Organizing events can be difficult especially if you don’t have extensive experience or haven’t invested much time or effort into event management before. However, one of the of the best things you can do before making any important decisions is to spend some time learning from experts in event management.
We’ve recently talked with some of the most creative people in event management and asked them each to share one useful event management tip that they have used recently to plan and organize successful events, boost ticket sales and grow their businesses.
Here are 8 actionable event management tips that they’ve shared with us (plus 1 bonus tip):
1. Choosing Venue: Looking for Something Unique
Richard Kadri-Langford, Marketing Manager at Lime Venue Portfolio
Twitter: @AHintOfLimeVP
Consider the basics First and foremost. Your choice of venue has to be right for your guests. It has to fit them all in for starters, it needs to be in the right location of course, and it needs to be at the right price. The chances are though, that once you have used these criteria, you’ll still have plenty of venues to choose from and that’s when you can consider other criteria to make your decision.
Such as looking for something unique. This is something we applaud, a unique or unusual venue can really enhance your guests’ experience. A unique venue such as a museum or zoo can create a sense of excitement before the event has even begun. Who wouldn’t want to get the chance to enter a zoo after the gates had closed? The sense of anticipation will get your guests endorphins, flowing, they’ll be excited and ready to embrace the wonderful event you have planned for them. But a note of caution. Any space, it doesn’t even have to be a building, can be sold as a ‘venue’ for your event, but is it really? There have been a plethora of ‘blank canvas’ venues flooding the market and with them a wealth of possibilities, but also potentially a greatly increased sense of risk for the organizer, whose head will be on the line should things not quite go to plan. Don’t not consider these type of venues, but do it with your eyes open and only if you have a really strong team of suppliers around you that you trust. At Lime Venue Portfolio, that’s how we’ve built our reputation. Our customers use us and our venues, because we have demonstrated time and again, our ability to make our unusual spaces easy for event planners to work with meaning that although the chosen location for their gala dinner is a unique aircraft museum, they don’t need to worry about the quality and delivery of the event.
2. Effective communication skills
Dom Barnard, Founder of VirtualSpeech
Twitter: @vrspeech
Events revolve around people. For an event manager to be successful, communication and people skills are hugely important. An effective event manager is confident and able to communicate ideas clearly to both individuals and groups. Knowing how to effectively communicate with people, including the client, is a skill that takes time and practice. It is one of the most useful traits in the realm of event management.
3. High-Quality Photography: Personalise The Guest Experience
Bogdan Maran, Head of Operations at Splento
Twitter: @splento
One of the forgotten tools for event engagement and user experience is photography. To be more exact, professional photography. Used properly, it can increase outreach before the event, engagement and user experience during, and continue the conversation post-event.
The secret is in how you use it. Don’t forget that the lifespan of an image is extremely short online, but personalize the experience for your guests, and it will do magic.
4. Audience Participation: Selecting Speakers
Oliver Fisher, Head of Growth at Glisser
Twitter: @glisser
In our eyes, selecting the right speaker comes down to the type of audience you’re trying to engage. I would begin by watching your shortlist of speakers on YouTube or even by listening to podcasts they’ve featured in. This will help you see how they delivered the content; this is super important if you plan to use an audience participation software, as their technology adoption and delivery are crucial for success. Secondly, I would understand the format they deliver the content in, is their tone formal or casual? Do they use professionally designed or boring presentation slides? By understanding this, you will be able to say whether their delivery will resonate with your audience.
5. Influencers: Exposure & Awareness
François Huynh, CEO of Invite The Media
Twitter: @invitethemedia
Event organizers rely more and more on influencers, media, magazine, bloggers to talk about an event. This is usually how people, photographers, brands, sponsors and a venue connect, engage and create value. With over 500 events promoted worldwide, we can tell that the difference between an “OK” event and a “Fantastic” event is the exposure and awareness generated.
We are now more than ever into the booming of influencers marketing.
6. Fun & Gamification For Creating Engaging Environment
Stefan Debois, Founder & CEO of Survey Anyplace
Twitter: @surveyanyplace
An event is that great window of opportunity to show customers the human part of your brand. With a bit of fun and gamification, you can create a more engaging environment for yourself and your visitors to start a conversation. A digital scratch card in your data collection, for example, will stimulate people to join the competition, find out what they’ve won and leave more info. Playful interaction will get you useful data in return!
7. Time Management: Build In Extra “Buffer” Time
Esther Snippe, Content Creator & Marketer at SpeakerHub
Twitter: @speakerhubHQ
8. A complex Approach to Event Management
Simon Burton, Managing Director of Exposure Communications
Twitter: @ExposureComm
For me, it’s essential not to see an event in isolation. It exists as part of a chain of ideas and communication. The journey to and from an event is as important in generating content and meaningful connections as the event itself.
9. Bonus Tip – Choosing the Caterer You Trust
Richard Kadri-Langford, Marketing Manager at Lime Venue Portfolio
Twitter: @AHintOfLimeVP
When booking a venue, consider carefully the menus on offer. Food is such an important part of any event. Research shows that over 42% of all event feedback is about the food. It really can make the difference between your event being good and your event being great. It also, of course, has the power to make your event a disaster. So make sure you choose the right venue with the right caterer, either in-house or external. Again, it all comes down to trust, the more trust you have in your suppliers, the better you event will be.
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