5 "Murphy's Law" Scenarios For Your Special Event

Murphy's Law dictates that anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Veteran special event planners swear by this rule, which is why they are always prepared for the worst possible scenario for their events. Paranoid? Maybe, but you can't argue they aren't being careful enough.

Special events inherently have an element of risk involved, explained Organic Events Founder Marika Holmgren in “Nonprofit Management 101.” While she wrote that there is no foolproof way to predict what issues will arise, that doesn't mean planners shouldn't prepare for every single scenario possible.

Holmgren identified five of the most impactful worst-case scenarios and suggested reviewing these and others to identify what needs to be done in each case and how to reduce the risk and liability of the organization:

• Event income or registration does not meet your goals, financial or otherwise;
• Natural disasters (hurricane, earthquake, etc.);
• Hotel strikes and boycotts;
• A key team member or event planner leaves the project; or,
• A keynote speakers falls through.