Smart event planning will make your investment pay

'Events' is rather a broad term these days used to cover a whole host of activities from exhibitions, seminars and webinars to presentations, product launches and celebrity 'dos'! But whatever size, budget and audience you are dealing with, good planning is essential to ensure that your event runs as smoothly as possible and business objectives are attained.

First things first

Consider the key elements of the event:

• type of event e.g. seminar, product launch, roundtable
• audience, agenda & speakers
• communication / invitations
• venue / accommodation
• budgeting
• on-site management
• follow-up

Type of event

With so many different types of event to consider, evaluate your objectives in some detail to ensure you create the right event for your target audience. Are you interested in lead generation, PR or high-level networking? Do you really need to have an event or can other marketing activities achieve the same result? Don’t spend time and precious budget on an event which is not really adding value to your business. But when it’s well planned, targeted and executed, an event can really benefit both yours and your customers’ business. The art of face-to-face communication should not be lost in the eWorld we live in.

Audience

Having decided an event is the best way to reach your objectives, the audience is the most crucial element. There is little sense in inviting 100 CEOs from across the UK to a desktop printer product launch in Penzance, as the location is not easily accessible (unless of course you live in Penzance) and it is unlikely to be a major cheque book opportunity. Inviting your top 10 - 20 customers with purchasing power to a conveniently central location will ensure you attract the quality of attendees you need, thereby receiving a far better and quicker return on investment.

Agenda / Speakers

The event programme is critical and significant consideration must be given to this. For example, if presentations are to be given, ensure the level of subject matter is pitched just right. Too technical and your audience will lose interest, too generic and they will not see the value of attending. Speakers can make or break an event, both in terms of reputation and presentation skills. An engaging presenter can transform even the most technical of topics into something interesting and appealing to the audience. The length of the whole event is equally important – fill the day with relevant presentations/tours/meetings but don’t forget they are spending valuable time away from the office. Don’t add in additional speakers just to stretch the day. Keep the agenda short and to the point.

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