What goes into a good crew briefing

Most crew problems on an event day aren’t about effort. They start when people arrive knowing only their call time. Then someone stands at the wrong gate, a sponsor stand opens without the right products on display, or a crew member tells a guest something the client didn’t want said.

A briefing fixes most of that. It has two parts: what the crew get in writing before the day, and what they’re told on site before work starts.

Before the day: the written brief

Send this the day before, or earlier for a multi-day event. Keep it short enough to read on a phone.

• Call time and place. The exact meeting point, not just the venue name. “Gate 3, next to the security container” beats “the stadium”.
• Getting there. Parking, drop-off points and transport home, especially for late finishes.
• Dress. What to wear and what not to: branded shirts, closed shoes, no competitor logos.
• What to bring. ID, water and weather gear for outdoor sites, and anything the role needs, such as a charged phone.
• Shift length, breaks and meals. Who provides food, and when.
• One contact for the day. A name and a number, usually the crew lead.

On site: the briefing before work starts

Do it standing up, in one place, with everyone there. Walk the site afterwards if the layout is complicated.

1. The event in two sentences. What’s happening today, and who the client is. Crew who know the event is a sponsor’s product launch behave differently from crew who think it’s a generic function.

2. The layout. Entrances and exits, the build zones, where the toilets and the crew area are, and where equipment is stored. Point at things instead of describing them.

3. Each person’s position and job. Name everyone, and say where they’ll be and what they’re responsible for. People remember “you’re on the VIP entrance with a clipboard” more easily than a role title.

4. Who reports to whom. Who the crew lead is, who the crew lead reports to, and who on the client side can give instructions. Crew shouldn’t take changes from anyone who walks up.

5. How people stay in touch. The radio channel or WhatsApp group, and when to use each. Do a radio check before the briefing ends.

6. Emergencies. Where first aid is, the assembly point, and who to call. The event’s safety officer or organiser sets these arrangements; the briefing makes sure the crew know them.

7. The client’s rules. Brand guidelines, whether crew may take photos or post on social media, phone use, and what to say if a journalist or an unhappy guest asks a question. Sponsor exclusivity matters here too: no one drinks a rival brand’s cold drink behind a sponsor’s stand.

8. What happens at the end. Pack-down times, what goes back to which supplier, and who signs off before anyone leaves.

Finish by asking the crew lead to repeat the plan back. It takes a minute and shows up the gaps.

The pack-down briefing

Pack-down is when kit goes missing and hired items get damaged, often because everyone is tired and wants to go home. A short second briefing helps:

• what belongs to the client, what’s hired and what goes back to each supplier
• where each item goes and how it’s packed
• who checks the site before the handover to the venue

What the client should give the crew supplier

The crew supplier can only brief as well as it has been briefed. Before the event, send:

• the run sheet or event schedule
• a site map
• brand guidelines and any sponsor restrictions
• the accreditation or access list, if names are needed at the gate
• contact details for your people on the day

If you’re booking crew for an activation, add the stand design and the product or sampling plan. For the rest of what to include in the first enquiry, see what to send an event company for an accurate quote.

After the event

Ask the crew lead for a short debrief the same day: what went wrong, what was missing, and who did well. It helps you rebook the right people.

Nahud supplies briefed event crew and runs brand activations on the day. If you’re planning an event, tell us what you need.