3 Significant Steps for Effective Event Planning

October 5, 2019

By Lena Yudina

Step #1. Make a Strategic Plan for Your Event

Whether you are thinking of an event for 30 or 300+ people, planning a successful business event involves many details like booking a venue, food, entertainment, making a guest list, and more. Planning an event means starting to think strategically, placing small and large items in your “event-planning mosaic.” So, take the first step forward by creating a written record of your guests and your event-planning teammates who will help you to make things happen. Having a written plan has some advantages: it makes delegating event responsibilities easier, and it enables you to keep control of your event’s attendees.

Step #2. How to Follow Up

If you aim to attract new customers during your event, you’re going to have to plan for that goal and figure out how you will follow up with your attendees. Whether you are using ‘Eventbrite’ or you gathered contact information from your attendees by other means, make sure to follow up. Send some pre and post-event notes, exciting offers, coupons, flyers, or start an email marketing campaign to keep your attendees in the loop.

Step #3. Decide on the Programing for Your Event

Decide on who you want to invite as a speaker, entertainer, food caterer, and what you want to happen at your event. Write down all the information you’ve gathered via your research and pinpoint all of the steps it would take to get the result that you need. If you feel a lack of fresh ideas for your upcoming event, visit some local trade, art, or fashion shows and business conferences in the event-planning industry , which can undoubtedly boost your imagination.

During my recent visit to the Event Planner Expo 2019, I was astonished by the variety of exhibits and services that were generously displayed and introduced by many enthusiastic expo gurus. Conveniently located in two buildings on various floors of the Metropolitan Pavilion and 92Y, the exhibits showed a plethora of new ideas in the event-planning industry.

What to expect from the events like The Event Planner Expo 2019

The exhibitions, products, and services included digital photography, wedding services, gourmet food catering services, luxury hotel, and travel agencies, party decorators, musicians, party entertainment options, beauty products, event space options, and much more. I entirely immersed myself in the fancy atmosphere and was able to speak to my colleagues, try out some services in real-life and take home part of a new creative experience, rather than a material trophy, an item, or a gift. Besides, there were plenty of fun rewards, yummy treats, desserts, and free takeaways throughout all the three days. The creative bash resulted in a fancy after-party at the local dance club. What a beautiful way to spend time with such innovative and enthusiastic teams of people!

One of the exhibitions that stunned me was a venue called Scentanicals. I guess that the brand name, the peculiar compound word “scentanicals” arrived from mixing the two words of scent + botanicals. The idea of their business was plain and simple yet fun, pleasant, and very useful.

They produce up to 15+ scented and blended mixes of dry leaves, grass, and flowers, in addition to some essential oils, to naturally beautify your home, office, or a party. According to their website- “Scentanicals” is “an eco-friendly company that supports many little growing communities around the world.” Their booth at the Expo 2019 was probably one of the more attractive ones to at least two human senses as it smelled and looked excellent. Needless to say, speaking to their representatives was refreshing as well.

Tips for Product Marketing

The mini-gift that ‘Scentanicals’ offered to each guest, letting them create their own scent selections, was a clever marketing trick. As potential customers, people feel in control of their journey of choosing and putting different aromatic items in their bags, and later take them home as a souvenir and a good memory. The same type of excitement attendees experienced at two digital booths run by Drawing Booth and LA Photo Party , where they drew their own sketches in 3D and color -filed dimensions with various options to play around.

The options for tasty delights, drinks and desserts included treats from various Greek , Italian , Japanese, and American restaurants, bars, ice- cream vendors, and other food caterers. All of the participants and the exhibitors were able to taste a bite. The word “sushi” was buzzing around as Japanese restaurant Shiro of Japan displayed a myriad of their authentic seafood treats. If I had eaten sushi that night I would have been a real ‘danger’ to their spot.

I think that planning an event is an exciting activity and if we enjoy using some marketing tactics and event-planning strategies then everyone is a winner. Whether you are a manager aiming for a corporate event, or a stay-at-home mom featuring your first startup – strategic planning is your first step. According to Brandon Rafalson “event planning today is a billion-dollar industry” that has become much more complex recently compared to the past few decades.

Not Just a Meeting Planner

Sherrif Karamat even suggested changing the job titles from simple titles like “Event Planner” and “Meeting Planner” to Business Event Strategist. “Given the many skills that today’s event planners are required to master, given the level of strategy that goes into making a contemporary business event happen, isn’t it about time that there’s a job title to match? “Business Event Strategist” definitely is a step in the right direction. “

I left the Event Planner Expo 2019 refreshed with new ideas that I can’t fully describe in one blog post or an article. But in short: memorable events have a huge impact on our lives and on the way we work or communicate. As Liz King puts it on her website: “We believe in the power of events.” I hope that if you are reading this article – you believe in it too.

If you want to become more knowledgeable in event-planning, want to become a “Business Event Strategist” or learn how to boost the media and marketing presence of your business, make sure to connect with or follow organizers and participants of the Event Planner Expo 2019, including Liz King Events, EMRG Media, and Coffee District.com for more insights in the future.

Twitter: @lizkingevents

@EMRGMediaNYC

@Coffee_District

"Coffee District Media Magazine /Summer 2019"

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