1. What is the Purpose of your Event?
Once the decision to host an event has been taken one of the first steps is to define exactly what the strategic outcome of the event should be.
Brian Worley, creative director and owner of B. Worley Productions emphasizes that agreement on the goals and objectives of the event is extremely important – and that agreement must be reached prior to proceeding with any other planning.
Why and What are the two most important considerations? Why are you hosting the event and what do you expect to get out of it? Once you know those two things then you can make a decision about what sort of event will address the needs of the hosts (company) and the audience.
Serena Holmes, CEO of Tigris Events advises those hosting the event to think of it as an interactive brand experience – rather than just a corporate event. In her words, it should be ‘meaningful and engaging.
2. Identify your Audience
It is essential to define your audience. It can range from your company’s top executives and senior management to community members or clients and business partners. Maybe it is not only for existing clients – but also for potential new clients. It may be some or all of the above. Knowing your target audience and strategizing how to reach them with effective messaging is part and parcel of an effective event. Once you have identified your audience you can develop a program that addresses their needs and captures their interest.
It can be a challenge to decide how many people to invite, however, according to CEO and co-founder of Spacebase, Julian Jost, err on the side of too many, rather than too few. You are always going to get some ‘no-shows.
There is also the fact that too few attendees mean that there are going to be empty seats and uneaten snacks – and that gives the wrong impression, as well as being a waste of money. Even if everyone does show up it isn’t going to threaten the success of an event.
However, there are exceptions to this rule. If you are having a sit-down three-course meal with reserved seats too many people can be a problem. However, usually, too many people are great for marketing it demonstrates that your company has something valuable to say about products and services – and is sure to create excitement, and almost guarantee that your next event will be well attended.
The scope and diversity of translation requirements are enormous – the options and language permutations are endless. Event translators must be familiar with both the subject and the media in which the translation will appear.
Always remember that each and every person attending an event is a potential brand ambassador – so make sure to treat them with kid gloves. According to Valerie Gernhauser, owner and principal planner of Sapphire Events each person spreads your message by word of mouth. The guest experience is enhanced by taking care of every little detail, your guests will notice that effort.
3. Stick to a Realistic Budget
Agree to a budget before you start the planning process – that will determine what sort of event you can host. However – always hold back at least 10% in reserve, there are almost inevitably costs that are unplanned. The unforeseen is simply part of the event hosting process, unexpected expenses are actually to be expected.
Once you have agreed on your budget make a decision about where these resources will best be employed. If your decorating budget goes over the top then you are going to have to skimp on sound, lighting, and audio-visual effects and do without the services of a professional tech team – and then your event might lack impact.
Avoid cutting back on food and beverages – and make sure that you have catered for those with special dietary requirements. This may seem like a secondary issue – but hungry and thirsty people tend to be less forgiving of small missteps than those who have access to quality catering.
