Event Hosting Blueprint
Hosting an entrepreneurial event is your very own film premiere or book launch, an opportunity for greater exposure, and a powerful way to engage new clients, leverage your brand, increase profits, and generate some fantastic PR. It is an exhausting process, but one that is highly rewarding when planned and executed well. Our cut-out-and-keep guide contains vital tips and essential information to set you firmly on the path toward event hosting success.
A lucrative event needs a clear vision behind it, so you must first decide on its objectives and goals. Ask yourself the following questions:
•What outcome and tangible results do I want to see from this event (i.e., increased sales, introduce a new product, raise awareness of business)?
•What change do I want to effect in my guests?
•What do I want people to say after the event?
Once you know your purpose you can then set about envisioning the event. Planning for it is crucial and should be started at least four to six months in advance.
What should the event look like?
This is your big moment in the spotlight and your event should be planned like a show. Content, of course, is of paramount importance, but you must also spend time thinking about the look and feel of your event. Whether it is about life coaching, customer service, or financial planning, you want to wow your audience with an amazing experience. So be daring, think out of the box, and have fun while you’re doing it.
Start by writing a plan of what you want to offer and come up with a general theme. Work out how much time you want to spend welcoming the guests, and allow enough space between sessions so that participants can network and exchange opinions.
Decorate the location with banners and logos and don’t hold back on the handouts or advertising materials. Offer gift bags and other promotional items and set up an attractive stall for your merchandise.
And no matter what the event or who is in the audience, include a host of ice-breakers and team-bonding exercises to get everyone electrified and energized. You’ll be amazed at how quickly a room full of strangers will be chatting away like old friends and swapping ideas.
Choosing a venue
You are not just picking a room to contain your event, but an essential component that will have a significant impact on its success. Finding the right place is a challenge that takes time, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
The venue is more than just a roof over your guests—it must also offer superlative facilities, an enjoyable atmosphere, and be easily accessible. Use our venue checklist to help you select the perfect setting:
•Venue size—This is a delicate decision. You will want as many people to attend as possible, but if it is too large and you don’t get a full house, the atmosphere will flatline. Some events benefit from a more intimate setting, so it is important to ensure that the venue complements the occasion.
•Aesthetics—Are you looking for a visually stunning setting or a space that you can decorate yourself?
•Amenities—Are they up to scratch and do they fulfill your needs?
You need to check that the venue has:
- Adequate parking facilities
- Disabled access
- Enough chairs and tables
- Nearby restrooms
- Enough power outlets for electronic equipment
- No visual obstructions within the room
- No noise obstructions from adjacent rooms and halls
•Location—While most people have a car, it is preferable to find somewhere that is easily accessible by all forms of public transport. If your clientele is national, being near a major airport helps too. Ensure that there are excellent hotels nearby and negotiate preferable room rates for your attendees.
•Catering facilities—Ensure that your guests are well fed and watered, or there are enough options for them to feed themselves. The food and drink must be excellent with more than enough to go round, though you don’t want to give people too much, as they might doze off during your sessions. Using external caterers is an option.
•Is it within budget?—You have found a terrific venue in a wonderful location with first class facilities, but can you afford it? Don’t stretch your budget to the breaking point to acquire the perfect place. Some venues may offer discounts, and it may also be worth bargaining about the price. Consider additional costs, too. For example, will the venue’s insurance cover your event or will you have to take out your own?
Above all, it’s about common sense. So visit the venue several times if necessary, and ask yourself if it is somewhere you’d like to spend several hours. If it doesn’t feel right, move on to the next location on your list.
How Much Should I Charge For My Event?
• Consider the value you’ll be delivering at your event, then do a little market research.
• Look at what the competition is charging and how much you think participants are willing to pay.
• If this is your first event you may want to charge less to attract a crowd, but don’t go too low as this will send out the wrong sort of message.
• If the people are only selecting your event because of price you are in trouble, as a competitor can always lower theirs.
• Quality never goes out of fashion and is always worth it. You have devoted your energies to creating an amazing event that offers incredible benefits, so charge accordingly.
How to fill the room
Get commitment—Establish a deadline for attendee registrations and offer discounts for people who register on or before the closing date. You can also offer a variety of gifts in exchange for early registration, such as bonuses or gift certificates.
