Corporate events – dull, right? The cliché goes that they’re awkward and boring; no one wants to be there, and everyone is trying to sell something to someone else who doesn’t want it. So why should we put up with them?
Luckily, the old style of corporate events is quickly falling by the wayside, and new types of events – such as festivals, auctions, retreats, and fundraisers – are taking center stage when it comes to showcasing your company to brand new and existing clients and customers.
Reaping the Benefits
Companies that run memorable events have more of a chance of weathering the bad times. Storms like the recent COVID-19 pandemic can absolutely devastate a business, but if you have built a loyal following, there is a chance that you can come out on the other side. Building a loyal customer and client base comes from building connections in real time with real people.
Building a fan base for your products can also be a great way to build loyalty. Companies like Google run their annual marketing event, the Google I/O, and stream to millions across the globe, simultaneously strengthening relationships. Even smaller companies, like Chinese electronics company Xiaomi, are jumping into the events sphere, running events for their fans across the world to get involved with.
What makes a memorable event? Here are four tips:
1. Find the Right Venue
The venue is everything. Make sure the venue is suitable for the event. If you’re running a festival-style event, don’t hold it in a stuffy conference center. Equally, if you’re running a workshop event, hiring a theme park is probably not the best idea!
2. Hire Professionals
Hire the right people for the right job. There will be professionals who can help you with every aspect of your event to ensure that it goes off without a hitch. Event planners, decorators, entertainment, and even professional event bartenders such as those at eventbartenders.com can make or break an event. Don’t skimp here!
3. Be Clear on Your ROI
What are you hoping to achieve from your event? Is it sales, viewers, sign-ups, or fundraising? There are many ways to measure return on investment for an event, but it is vital to be clear on this from the beginning. You don’t want to be getting back into work on Monday morning and realizing that you didn’t make a single sale but have 1,000 new social media followers!
4. Choose Your Event Theme
Themes are just as vital as a clear return on investment. Choosing a theme will help bring the event together. It’s vital you decide on a workable budget and then align your event theme within these parameters. A budget tracking sheet is very useful here and will help you not only stay within budget when it comes to décor, entertainment, and swag bags, but also when it comes to tracking your spending per lead generated, so you can properly measure the event’s return on investment.