You are about to organize a corporate business event. You have reserved a place and date for its holding and you are now confident that the most important tasks of the preparation have been completed. The truth is that the hard part is yet to come.
As you know, every event affects the overall impression of your customers and partners. To get their attention, you need to make an effort to create attractive concepts and activities. To do this, you need well-creative ideas and a developed plan that includes all the components of the event. The plan will mark the main activities and tasks, deadlines, subcontractors. When preparing an event, even the smallest details are extremely important. Excellent judgment of the organizers is required in the selection of invitations, promotional materials, registration platform, location, decoration and even in the clothing of the host, presenters and hostesses.
Let’s not waste any more time, but to outline the main points that you should be guided by when preparing a plan for an event.
Create a vision to follow
Events become a mandatory element of the portfolio of any company that aims to convey in the most accurate and effective way the messages of its brand to the target audience. For the purposes of the event, a preliminary plan is created, which for convenience can be written in a text document or clearly arranged in one or more spreadsheets. Often the plan changes in the course of preparation. For this reason, it is mandatory to be shared with all participants in the organization of the event – from people who make decisions in the company, to all narrow specialists and subcontractors. In this way, all participants will be aware of their obligations. When organizing special events, regular meetings are needed, where the team gathers and discusses the status of the tasks and the progress of the organization. Deadlines for implementation must also be set.
Events are a communication tool that requires a lot of resources and investment in time and money. All planned activities for their implementation are managed by a pre-prepared budget. Regardless of the scale of the event, the main direction of action is to realize an effective and memorable event with the use of an optimal budget. Of course, a number of case studies show that cash costs can increase unexpectedly, so we advise you to budget for contingencies.
Define the goals of the event
Organizing an event is a great marketing technique for supporting and achieving certain business goals. Think about the main reasons for the realization of your corporate event. Do you want to raise brand awareness or build partnerships with other companies in the industry? Or organize an event to present a new range of products or new services. Often the goals of a business event are a mix of the above.
Think about the importance of the sales factor. Every event requires a serious budget, so plan carefully to get a positive return on investment. Compare the number of goals with the budget. Create a unique impression on the client, which will guarantee you future financial income and successful contacts. Depending on the significance of the event, consider media coverage and in which media it is appropriate to receive coverage.
Think about the target audience
Before planning the communication channels that you will use to present your business event, determine the target group. For your convenience, we offer the following approach. Create profiles of your main customers and partners. Then think about who you want to attract to your event. The answers to the following questions are key in defining the audience:
- To whom is the message addressed, which will be delivered during the event?
- What are the goals of the corporate event?
- What will be the format and content of the event and how will the topics be presented?
It is very important for a business to know the target group well, either to invite them to an event or to create a new product. A winning tactic is to prepare an analysis of current customers – who uses the specific products and services that the business offers. This would be an excellent basis for defining the target audience.
Synthesize the necessary information and invite the audience
One of the first steps to a successful event is to invite guests. Depending on the style and type of event, it can be an electron or one that you will send to an address. In any case, it is mandatory to take the time to select all the necessary information for the upcoming event – date, venue, registration, program, speakers. Be sure to leave feedback contacts via email or phone. If the event you are organizing is larger – create a website a few months in advance.
A few important details that we usually miss
Pay attention to the design. Create an effective and engaging design that works for the goal. The branding of all visual elements is an essential element in the preparation of any business meeting, seminar, congress or large-scale event. Don’t forget to set aside money for gifts for your guests. Bet on practical and compact items, especially for those guests who will travel after the event.
Immediately before the opening, ask a technician to check the sound and lighting in the room. The main problem is the muffled microphones or the unpleasant noise that can disturb both the speaker and the audience. Delays and changes are also an expected element of any event. Make sure the staff is instructed and there will be no panic or disorientation during your business event.
Be sure to check for parking near the location of your corporate event, as most of those present will arrive by car. Set aside a few hours for final preparations before the start of the event, as some participants arrive before the announced start time. It is not pleasant at all when your guests watch how you install the lighting on the stage or place the decoration.
At the end of the event, evaluate the overall organization, budget spent and results achieved. The findings will help you prepare for each event.
The moment of your business event is approaching, but you are still having difficulty making a plan or you lack creative ideas. We come to the rescue. Look for a team of professionals, choose Smarkethink. To ensure the success of your event and the achievement of what you want, we must set measurable goals and work hard for your success. For years we have been gaining experience in the field of event management. See for yourself by looking at some of our successful projects here.