Create excitement—Start telling people about your event as early as possible. Catch their attention and prepare some enticing materials and sneak previews to create excitement.
Develop a sense of urgency—Send a reminder email to anyone who hasn’t registered yet. “Only 10 spots left. Register today!” Remind them of just how they’ll benefit from attending, the sort of information they will only receive by being at your event.
Encourage attendees to bring their friends—everyone loves a bargain, so reward attendees who bring guests. For example, you could offer them a small discount.
Focus your marketing—Direct your marketing message toward the event’s unique selling points. It can be tempting to list every element and feature, and lose sight of the benefits. Attendees will want to know the event program, and mentioning a well-known key speaker will create a lot of attention. Remind people of the networking opportunities. Your marketing message should be bold, be memorable, and stand out.
Promote the event with multi-channel marketing—There is fierce competition in event marketing. New events are launched every week, and some might be in direct competition with yours. Take advantage of all the tools in your marketing toolkit. Don’t just rely on email. Provide links to your event website from your Facebook, Twitter, and other social media accounts. You can also send press releases and photographs to newspapers or trade publications and cross-promote on the websites of your sponsors. Don’t forget about direct mail.
Promoting your event
Ideally you want to attract people to your event without spending a fortune on advertising, and one of the most effective ways of achieving this is to have every piece of online and offline promotional material pointing toward your event website. It is the most powerful form of advertising you have, as it is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is available to the whole world. Remember to give people a reason to visit your site, a call to action—this could be an interview with a keynote speaker, some bonus material, or discount coupons. And then once people are there you need to employ a list-building device so that you can connect with them over time.
You may have the budget to advertise in print and on the radio, but at best the results will only be satisfactory. Sure, you will make people aware of an event that you have taking place, but the chances are you will not actively engage minds and encourage people to attend.
Tailor your promotional efforts to reach people who are already interested in you and what you have to say. There is nothing worse than planning to host a magnificent event, only to have it ignored or have the wrong people turn up.
One of the crucial ways of getting the word out is to have others talk about it. Use regular emails and newsletters to generate a buzz and encourage people to tell their friends and family—it will save a lot on your marketing dollars.
You’re a smash hit success!
After the event you should be able to measure the results to know whether you’ve achieved your goals as well as a good return on your investment. Events are all about forging long-term relationships with your clients, and by creating a memorable experience you will motivate them to act. Be the best you can be and deliver what you promise—you will create a spectacular occasion that everyone will remember for a long time to come. –P.A.
Uh-oh!
The Six Biggest Blunders Made by Event Hosts
Avoid the common blunders that can do serious damage to your chances of success.
Blunder one: Failing to budget properly
Have you allocated enough funds to pay for speaker travel arrangements, program handouts, and shipping costs? How many staff members or crew will you need and what will their costs be? Always budget for more than you think you will need, as the unforeseen will probably arise.
Blunder two: Hiring the wrong audio/visual equipment
There is a mind boggling array of vendors, gear, and apparatus out there, so be sure that what you order is suitable for your requirements and those of your speakers. It’s highly recommended that you do not try to do your own A/V.
Blunder three: Failing to have a plan
Detailed plans and checklists are essential. Creating a timeline that works for you will alleviate much of the stress. Complete tasks in a realistic timeframe to avoid last minute panic. Your plans should include all of the pre- and post-event tasks and their timeframe for completion.
Blunder four: Giving away the farm
Your event is in seven days time and you need another 15 signups to really make it work. So you start discounting heavily. But how do you think this makes other people feel who have already booked a place? Instead, offer early bird discounts for advance bookings. If you really need to fill those vacant chairs you will do yourself more favors and generate better PR by giving them away free as a thank you to loyal customers.
Blunder five: Not having support staff
Employ staff and/or volunteers to support you, support your guests, and create a welcoming and convivial atmosphere.
Blunder six: Having no follow-up
A single event will not make your business, so don’t forget about your attendees when the day is over. Send out a personal communication to each person and thank them for attending. Remind the attendee of what was learned and the main benefits, and remind them about any special offers or invitations you made at the event. You should also ask for feedback on your event—encourage two-way communication to further build rapport.
Ask some attendees if they would be kind enough to record a video testimonial which could be used to publicize your next event. They are extremely credible because they are real people using real words. Employ a videographer and consider recording a DVD of the event to use as future promotional material.
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