Originally published on ThriveGlobal.com
As a business owner, you recognize the importance of getting noticed. You also know that getting noticed is harder than ever before. The marketplace is as crowded as it has ever been, and that has created enormous challenges for business owners from coast to coast and around the world.
Special events, seminars and trade shows are great ways to differentiate yourself and separate yourself from the herd, but mere attendance is not enough. Even the smallest event requires plenty of hard work, and supplemental staff to make sure everything comes off as intended.
If you want to plan a great event, one that brings in new customers and wows them with what you have to offer, you need to be smart about your planning, and about the human resources you assign to the event. Supplementing your existing staff members with specialized experts is a great way to strike the right balance and create an event that everyone will remember. Here are some smart event planning tips to make your next special event a great one.
Sweat the Small Stuff
Even the largest event can be brought down but inattention to detail. When that happens, something that had been small and easy to overlook suddenly looms large, putting your company in a very bad light and making all your hard work for nothing.
If you want to create a memorable event, you need to sweat the small stuff. Before you do another thing, you should create a comprehensive list of all the details, no matter how large or how small. By creating this comprehensive list of details, you can avoid unpleasant surprises and increase the likelihood that the presentation will go off without a hitch.
Play to Your Audience
No matter how hard you work, you cannot be everything to all people. If you want your event to be successful, you need to know your audience and focus on what they need. Knowing your target audience is an essential part of event planning and identifying that audience should be one of the first things you do.
No matter what kind of event you are planning, a structured and methodical approach is always best. Knowing who your target audience is and what they want from your presentation will make everything that follows, from hiring supplemental staff and designing displays to choosing the right location and creating killer content, a lot easier.
Know Your Purpose
Holding special events is a great way to build your business, but you cannot afford to go into your event planning blindly. Whether the event in question is a trade show, a charity fundraiser, a recruiting drive or something else, you need to first decide what you want and how your presentation will help you achieve it.
Do you want to generate leads for your sales staff? Do you want to highlight a new product or tout a new service? Is your goal to find the best employees in a tight labor market? Do you simply want to boost sales? No matter what the nature of the event, going into it with a clear purpose will help you make the most of it.
Use Smart Scheduling
One of the worst things that can happen to your carefully planned event is low attendance due to a scheduling conflict. If there is a big trade show in town, one that everyone in your industry attends, scheduling your own event for the same weekend could be the kiss of death.
Before you do a single thing or spend a single dime, you need to research the calendar and be aware of other industry events. No matter what your niche, the more you know about competing events, the easier it will be to plan your own.
Use Supplemental Staff for Expertise, Guidance and Ongoing Help
Planning a successful event requires a unique combination of skills and knowledge. You need the skills to bring everything together, drawing on the disparate parts of the planning process and creating a cohesive whole. You also need specific expertise, from which venues are best to how to budget for the things you need.
No matter how good the team you have built, chances are you could benefit enormously from supplemental event planning staff. Hiring experts who understand every facet of the event planning process, from finding a suitable venue and selecting the perfect lighting to creating great content and securing effective advertising. By turning over these vital details to a team of professionals, you free your own staff for other critical tasks, so you can enjoy a great event with less stress.
Planning the perfect event is no easy task but having the right help can set your mind at ease and help you achieve your most important goals. Whether you are planning a trade show presentation, a recruiting event for new staff members or a charity event, supplemental staffing can help your business and allow you to focus on your goals.