Whether it’s to celebrate a major life event, call together a group of loved ones or make an important announcement, everyone loves a good party. However, when planning an event for a business, some broach the idea with a mix of anxiety and skepticism. Though planning for everything from a grand opening to a gala requires an abundance of resources, events are far from impossible or frivolous ventures if done strategically. Event planning for businesses should begin with the understanding that events are a vital component of a marketing plan and should be done for highly specific reasons.
Occasions you might want to consider hosting an event for include:
- Grand Opening
- Brand or Product Launch
- Campaign Launch
- Company Anniversary
While all of these occasions are momentous to your business, it’s important to ensure that the resources required for exceptional event planning are being well-allocated. To make an event worthwhile for your company, consider the following questions before planning:
- Who is the audience?
You really can’t even start planning an event without the answer to this question. For an anniversary celebration, the attendees might be internal stakeholders, while a campaign launch may be targeting specific consumers in certain markets. The better you can define a target audience, the more specific your event strategy can be.
Take the Marriott brand’s launch of Moxy for example. Marriott targeted travel- and tech-savvy millennials for its launch events. The audience inspired much of the team’s event planning, including decor, collaboration partners, and location. - What is the primary purpose?
Equally important to your planning efforts is identifying the goal of your event. Common goals include: boosting employee morale, increasing brand awareness or lead generation and product reviews via consumer activation.
A great example of defining the purpose of an event is the work done by SHAPE by AT&T. With AT&T’s breadth of products, services, and market segments, this conference could have easily devolved into a consumer-focused sales show. Instead, the conference planners stayed true to the event’s defined purpose of establishing AT&T as a leader in the media and entertainment industries–a goal it continues to accomplish to this day. - What will be your return on the budget you have set?
Setting a firm budget is essential to responsible event planning. The more upfront you are with your agency or internal event planning team about your budget, the better the event concepts they will be able to provide. Additionally, take the goals of the event into consideration when you’re planning your budget. If you want 100,000 leads but only a budget of $5,000, there may be a better way to allocate your marketing funds.
After you have answered the three questions above, your team should be able to more easily formulate an event strategy that will appeal to your audience, stay on budget, and drive you toward your goals.
Now that you’re ready to move into event planning, here are a few quick tips to keep in mind:
The venue matters more than you think.Three of the most vital aspects of event planning are location, location, location! Your attendance will drop dramatically if you choose an inconvenient location for your audience. Conversely, attendance numbers can skyrocket if you choose a new or unique venue that many people haven’t been to before.
As typically the largest budgetary consideration, it’s important to note that not all venues are created equally. Here’s a run-down of questions you may want to ask at your site visits (always have venue walk-through before renting the space if possible) to ensure you’re getting the most out of your investment while not skimping on important features.
- Is parking included in the venue fee? How many spots are there? How far is it from the venue? Is there security?
- Are there required food and beverage minimums? The venue may require that you purchase a certain amount of food and beverage to be able to rent the space.
- Can food be prepared on site by the venue or is an outside caterer required?
- Are tables, chairs, and basic linens included?
- Do you have a preferred vendor list? Is there an additional charge for using vendors not on the list?
- How much time do I have to set up and strike the event? Some venues may tell you that you have the space until 11 PM, but that may mean the party needs to end at 10 PM to ensure all of the decor and catering equipment has been removed by 11 PM.
Think about the last event you went to hosted by a brand. Was it elegant and formal or funky and modern? How did you feel about that brand after you left? Atmosphere and theme are elements that can really set your event apart in attendees’ minds. Both of these elements really drive home a brand message as well.
Take a look at the Make Google Do It Home compared to the Bumble activation, both at SXSW this year. Both brands are appealing to tech-savvy millennials, however, they are using their brand personas to appeal in two completely different ways.
Socialize your event for a higher ROI.Snapchat filters, hashtags, check-ins–it’s easy to be overwhelmed by how social media can impact the overall success of your event. Social success is important for both B2B and B2C events. For B2B events, you want attendees posting on LinkedIn about how your new product is going to impact the way they do business or checking in on Facebook with their colleagues and posting photos of the amazing networking event you sponsored. For a consumer event, you want people using your brand hashtag on Instagram and live tweeting about the amazing entertainment you provided.
The easiest way to get people to engage with you on social is designing the event experience for optimum shareability. Think about photo booths, hashtag mosaics, signs with witty hashtags, and unforgettable experiences. For example, one of our clients at Findsome & Winmore, Baker Barrios Architects, recently brought miniature pigs to a college football kickoff event titled Pigskin Prelude and designed the entire entrance to the Amway Center to look like a football field. These types of shareable experiences garner more eyes on your brand, extending the reach of your event.
Are events worth the investment?
Although event planning can be stressful and event hosting can be a substantial investment, if your brand is strategic and thoughtful in how it budgets, designs and plans, events can pay off in spades. By ensuring your audience is targeted, goals are set and budget is firm, you can begin event planning from a solid foundation. Then, with a memorable and convenient venue, cohesive theming and social media-worthy features, your brand’s event can truly one worth toasting.