Hosting an event is a great way for you to attract new customers. It will cement the relationship that you have with your customers and it will also help you to create a buzz about your brand. If you want to launch a successful business event, then here are a few tips that will help you to get started.
Set a Goal
Put some proper thought into what it is that you want to achieve from this event? Do you want to attract local media? Do you want to build a mailing list of potential customers? Do you want to boost business awareness? It doesn’t matter what your goals are, as long as you have them set so that you have something to work towards.
Time Everything Right
Timing is so crucial when it comes to the overall success of your event. You need to consider key dates such as holidays or even annual events that are happening in the local community. The last thing that you need is to compete because this will take the focus away from your business and it will also make it much harder for you to ensure a good turnout.
Team
Your team are going to be the driving force behind your event, so you have to make sure that they are as dedicated as you are. One thing that you need to do is work out who is going to be in charge of the event. This could be a manager, a key employee or anyone of note. When you do this, you can then give them some responsibility and you can have them handle all of the finer details. If you don’t have a leader for the event, then your team won’t know who to go to if they have problems and you may end up with unorganised chaos on the day. When you have appointed your team leader, you can then give specific members of your team their own responsibilities too. Their responsibilities need to be clear-cut because if they aren’t then you may end up with champagne and no glasses.
Think Everything Through
Sit down with your entire team and talk everyone through the various stages of your event. When you do this, you will be able to think of the little things that you might have forgotten, such as PA systems, clipboards, napkins and more.
Budget
When you start to plan out all of the little things you need, you may find that the price soon adds up. This is completely normal and it’s something that every event organiser has to go through. If you find that the cost is becoming too much, then you need to scale back your event. For example, you could serve prosecco instead of champagne, or you could even shorten the event by an hour or two so that you don’t have to provide full catering. You might also want to partner up with local businesses. This will help you to cut down on the cost and it will also help you to build a good relationship with them.
Marketing Plan
It’s so important that you allow plenty of time for the word to get out. Your marketing plan could include direct mail, radio, online advertising and even printed material too. If nobody knows about your event, then you can’t expect anyone to show up and this could spell disaster for your brand.
Alert the Media
The local media really are your best friend when it comes to brand awareness. Try and team up with local reporters and ask bloggers to create press releases about your upcoming event. You might also want to release a follow-up email after the event too. This will help to keep everyone connected and it can also boost the overall level of success of your event too.
Create a Buzz
Social media can really help you to get your target audience excited about your event. Try and post pictures about your preparations, such as setting up the marquee or even of the catering team. This will help you to keep your attendee’s attention and it will also make them more interested in the event itself.
Promotions
When your customers arrive at the event, you need to find a way to promote your company to them. You can do this by handing out business cards, discount coupons or even gift cards. Contests are also great. You could ask your customers to give their email address in exchange for a ticket, or you could have them take part in games or raffles. If you want to take things to that next level, then consider having press walls too.
Be Positive
When the big day comes around, you need to be prepared for anything because there is a chance that you haven’t planned out every single aspect of the event. Of course, it’s important to know that your attitude is what matters the most. If you stay positive and if you are able to keep your sense of humour, then this will make your guests feel welcome and it will also make them feel happy that they were able to make it. Every single time you host an event, you are going through a learning experience, so don’t be afraid of making a few mistakes.
Follow-Up
You may feel as though your work is done when the event is over, but this is not the case. It is always good to try and follow up with guests who attended the event and you also need to thank them. Try and offer them something special as a thank you for coming, or even give them an invitation for a future event that you have planned. If you want to really make your next event special, then ask your guests for feedback and ask them to rate the event overall. This will help you to host bigger and better events, and it will also help you to develop your very own metrics.
