After years apart, live events are now back on the scene. The most recent NorthStar Meetings Group Pulse Survey from June uncovered that 70% of planners are producing their next live event within the next four months, and 75% haven’t had to change or postpone an event for any reason in the past six weeks. Talk about a breath of fresh air! Cancellations are at an all-time low, over half of planners say their events aren’t impacted by COVID at all, and overall, the optimism is flowing! So, all that said, it’s the perfect time to start thinking about hosting your first live event.
We recently did a post with tips to check to see if you’re ready to take that step, so if you haven’t seen that, read that post first here!
Hosting your first live event is going to push you out of your comfort zone for sure. But it could also be the barrier you need to break to reach the next level in your business. Today we’re going to share a few things you need to consider when hosting your first live event to help you prepare!
Remember Your Budget
It’s tempting to want to blow it out of the water on your first go around. But it’s important to let your budget guide the way. Because a profitable event is a successful event. If you go bankrupt producing your first event, you’ll never have the chance to host your next one. There are so many ways that you can host an event that makes a splash while keeping your budget in mind.
Here’s a post about budgeting that may help you outline your first live event budget!
Choose the Right Venue
Your venue is the canvas for your event. Choosing the wrong canvas can ruin the masterpiece you’re about to create. If you’re launching a new tech product, a hotel ballroom won’t have the same impact as a modern warehouse. When you’re hosting a business mastermind for women, a University campus building won’t have the same effect as an intimate small luxury hotel. Selecting a venue that gives off the vibe you want will help you create the ambiance and effect you’re looking for. Without a million décor line items!
Make Sure You Engage
Today, it’s not enough to stick speakers on a stage and have that be it. You need gamification, micro-events within the event, and maybe even a hybrid option to increase your reach. It’s one thing to get butts in seats. But where you’re really going to manifest an engaged audience is the activities and opportunities you offer beyond (or integrate into) your sessions.
Don’t Forget Sponsors
A lot of people hosting their first event think that they can’t go after sponsors because they don’t have “proof points” of their reach, success, etc. It’s time to ditch the limiting beliefs, friends. Your event holds value, your audience holds value, and you hold value. Sponsors are a huge way to make money on your event, offset costs, and increase your reach. Don’t let your own mental blocks get in the way of your unbridled success!
Here’s a quick podcast about how to get sponsors in 2022 that may help with some inspiration for where to start.
Who, What, Why, Where, When, How
The 5 W’s (and 1 H) are a simple way to guide any project. Deeply outline who the event is for, what sort of content you’ll provide, why that content aligns with your goals and will engage your audience, where you’ll host it, when you’ll host it, and how you’ll pull it all together (the logistics). This simplifies the process and helps give you your very first live event strategy outline!
Ensure Hosting Your First Live Event is a Success with Help from a Professional Event Planner
Your first event is a big investment and an even bigger milestone for your business. As a pro team who has helped hundreds of people plan the first event for their brand, we know that one key to success is to hire a professional planner. We can take the guesswork out of it, ensure you stay on budget while making a splash, and will help fine-tune all the logistics to produce an event that moves your business forward. Let’s chat about how!
