Today’s post is about how to better plan your business events and trade shows. We have 10 very helpful tips to share with you. Below you will see tips 1 to 5.

Events can be an incredibly powerful platform when it comes to boosting your business’ image, creating awareness of your brand and building, nurturing and maintaining relationships that are nutritious for your bottom line. There are, however, essential ingredients to getting the event recipe right.  If these ingredients are not included in your event cook-up, you should prepare yourself for some brutal post-event lament! Below are five of our ten tips that you should keep in mind if you want to avoid the dreaded event fail.

1. Event Objectives are VITAL

It is absolutely crucial to have clear objectives for your event before even thinking about organising one. Your objectives will affect your budget, your approach, your event outcomes and your bottom line. Before developing event objectives, it is imperative to have a thorough understanding of your business and branding objectives so that your event objectives can cleanly align with these. If this is not done then precious dollars will unquestionably be wasted. Although some objectives may be hard to measure (e.g. brand awareness), objectives should be clear as well as measurable wherever possible. Think about what you want to gain from the event:

• New leads or sales?  If so, how many?

• Exposure? If so, through whom or what?

• Brand awareness?

• Maintaining loyalty of current customers?

• Promoting a new product or service?

2. Choose the Right Event Type. 

In order to determine the right event platform to apply to your objectives, you have to first establish exactly who your target market for the event is. This may be different to your usual target market (often applies to a new product launch). Once you have your target market in mind and know your event objectives, you can decide on what form of event is most appropriate to accommodate both of these.

There are several event forms to choose from:

• Trade Shows – Exhibitions – Lead-Generation Seminars

• Launch Events – Social /Loyalty Events – Online Events

• Sales Conferences – Product Launches – Award Dinners

NOTE: It is important to remind yourself that when it comes to trade-shows and exhibitions, you need to find out the number of expected attendees within your target market specifically, rather than just the overall number of expected attendees.

TRUTH: If you are thinking of exhibiting at a trade show where there are expected to be 20,000 attendees, of which 100 are actually from your target market, you are likely to fail at meeting your event objectives.

3. Embrace the Budget!

Without harnessing them securely into place, event costs can sky-rocket and completely obliterate any financial objectives you had for your event.  Create a budget that incorporates all fixed and marginal costs that may relate to your event, and then add on a substantial buffer for any unexpected surprises!

Event budgets often include the following:

• Venue and Equipment Hire – Signage and Branding Costs – Exhibitor Registration Costs

• Logistical Costs – Catering Costs – Promotional Materials / Giveaways

• Printed Materials Costs – Speaker Costs

4. Fantastic Signage is Your Most Visible Event Asset

Even if you have promoted heavily, you have a great product, the best location and exciting giveaways, if your event signage isn’t up to scratch, your results won’t be either!  Your signage is your most visible event asset so don’t try to ‘make-do’ with less than the most effective signage and branding option to meet your objectives.

Think about the message you want to send your target audience. Even if your old signage looks good, it can actually sabotage your desired objectives if it doesn’t send the correct message to your target audience at the event.

Given the significance of your event signage, it is recommended to get expert signage and branding advice from a signage consultant. To prepare for meeting with your signage consultant,
consider the following:

• How often will you need to use the signage?

• Does the signage need to be highly transportable?

Your signage consultant will be able to help you sort out the rest.

There are many event signage options:
•  Pull-Up Banners
•  Point of Sale
•  Vinyl Banners
•  Flags
•  Outdoor Banners
•  Teardrop Banners

5. Position for Profit with an Expert Keynote Speaker.

If you are holding an event that includes a speaker (such as a seminar), the speaker is usually just as important, if not more so, than the subject matter. You can use this opportunity to
position yourself as an industry leader and expert by engaging a trusted industry advisor or authority as your keynote speaker.  Ensure that your speaker’s personality and style also compliments your brand image and the objectives you have for the event. You’ll like the results.

Are you prepared for 2012? Call our free 0800 SPEEDY number to speak to your local Speedy Signs Consultant.

Contact your local Speedy Signs today!

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