Covid is now starting to feel like a distant memory and, after two long years of lockdowns and restrictions, travel and events are finally back on the agenda \u2013 goodbye webinars, hello face-to-face!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In person events have been enjoying a steady comeback in the past year, and being unable to attend such events has, in many ways, shown the real importance and value of in-person events in enabling us to connect, share ideas and generate new business opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s not all a bed of roses though. The tough economic climate means companies are more reluctant to let their staff head out to events and, with so much demand on people\u2019s time and attention, people need a good excuse to leave their office (I mean house!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That means there\u2019s increased focus on offering something truly worthwhile, valuable and exciting to attendees (which we would argue should always have been the focus, anyway!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Planning such an event, however, can be a daunting task, particularly if you\u2019re new to the task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re about to start planning your very first event, but don\u2019t know where to start, we\u2019ve got some pointers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before you can start crossing things off the to-do list, you need to clearly define your target audience \u2013 are you targeting B2B or B2C for example? Those from small businesses, or large enterprises? Business owners and CEOs or frontline workers?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Knowing exactly who you are targeting will enable you to identify what best suits them \u2013 from the location and type of event, even the timing, to topics and how you\u2019ll market the event, ensuring the messaging resonates with the invitees \u2013 making it more likely they\u2019ll accept the invitation. Everything flows on from knowing who exactly your target audience is: The more you understand your audience, the better you can plan successful brand activation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Creating a \u2018delegate persona\u2019 is one method, advocated by The University of Birmingham, which says delegate persona\u2019s can have benefits before, during and after an event. The University team outline how to create a person here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Think themes are just for children\u2019s birthday parties? Think again. We\u2019ve all nearly fallen asleep sitting in a stuffy, bland conference room listening to a speaker drone on endlessly with their 500-slide presentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You want your event to be remembered, talked about to encourage further event engagement, even shared \u2013 not instantly forgotten, or worse, remembered as \u2018that conference where they locked us in a room for hours on end\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Introducing a theme for your event enables you to bring the event to life, but also to showcase your business\u2019 personality and create an immersive and memorable experience, sharing information in a playful, fun way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check out these unforgettable corporate event themes<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That old adage of \u2018location, location, location\u2019 applies equally to event planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The venue sets the tone for your event and has a massive impact on the experience for your attendees, but it\u2019s also a practical consideration. How big a venue do you need? If you\u2019re only planning to have a small number of attendees, are you aiming for an intimate, cosy event \u2013 say in a private room at a restaurant \u2013 or something more formal? Do you want guests to have an opportunity to circulate?<\/p>\n\n\n\n You also need to consider convenience for your guests \u2013 is the venue easy to get to and with ample parking? For longer events, selecting a venue that\u2019s a destination in itself can make for a more memorable event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What about food and drink options at the venue? Does it have a good audio-visual set up if you need it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Start your venue search with Venues<\/a> or The Fresh Collective<\/a>, helping you find the right venue that matches your needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember that stuffy conference room and attendees struggling to stay awake? Engaging content is crucial, and audience participation will also help keep their attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you took our first point of knowing your target audience to heart, you\u2019re already well placed to create relevant and valuable content for the event, but there are plenty of other ways to ensure your audience is engaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Video<\/a> <\/strong>can help tell your story in a vibrant, engaging way \u2013 and make a change from listening to speakers. The right video can create an emotional connection with the audience, sparking excitement and inspiring action (bonus \u2013 the video can be repurposed for marketing material as well).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Use Social media for content creation at live events – <\/strong>live events provide opportunities for generating valuable content that will engage your attendees, create a sense of community and extend the life cycle of your event. Take a look at some ideas for creating content creation at live events<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n2. Introduce a theme<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Choose the right venue<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Make sure you have engaging content<\/h3>\n\n\n\n