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As we enter the new year, event organisers find themselves gearing up for a bustling calendar filled with exciting opportunities and challenges. The events industry is constantly evolving, requiring organisers to stay ahead of the curve to deliver memorable experiences, so how can you prepare?
We’ve got you covered. In this blog, we’ll explore the key strategies and our top tips to help event organisers prepare for the busy year ahead.
Reflect on past events
Before diving into the upcoming year of events, take some time to think about your past events:
- What went particularly well?
- What was the feedback from visitors and exhibitors?
- Is there anything you could improve on in the planning process and delivery?
Hubspot has several blogs that can help with post-event surveys including what type of questions to ask and how to analyse the data you receive.
By identifying what went well in your previous events, and the feedback received, analyse your answers to fine-tune your approach and enhance the overall event experience for your exhibitors and attendees.
Set clear goals and objectives
By defining clear goals and objectives for each event, it gets everyone involved rowing in the same direction. Whether it’s increasing the number of exhibitors at the show, or improving participant engagement, having well-defined goals will guide your planning process and help measure success.
Embrace technology
We all know that technology plays a vital role in almost everything we do in the modern world, and event planning is no exception. By utilising event management software, like our very own Visit event technology, or social media to help promote your event and enhance communication, you’ll find technology supports the process of your event planning effectively, and efficiently whilst incorporating innovative solutions into your events.
Keep up to date with the latest industry trends
We’re no strangers to our industry, we know it’s constantly evolving, so how do you stand out in a crowded market? Staying up to date with the latest industry trends gives your events a competitive advantage allowing you to be ahead of the curve, and who doesn’t want that?
There are a few places that can help you keep up to date with the latest trends, such as the EIN Annual Sustainable Buyer's Guide, Exhibition News, and becoming a member of event boards, such as Women in Exhibitions and ESSA.
Prioritise exhibitor and attendee experience
A positive exhibitor and visitor experience is key to the success of any event. Pay attention to the details, like event logistics, on-site engagement, post-event follow-ups, etc. Covering everything you can helps to create a memorable and smooth sailing event for all participants. This applies to post-event surveys, which we mentioned in our first point on post-event analysis.
Prepare for the unexpected
In the unpredictable world of event planning, it’s always best to prepare for the unexpected. By coming up with contingency plans for different scenarios, like technical issues, or changes in regulations, you’ll have the best chance of being prepared with a well-thought-out plan B.
Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy
Creating an effective marketing strategy for your events is crucial for promotion. Think social media to create noise around your event, email campaigns, and of course traditional advertising. By creating content that highlights the aspects of your events, people become more aware of your event, and it also helps build anticipation in the build-up to the event and gets people excited.
Hootsuite offers a free guide for social media event promotion, along with a load of other useful free resources that can help you in planning.
In this fast-paced industry, preparation is key. Did you know that by working with us, our dedicated team will be on hand to help lift the weight of event planning off your shoulders? From logistics, to stand build and so much more giving you a stress-free event, whilst creating a memorable experience, and leaving a lasting impression on your exhibitors and visitors.
If you’re looking for this type of support for your next event, get in contact with the team today, and let’s get started.
Best of luck to our fellow event professionals for this year!