Although the coronavirus pandemic opened our eyes to new ways of networking and pushing our products and services, the truth is that you simply cannot beat meeting face to face to share your passion and experiences. If you’re planning on hosting a business event in the coming months, such as an exhibition, fear not: we’ve put together some tips to help.
Marketing
Perhaps one of the most important things to consider when planning an event is getting the word out to potential customers. Whether you’re planning a ticketed event or a free for all, it’s vital that you spread the word about it in advance. The more notice you can give your attendees, the better, though if you promote it too far in advance, you risk alienating those who actually want to attend, or they could indeed forget about it, so consistency is key. As well as opening a Facebook Event to invite and monitor attendance, set up email marketing campaigns, use social, and consider public relations to maximize reach and engagement.
Scheduling
It’s all too common for entrepreneurs to plan their own events and forget about what they’re actually going to do when guests show up. We recommend planning a schedule as soon as you announce the event so guests can see what to expect when they show up. You only get one chance to make an impression, and if you’re unprepared or unprofessional on the day of the event, the chances are that your company will develop a poor reputation. Remember: people are paying to attend or at least sacrificing their free time, so make it worth their while.
Security
It might not be something you’re thinking about right now, but you should also take a minute to prepare for any unfortunate events. Working with a company that offers facilities management services such as event guarding and management can give you some peace of mind that, if something was to go wrong and you needed to call in their experts, they’d be there and ready to help you. In today’s coronavirus era, stewarding can be useful and ensure you’re following government guidelines whilst keeping your guests and staff safe.
Follow-ups
Finally, spend some time thinking about how you’ll follow up with guests after the event. If the goal was to find new clients, then sending interested parties an email with more information on your products and services could be a good idea, tailored to their needs and circumstances. Remember to collect email addresses and telephone numbers and don’t be afraid to follow-up more than once. Remember that after the event, guests will likely want to get home or catch up on work, so emailing the next day or week often proves more effective.
Whatever you’re planning, we hope that your event goes off without a hitch. Let us know if you have any other tips or strategies and check back soon to our website for more advice.
