If you have a business event coming up, there’s a lot to prepare. Here are some pro tips to help you plan a successful event and make sure it goes off without a hitch.
Each year, events contribute $115 billion dollars to the US GDP. Clearly, events hold a lot of power for revenue.
Hosting conferences, workshops and networking events is part of annual business plans for many companies. But with costs going up and with fiercer competition for attendees, what can you do?
But with so much competition out there, how can you make sure you stand out from the crowd?
Read on for some tips to ensure you plan a successful event.
Choose the Right Venue
Picking the venue deserves some careful consideration. First, consider the physical space: is it accessible? Does it have the equipment or rooms you need? Is it located at a convenient location for bus and car travel?
Corporate events are traditionally held in hotels or conference centers. The number of guests you expect will play a large role in determining what venue you choose. However, keep the ambiance of the location in mind to make sure it suits your event and your organization.
Create Content Before the Event
With so many events people may choose to attend, you need to give them reasons to go to your event.
Creating pre-launch content is a great way to engage with potential attendees and sway their maybe into a firm yes. Create content that is relevant to your event such as a live Q&A with the keynote speaker. Or offer a free webinar.
This valuable content will give the public a sense of your event, your organization and how valuable attending would be for them. It is one of the best methods of promoting events that add value.
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Create Scarcity
People tend to leave buying tickets for the last minute. This can be very stressful if you are running an event and trying to arrange payments and give numbers to the caterer or the venue.
If you offer a limited number of early-bird tickets at a reduced price will create a sense of urgency. This will propel customers into buying their ticket while they can.
You can also set a price increase schedule on your event page so people can see that the longer they wait to buy tickets, the more they will pay.
Use Social Media to Create FOMO
In case you don’t know, FOMO stands for “fear of missing out“. It is a real thing with a social psychological basis. FOMO can be a powerful push into engaging participants.
Be strategic in how you use your Social Media channels before, during and after your event.
This can help you increase engagement from the participants who are attending. ANd it can also lead to future ticket sales from those who missed out this time.
Balance Work and Fun
It can be difficult to create a corporate event that is not too stuffy but that also remains professional and on-point.
While you do want to entertain your attendees, it’s best if they walk away from your event feeling that they have benefitted from it.
The benefits may be networking opportunities or workshops. Even if your event is a party or dinner, establish some boundaries so that the event doesn’t turn into a circus. After all, this event is still a work event.
Get Interactive
One of the easiest ways to add fun to your event is to make it interactive. For example, you might add a photo booth with some props for your event. This is a great way to get people to post about your event on social media.
Better yet, create a hashtag an display it prominently throughout the venue. This will encourage people to use the hashtag before and after the event on Twitter and Instagram.
Come up with a way to connect with attendees during the event. EmojiOut provides you and your event attendees an opportunity to connect in a seamless way through text messaging.
Keep Annual Events Fresh
If your organization hosts a yearly conference, holiday party or another annual event, you should reinvent to keep it modern and relevant.
A revamp should add meaningful changes that impact the business outcomes. Weave your company’s personality into the event and fall back on your core pillars and beliefs to keep your event true to you.
Showing off your company culture attracts better talent and, more importantly, retains that talent.
In addition, corporate culture builds brand identity. Plus, customers will begin to associate your organization with those core values.
If you have been planning the annual work event for years and years, don’t be afraid to bring in some new players into the discussion. Organize an event committee to brainstorm ways to make your event fresh this year.
Successful Event Follow up and Feedback
Hooray! You planned the most successful event your organization has ever seen! You promoted it, filled the room, and gave attendees an unforgettable event.
But don’t put your feet up just yet.
After your event is over, you should connect with the attendees thank them and ask for feedback. You could create an online survey or send out a questionnaire by email.
It can be tricky to get a good return on surveys so offer a random prize that all those who complete the survey are eligible for.
Ask for recommendations on what could be improved. You might be surprised by an overwhelming consensus on a specific item. Take that feedback seriously and where possible, apply those changes to future events.
Also, talk to your colleagues and ask how they felt it went. All feedback is valuable and will help you make future events even better.
Final Thoughts
Planning and organizing a large-scale event is understandably stressful and time-consuming.
We hope you have found these tips for creating a successful event helpful.
Keep in mind that these corporate events go a long way in promoting sales and business as well as boosting employee mood and motivation. You’ll see that it will be worth it for your organization.
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