Tips for Having a Successful Event
Having a successful event requires a little more work than a webinar or teleseminar but they are much more profitable and fun. For sure, they take a bit of planning, but if you follow these tips you’ll be well on your way.
Have a Clear Objective
Your first need is to have a clear objective. That is the only way you can successfully market it to your audience as well as potential partners and sponsors. People can see when something is well thought out or not.
Find Partners
A partner (or two or three) can help you pull off a much larger and well attended event than if you did it all alone. The partners should be people who offer complementary products and services to yours rather than direct competitors.
Hire an Event Planner or Virtual Assistant
The cost of an event planner or VA is more than worth it when you consider all the little things that need to be done to ensure your event goes smoothly. Someone who is experienced in these things can actually save you money by helping prevent costly mistakes.
Recruit Volunteers
Once you know that the event is going to happen and you’ve sold a few tickets, it’s time to recruit some volunteers. The best volunteers are those who have signed up for information about your event but for whatever reason cannot afford to go but fit within your demographic.
Market Everywhere
Well, market wherever your audience lives, plays, works and socialises. Your marketing should be directed and specific in order to get a good response. You can have Meetups, webinars, articles, blog posts, and more to promote your event. Everyone involved should be promoting the event with these methods. Also consider advertising your event in the local paper to attract new people who might not find you online.
Collect Leads
During your marketing, find ways to collect leads because the people you market to via email directly are more likely to sign up for your event than people who find your information in other ways. Consider allowing affiliates to market your event too.
Find Sponsors
If you can land a well-known sponsor for your event it will make your event seem even more impressive when you say “sponsored by xyz ” if that company is well known and trusted by your audience.
Choose the Right Venue
One of the most important decisions you’ll make is where your event will occur. Ensure that the space is right for the size of your event. You don’t want people to feel too crowded, or as if they are swallowed up by the venue. You also want the style of the event to fit in with the style your audience has in terms of them worrying about what to wear and how to present themselves.
Get Technical Help
Even if you’re great with technology, monitors, computers, microphones and whatnot you really want someone else to take care of these issues. You want to be a personality at the event, not the technical person because it will take away from some of the fun for you. You’ll have enough to do as it is.
Practice the Performance
Your speech, the order of the talks, the use of the technology and so forth needs to be completed on site at the event location when possible to avoid any issues with lighting, technology or even walking up a step or two to get to the platform. This will make you all look more professional and avoid mishaps.
Test Technology
It’s been mentioned more than once in this list, but that’s how important it is. You should ask speakers to send you a copy of their presentation prior to the event so that if something happens you’ll have a copy, they’ll have a copy, and put a copy in the cloud just in case. But do not assume the internet or the projector will work. Have back up plans.
Allow for Breaks
Don’t forget to put realistic breaks into your event so that your participants do not get too tired or uncomfortable. Even interesting talks can put people to sleep if they are uncomfortable, hungry, or need to use the bathroom.
Ensure the Temperature is Comfortable
A very important component of a successful event is how the environment feels to the participants. You don’t want it to be too cold or too warm in the location. If there is an issue, ask for it to be fixed on behalf of your guests.
Serve Healthy Food
It’s tempting to go crazy and serve heavy food that will shock and awe the participants but you really want them to focus on your message and not their full and possibly sick and over fed stomachs. Give options for different types of people. You can survey the attendees to ensure the food choice fits most people.
Good planning and plenty of forethought will help ensure your event is a huge success. Not only that, but you’ll be able to create a profitable and fun outing for everyone involved.
I have years of experience in organising events and it’s one of my favourite things to do. If you want to wow your clients, and don’t know where to start, call me on 07701 351686 and we can discuss your needs. Or have a look at what else I can do.
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