As an event planner, you’re always looking for new ways to push your brand forward and make your events more incredible than ever. Are you ready to take your event planning to the next level for 2020? Try some of these important strategies.
1. Create an Incredible Theme for Every Event
The first step in event planning for a corporate event is to create a theme. The theme of your event is one of the first things interested parties will notice when they see your marketing and promotions–and it could just be the thing they’re talking about long after the event is over. Are you ready to wow your attendees? Make your theme something special. Try some of these tips:
- Consider the purpose of your event. Does it lend itself to a great tagline or pun that could help set the theme for your event?
- Take a look at your venue. Is there a way to tie it into your theme, creating a special connection just for people who are able to attend the event this year?
- Make it unique if you can–but don’t underestimate the value of the familiar. You can put together a great event with a theme that’s had a lot of success in the past for other, similar events–or you do something totally unique that will help you stand out from the crowd.
Once you have your theme, spread it throughout your event. It’s often the little touches that will make your event really stand out in the minds of attendees, so consider how you can incorporate your theme into the little details: the food, the entertainment, and more.
2. Keep Your Platform Simple
As a brand, what is it that you’re standing on? Is it a stunning mission statement? A dedication to something in particular in your industry? Does your brand offer something to the industry that nothing else can? In building your brand–and putting together your events–keep your platform simple. Ideally, in event branding and planning, you want to keep the focus on just one or two key points that you can then build on for the rest of your event. Expand your reach too far, and you may quickly discover that you miss the entire point of the event.
3. Make Your Website Amazing
Your website is one of the key points of contact interested event attendees will check when they want to learn more about the event, from what they should wear to how they should plan their days. If you want to take your event to the next level, start providing for attendees long before they actually arrive at the event itself. Make sure your website includes:
- Answers to the questions your attendees are aksing. Is there parking available? Do you have partner hotels nearby, where they can get better deals for their stays? Are you providing food on-site? What types of food should attendees expect–and, whether you’re offering food or not, where can attendees go off-site to get the food they’re craving?
- Schedules. For many events, attendees must carefully schedule their days to allow them to make the most of the experience. Providing that schedule can help attendees plan ahead so that they don’t miss any of the most important things on their lists.
- Maps–both of the event and the area around it. How do attendees get to your site? Where can they find the most important elements of the event itself? Make sure you answer those questions clearly to increase confidence on the day of the event.
- RSVP links or links to ticketing sites. After all, if potential attendees have found your website, they need to be able to buy tickets! Clearly display when ticket sales will end to encourage visitors to make a decision fast.
As you’re designing your website, make sure you break up the content: attendees may quickly become overwhelmed by too much information on a single page. Also, keep in mind that, while keyword optimization is great, you don’t want to force it: too many keywords stuffed into too small of a space can turn your website into a mess.
4. Stay Consistent with Your Brand
Your business already has a clear brand. Your customers are familiar with it: your voice, your purpose, the way you do business. So with event planning, be sure to be consistent with your brand. From the start to the finish, make sure your event is clearly in keeping with that familiar brand. You don’t want to put together an event that doesn’t reflect your company’s brand; rather, you want to put together an event that clearly represents who you are as a company. Your event should encourage attendees to view your company in a more positive light–but one that is already in keeping with your current strategies and plans.
5. Take Full Advantage of Your Fans
Your company likely already has a wide range of fans–and for many events, you may have people eagerly awaiting more information about the event itself long before you even make the first post on your social media page about it. Take full advantage of those fans! Try some of these strategies:
- Make use of brand ambassadors. Connect with influencers and invite them to spread the word about your event. This highly effective form of marketing can often substantially expand your reach.
- Allow your fans to generate content for you. Invite them to design a logo for the event or to put together your t-shirt. Ask them to talk about their experiences from previous years. In many cases, that will not only increase fan excitement, but it will also help spread the word about your event.
- Invite fans to participate in the experience. Invite them behind the scenes to volunteer or provide them with the opportunity to help answer questions on social media.
Your fans are already spreading the word about your event–so help hype them up and provide them with the incentive they need! It might surprise you just how much your fans have to say and how much of a help they can be.
Are you ready to create stunning events for 2020, taking your event planning skills to the next level and offering events that are sure to catch the attention within your industry? We are located here in Dubai, but we help companies all over the world. Book a consultation now to allow us to help you take your event to the next level–or contact us with any questions you might have about the event planning process.
