6 Tips to Help Ensure Your Events are a Success

Whether you have the same event every year or an event that is the first of its kind, the process stays the same. As you begin the planning process, there are many tips and tricks to help you conquer the pre-planning phase and set yourself up for success. Although creativity and willingness put you ahead of the game in most cases, it remains imperative that you have a plan set in place to stay organized and focused throughout the entire planning process.

At Legal Associations Management, our successful events are directly related to hard work, intensive planning, and organization. These 6 tips ensure that our events are a success year after year:

1. Establish your event goals

First and foremost, sit down and outline each goal you have for your event. Physically writing down your goals will help to clarify everything that you will do throughout the planning process. Looking back at previous events your company has put together can be extremely helpful at this stage. Asking yourself the following questions can help to get you started: 

• Who is your targeted audience and what is important to them?
• Why should your attendees come to your event?
• How can you provide a valuable experience for your attendees?
• How many guests do you want to attend?  
• Is your audience budget conscious?
• How will your company measure the success of this event?

2. Establish your key contributors

Most events have key contributors. These could be external, including clients, sponsors, vendors, or internal, such as your team members and your leadership. By having conversations with individual contributors about what they are investing and what they expect in terms of return on investment, you can better manage expectations from the beginning.

3. Determine your budget

To start, reference figures from previous events similar to the current event you are planning and make educated guesses for any unknown costs. Consider your contributor’s investments in the event and expectations that are mentioned above. Ask yourself what areas you can cut costs or keep costs to a minimum and what areas you need to invest additional resources. Reviewing previous events can help you identify areas where you need improvement, helping you focus on those aspects during further planning to ensure that every part of your event is a success.

4. Create a timeline

When planning an event timeline, it is essential to consider what you and your contributors will need to cover regarding content, sessions, and speakers. Identifying these specifics will help you understand how many hours, and days you will need leading up to the event. Once you have determined the length it will take to plan and market your event, look at your calendar for a few date options. Before deciding on a date, make sure to communicate with your team and contributors and get feedback as soon as possible, as people’s schedules fill up rapidly. 

5. Browse different locations and venues

Deciding which region is best for your attendees is key to the success of your event. If the cost of travel and vendor accommodations is exceedingly high, it may not bring in as many people as originally intended. It is also essential to think about the time of year your event will be and if your location has outdoor access. Keep in mind the infrastructure and functionality of your venue. Do they have WiFi? Will the number of attendees you intend to have be able to network in the event space comfortably? All of these questions are important to answer before you commit to any venue.

6. Create a marketing plan 

In order to ensure that your event is one of a kind, it is crucial to spread the word and build momentum uniquely and effectively. Your avenues of marketing will solely depend on your targeted audience. Will you need to create social media accounts to market your event? Do you need to create an email marketing campaign? Do you need to create paid digital advertisements? Should you plan to create videos from key speakers about your event? All of these digital marketing avenues will make a difference in how well your event does. The more exposure you get, the more attendees you will have. Once you have a concrete marketing plan, it is crucial to share it with everyone involved so that your marketing plan is strongly executed.

Setting yourself up for a successful event starts with a plan. Following these 6 tips for planning an event will ensure that each event you hold is a hit. Having a plan that keeps you on track is the key to having an event that attendees can’t wait to attend year after year.