The job of planning an event can often seem something of an unwelcome and scary prospect, but we believe the process should be as fun and exciting as the event itself.  Events are about creating the most memorable moments – a thanks to staff and clients, a chance to interact with clients and prospects, or something that really shows your knowledge and understanding on a subject - but how can you make your event different? Think big, make it exciting, and engage with your audience.

To impress your attendees and create a memorable experience, everything needs to be perfect - from the venue and food to the entertainment. You may have carefully selected the best of the best for each aspect of the day itself, but if you don’t create high quality content to promote it, your event won’t be a success.

Once the venue, date, food, cocktails, entertainment, and all other elements are taken care of, it’s time to start creating a buzz around your upcoming event on social media. The best event marketing strategies follow a timeline and a logical sequence: pre-event, event, and post event.  Creating a unique social experience before your event kicks off encourages reasons for people to sign up and creates more touchpoints and engagement with your attendees.

So, one thing to remember if there is serious event planning to be done is that it is never too early to start.

Here are my top tips: 

• Plan ahead.
• Outline a clear budget and what it must cover
• Pick the perfect venue
• Theme your event – or not! Make it exciting, relevant…and different.  
• Blogs, social media, filming, and presentations – get the most out of it! If your content is good, your event is going to be amazing.  
• Capture your event on film - get even more from your event by recording it and turning it into more great content for your website, intranet and social. 

No matter what event you work on and no matter how well organised things are, there will always be last minute changes. However, by really thinking about your objectives, meticulous planning, a strong team of people and early follow-up, you should be ensured of a hugely successful event!

Do you have an event coming up? Chat to Eric Sánchez, Account Director in our Events & Exhibitions team, to explore your options.