Hosting the perfect event can do wonders for your business. It will boost your reputation, strengthen your connections, and increase your number of customers. Doing this isn’t a walk in the park, however, as you’ll need to put in effort and organization to see your event succeed – here are seven tips for getting there.
1: Know Your Goals
Throwing a memorable event has a range of benefits, but you should know your exact goal before you get stuck into the planning. Do you want to grow your customers? Meet new clients? Knowing your direction will help you tailor the event specifically. If your goal is to network, you would want to focus on conversation and plan an event that encourages that.
2: Pick the Right Location
The location of the event has a dramatic effect on the overall atmosphere, so pick a place that compliments your goals. Keep in mind the exact location, how much space there is, and what the décor is like to choose a place that works.
Sometimes, the perfect location is across the country or overseas, so you’ll have to do lots of online research on the event accommodation (looking at reviews is always helpful). If you plan on hosting an event further away from home, remember to incorporate business traveling into your plan.
3: Invite the Right People
Your guest list will depend on your goal, so take your time deciding who to invite specifically, even if it’s an open-door event. If you have business connections, then strengthen them by sending a direct invite, showing them that they are important to you and your business.
4: Create a Budget
Having a budget makes the planning part a whole lot easier. While it is tempting to go all out with spending to impress, sometimes subtlety is a little more enticing, and a budget will help you there. As well as ensuring you don’t spend too much, having a budget will also help keep you organized.
5: Plan the Details
While few events go exactly as planned, it’s still important to plan the details. What sort of food will you serve? What colour scheme will you choose? Most of the time, it is the little things that impress people the most, so try to come up with unique extras that make your event memorable.
6: Promote on Social Media
If you’re aiming for a large showing with new faces, then you should take advantage of social media advertising. A few posts on your social media sites could bring in a whole host of friendly faces, allowing you to bump up the attendees while promoting your brand.
7: Follow Up with Guests
Showing your guests a great time is one thing, but showing them that their presence was important is another entirely and can get you into people’s good books. If you gathered some emails during the event, remember to follow up, telling them you enjoyed their presence and hope they had a wonderful time.
