come in and see us!
Step 3: Approval
Providing we’re happy with the above the event will be confirmed on the following Monday, but
if we’re missing bits of information then it might be delayed. Things that often hold events back
are not having caterers listed, no information on the speakers, or an incomplete risk
assessment. Events cannot be advertised until you receive approval.
Step 4: Technical Support
If you require technical support please put that in the appropriate box. Where possible, if you
are part of a society or your event is at certain times or in certain rooms, we’ll provide you with
technical support at no cost. However sometimes events require additional help and support
and we may need to book in staff for you which comes with a cost. If you do require technical
support but are unsure about what, come and see us and we can go through the options. For
most events we will only charge you for staff time but some bigger or unusual events may
require some external equipment hire.
Step 5: Financial Approval
If you require technical staff support or there are other costs associated with your event then
you need to get financial approval. Please create a budget on the Google Doc then e-mail [email protected] and they can check and approve that for you. Finance approval
meetings are Tuesday each week so make sure it’s sent to them by Monday evening at the
latest.
Step 6: Marketing
We can help you with marketing. Some of the things we can do include:
 Design of posters and other graphics
 Limited print-run of marketing material
 Promoting events on social media and our website and bradford.ac.uk
 Promoting on the plasma screens and big screens
 Press releases
 And more
If you’d like support with marketing book a chat in with us and we can go through what’s
possible.
Step 7: Tickets
Using bradfordunisu.co.uk we can put tickets online for you so students can buy them online
24/7. We only need a few bits of information from you and we can handle sales and collection.
Step 8: The actual event - before the day
When it comes to your actual event there are things to bear in mind:
 Have you got an act coming? Do they have a contract? A technical or hospitality rider?
Are there financial implications?
 Do you need to buy decorations?
 Do you need additional tables, boards, chairs or more? Please specify these on your
form
 Do you need to run a box office? If so, we will provide a member of staff for you, and
there may be a cost to this
 Do you need security? For events of a certain capacity or in certain spaces we would
advise security for managing not only the people at the event but the paying of tickets
on the door to ensure everyone pays to get in. We will discuss the options with you
before your event.
 Have you got an itinerary for the acts? Make sure this is sent to us at least four days
before the event. If you’re having trouble putting one together, come and see us and
we’ll help you work it out.
Step 9: The actual event – on the day
When it comes to running your event on the day there are some important things to consider:
 Do I need to move the furniture? We suggest you and your fellow events team help lay
out furniture to save costs, but if not we can book in paid staff for you. Remember that
furniture must be returned to where it came from at the end
Step 10: Media Coverage
We want to make sure your event is documented well. We have a team of students who are
able to take photos or film your event, which could be done for either free or for minimal cost.
We also have equipment to lend out if you’d like to do it yourself. Speak to us to discuss your
options.
We hope this guide has been useful for you, but if you do have any questions e-mail us on
[email protected] or come and speak to us. Our biggest tip is to make sure you fill in
the Google document you will receive as comprehensively as possible and check it over to make
sure what’s on it is correct, and for any big events make sure you book a meeting with us to
make sure you are all set-up with furniture, technical and marketing support.