Seven Secrets For a Successful Business Event

First secret – Who’s on the guest list? Inviting the appropriate people is the “COVERT” factor in your formula for a great affair. Who are you inviting to your event? Planning is great, but nothing really happens until you do something. Will the event be useful to your guest? You must know the target audience for your event. For example, your event is a marketing business focus group. Do you know the gender, age group, and income level of your invitees? It is important to identify who your customers or prospective clients are, so that you can suit the theme of your event to that audience.

Second Secret – What’s the theme of your event? Make your event meaningful. The theme is the “ESSENCE” of your formula to succeed and is essential for the business event. The theme should be part of the subject of your business presentation and offer an experience for each guest. Your event has to combine taste with the best business secrets of your marketing plan, promotional materials,virtual roundtables and smarts…think about your volume of business resources such as, clients, prospects, social networks, professional associations, or business alliances. Do not pitch your products and services straight away. Teach each guest something that they do not know. Provide them with meaningful and valuable information before you start to sell your services or products. Remember you are focusing on your customer, not you…Your business solutions, not you….Your product, service or both, not you!!

Third Secret – Have you determined a budget? How big is your formula? Now, you have to determine the scope of your event and its appropriate budget. Motivate people by playing to their senses with aroma, lighting, sound and décor. Disney World or Disneyland seems magical because it stimulates us on a multi sensory adventure and breeds a captivating experience. Sensory stimulation can be the best way to create a memorable event. The ultimate goal is to get as many (of the right) people to your event as possible. If your budget allows, make your event as impressive as possible, adding creativity and strong credibility to your business. However, if you’re on a small budget, you can still create a valuable experience by having various stimulation such as, adding colorful printed materials, carefully placed fresh flowers, signage, photographs, soft music and merchandising along the paths of each guest. Remember to give knowledgeable information regarding your industry generously!

Fourth Secret – Are you hiring an event planning and management company? The binding secret in your formula is your event coordinator or producer, the binder keeps everything cohesive and working together. Your event planner’s goal is to keep you from unraveling by minding all the details, such as any challenging components, marketing or promotion event logistics and may include food and decor. Whether you’re gearing up for your first of 400th event, a planner will encourage you to seek creative solutions and help you stay on budget. Your planner can turn ideas into reality and create the atmosphere you want at a price you can afford. Hiring a professional, experienced planner is key -you would not want someone who will panic in a crisis, drop the ball or squander your budget, it’s a common mistake for business owners to think they can do everything for their event themselves, and run their business at the same time! Let your staff tend to their normal duties often times they have little or no experience in special event planning. Get a good outside event team that knows how to control the flow of the event, has many vendor relationships, and has the ability to reproduce any product offers or service awareness to your guests effectively and implement your goals.

Fifth Secret – Will you have time to network? Ignite an idea or business concept within each of your guest. The objective of networking is not to expound on your credentials (and bore your audience). Most people waste the few moments they have with new and existing contacts by focusing on themselves. Better to spend most of that time asking questions and collecting information from your guests, which will help you determine how you can help them. Then you can make quick assessments as to whether they would have any interest in the solutions you provide. Remember to circulate around the event! The main purpose of organizing an event is to gather your target market in one place so you can network with your invitees face to face. Make your guests feel welcome and appreciated by being genuinely interested in them and they will be your loyal customers in the future.