The quality of your speakers will make or break your event. If your speakers run on time, present compelling content in an easily understood way, and always leave time for Q&A, your attendee experience will be enhanced. Your event will be successful, and you can probably count on greater attendance next year, thanks to good word of mouth and repeat attendees. On the other hand, if your speakers seem self-interested, unprepared, [...]
The work involved in creating event success doesn't end when you pack up your event. Assuming the event just ended isn't going to be your last, an event's immediate aftermath is your chance to lock down continuing event success. Here are a few of the things that should be on your post-event checklist. All of it will pay off big time down the line. 1. Update your event website The lifecycle of [...]
This is a "devil's advocate" post. We're going to make an argument against discounting your event tickets. Of course, there are often good reasons for creating ticket discounts. If nothing else, discounts can help drive volume early in the ticket-sales process. Or maybe you want to lock down a small set of highly desirable attendees. (Hello, thought leaders!) Discounts can help. Ticket discounts can also help expand your audience in general, which [...]
Structuring your event's agenda might be the most important part of planning your event. No matter what your content, the way you pull it together in an agenda can have a big impact on your success. We've produced hundreds of events over the last decade, and we've learned a lot about agenda effectiveness. We've learned a lot about content effectiveness, too, but that's not what we're talking about here. This post is [...]
The most important part of holding a conference is to have the participants engaged! There are many factors that impact their participation and engagement. Those factors are often associated with how your company plans and runs the event. Here are a few tips to make sure you are hosting effective conferences and meetings. Be Interactive Include interactive, but relevant, pieces that apply to the topic of discussion. Is there discussion of coffee [...]
Much like what everyone else is preaching, lead with content! This includes your event gift bags. These bags may seem outdated, but they are a great marketing opportunity. Capitalize on this opportunity and make sure attendees don’t throw these away. You do this by providing useful or desired gifts and materials. This means less marketing-driven materials and sales copy. Think about what your attendee would want with these useful tips to consider. [...]
It is very important to generate buzz around your event, and one way to do this is through effective public relations. This doesn’t just include writing effectively, but also following through effectively. Here are what we believe to be the key steps to creating effective PR for your event:Step 1: Write an Event Press ReleaseIf you google “press release template” you will see specifically the structure of a press release, but we want [...]
Don’t have the title of “event planner” or have never filled the role before? No worries! We will give you a few tips to get you started in the right direction: Start Your Event-Planning Early Start the planning process super early! It is better to have too much time than not enough, especially when this is your first experience with the event planning process. Here is a sample event timeline. Map Out [...]
Even though it may not feel like it in many places, it is now mid-October and fall is in full swing! That being said, fall is the perfect time to throw a themed party or event. It is also almost the “season of giving” so we present to you a list of festive fall fundraising event ideas:Themed House PartyIdeas include a costume party, football night, harvest dinner, haunted house, and so much [...]
Event sponsors are a critical component of a successful event, and not just because of the dollar value they add.The right sponsors also add value for your attendees in the form of networking and relationship opportunities, and those relationships are part of what keep people coming back to your events year after year. Sponsors can also act as brand enthusiasts for your organization, helping to spread the word about your event [...]
