How to organize an event: a step-by-step checklist

1. Decide the purpose and the size

Write one sentence: who is this for and what should they leave with? A clear purpose settles the venue, the price and how you promote it. Estimate a realistic headcount, not a hopeful one.

2. Choose the date and venue

Check for clashes with holidays, exams and other events your audience would attend. Visit the venue if you can, and confirm capacity, access and what the price includes.

3. Set a budget and a ticket price

List fixed costs (venue, equipment, permits) and per-guest costs. Work out the break-even number of guests before you set the price. Decide whether the event is free, paid or invite-only.

4. Create one clear event page

People decide from the title, date, place and a short description. In Happa you can create free public, private or invite-only events. Public events need a one-time organizer verification; private and invite-only events do not.

5. Sell tickets

Paid events need a way to collect money, a ticket for each buyer and a way to stop duplicates. See how to sell tickets with mobile money in East Africa.

6. Promote it where your audience already is

• Share the event link in the chats and groups your audience uses.
• Post the date and place clearly so it is easy to save to a calendar.
• Public events on Happa can be found by people searching for things to do.

7. Run check-in on the day

Each ticket has a QR code. In Happa you scan tickets with your phone, invite other people to scan at the door, and keep scanning when the connection is poor because check-ins sync afterwards. For multi-day events you can track attendance per day.

8. Follow up

Look at who came, what you earned and what people thought. Happa shows attendance and revenue, lets you run polls, and can export event data to Google Sheets.

Common questions