Have you been back out on the road again recently? If so, you aren’t alone. Nearly 75% of people are ready to book travel in 2022, so in-person events are no longer out of the question! But when you get back to business, events can’t look the same as before. While many people are traveling, events are still struggling to get historic attendance numbers. So, what’s the solution? Host a micro event!
Today, we’re explicitly talking about stand-alone micro events that are their own event. You can also add micro event experiences to your hybrid events or larger in-person events to cultivate more meaningful and impactful outcomes. Plus, they’re also the perfect option for your first event ever. Ready to learn how to plan an epic stand-alone micro event to get back to in-person events?
What is a Micro Event?
Now you may be asking, “Well, what in the world is a micro event?” It’s exactly what it sounds like! A small, intimate event with a curated group of people from your target audience.
3 Ways a Micro Event Help You Boost Your Brand
So, why do you host one? These are just a few of the reasons that come to mind initially:
Relationship Building
Rather than thinking about the number of attendees, you’re considering the quality of attendees. Micro events should be reserved for your top clients, VIPs, hottest prospects, and biggest promoters. You should know that engaging with the people in front of you will generate ROI in some form, either now or down the road. Whether business relationships, product placement opportunities, or new contracts signed for bigger purchase orders, you get the picture. The goal is to build intentional relationships with significant stakeholders in your business.
Cost-Effective
It’s more cost-effective than a large conference when hosting fewer people, even if you go all out. You can personalize every detail, splurge on VIP airport transportation, pay for the top menu at the best restaurant in the city, and pay less than you would for a 1,000-person event for your micro event. Plus, since you know the attendees are more engaged, your spending will yield greater ROI!
Opportunity to Create Buzz
As your audience will be more engaged and you can create more impactful experiences, they’ll be Insta-worthy. Get those attendees sharing! Micro events are great for influencer promotions if that’s something your brand is interested in leveraging.
3 Things to Consider When Planning a Micro Event
If those things sound good to you, where do you get started?
Audience
First, who are you inviting? What is the goal of your event? Do you want to get influencer promotions? Invite the top 15 influencers for your brand. Do you want to reconnect with your original customer base to see how you can reengage them after a new launch? Invite your first (and highest paying) 20 customers.
Destination
Once you have an idea of your audience, you should be able to make a list of potential attendees. Where are they coming from? You’ll want to choose a location that will not only help you reach your event goals but is central for all attendees to ensure it’s easy for them to carve time out of their schedules to attend.
Partnerships
Once you have your audience and destination in mind, what partnerships can you enlist to make it an even more impactful event? Think brands you work with that would be willing to pitch in to sponsor a dinner or an experience. Consider who would offer customized products for a welcome amenity at the hotel. Things like that that will add a special touch but won’t necessarily come out of your budget!
3 Tips for Epic Small Event Experiences in 2022
Focus on Local Experiences
People are more concerned than ever about sustainability, equality, empowerment of small businesses, and many other important causes in today’s world. There is no better way to infuse those values into your event than adding a little local flair. For example, if you’re hosting an event for a publishing company in New York City, host your guests at the Library Hotel. They have over 6,000 books in libraries throughout the property, including the guest rooms! Then, host a private author meet and greet/ networking event at the historic Minetta Tavern, where Ernest Hemmingway used to frequent.
If you’re a food brand in a tropical destination, offer a cooking class where you learn to make the traditional local dish. If you’re a coach for women doing a mastermind in Spain, provide a private vineyard tasting with a woman winemaker reinventing the industry. The goal should always be to choose elements and locations that will tell a story and put your mission, vision, and goals at the forefront of every aspect of the event.
Get Creative with Networking
How are you creating connections? Since networking is arguably the most essential part of a micro event, how are you cultivating those opportunities to connect on-site? Make sure you offer plenty of group networking opportunities and 1:1 opportunities throughout the event. Even better, you can have a sponsor cover each evening networking event, so you’re making money and getting a creative and unique experience for your guests that the sponsors will help plan!
Make it Truly Exclusive
The key to making a micro event successful is being overly intentional with every little piece of the experience. This means the guest list! Have an A-list and a B-list if you’re worried about attendance. Send out those B-List invites if you get more declines than you imagined and want attendance at a certain level to ensure value. But don’t engage everyone at once and dilute the value of attendance.
Want to Get Back to In-Person Events? Let Us Help.
If you’re ready to get back out there with your in-person event strategy, we’re prepared to help you. Now more than ever, there are tons of new areas to navigate when planning events like safety, restrictions, new ways of promotion, and more. It can be a lot to manage solo. That’s why EBA is here to help you produce your next micro event. We did these pre-pandemic all across the globe, and we can’t wait to get back to planning with you! Let’s chat about your vision, and we’ll determine what style of micro event can help bolster your brand in 2022.
