#1: Pinpoint Your Event Purpose
Why do you want to host a special event? To generate new sales? To launch a new product? Maybe you’re hoping to attract new employees or volunteers.
#2: Have an Event Plan
Once you’ve honed in on the ‘why’ of your event, it’s time to plan the ‘how’.
Planning a successful business event involves many details – venue, food, entertainment, guest list – and those are just the big four! Take the time to put together a plan you can follow step-by-step before, during and after your event.
#3: Delegate the Details
This one goes hand-in-hand with your written event plan. As you’re deciding the details of your small business event, also decide who will be responsible for each.
It’s easy, as small business owners, to take on too much responsibility. But you’re going to be busy running your business, so don’t overload yourself with event details!
Sometimes delegating is as simple as hiring someone to help – an event planner, a caterer, someone who has experience running special events. If that’s not in the budget, you can still assign details from your plan to employees or volunteers.
#4: Communicate Often
And that brings us to Key #4. What could be more frustrating than learning the day of your event that someone has failed to communicate an important change in plans?
That could be a guest speaker who told your assistant, who forgot to tell anyone, that he could no longer attend. Or the missing presentation handouts that your staff assumed you sent to the printer. It could even be the venue that double-booked your date and shifted you to a smaller space (it happens)!
Ensure the success of your event by communicating regularly with everyone involved – vendors, venues, employees responsible for event details, special guests. Simple email updates spelling out what’s done and what still needs to be done will suffice.
#5: Have a Follow-Up Plan
If one of the goals of hosting your event is to attract new customers, you’re going to have to plan for that. The event plan you’re going to write should include how you’ll follow up with attendees.