9 Steps to Successfully Launch Your First Event
The path to a successful event – whether it’s your very first event or a new one in a recurring series – is dedicated event planning. Need a quick refresher on your planning strategy? We’ve created a simplified version of our nine-step event guide to help you through it. With advice on how to tackle everything from engaging with your audience to building a pricing strategy, here’s the event planning checklist you need to nail your event launch.
1. Find your audience
Researching your target audience is the first step to launching any event. Understand who they are, what they like, and their core values. Think about who will relate the most to your personal brand story and how to diversify this audience to boost the inclusiveness of your event.
It’s also important to consider where potential attendees are located. If it’s a small, regionalised area, consider an in-person event. But if your desired audience is international, cast your net wider by opting for a virtual format. Easily connect with your audience, thanks to our global community of event-goers.
2. Develop your unique selling proposition (USP)
Make your event stand out by emphasising what makes it unique. Perhaps you want to create events with a social conscience, to raise money for charities that your audience supports. (To help amplify your fundraising, use apps like Kindful or Fundly.) Or maybe you’re looking to reunite communities with a drive-in event. Your USP could even be showcasing your culinary goodness to the wider world by hosting a virtual tasting session and sending attendees a real-life ingredients pack in the post.
3. Get your pricing right
Use your ticket fee to motivate potential guests. Determine the price by understanding what your audience is willing to pay and analysing what your competition charges for similar events. Tiered pricing gives people more options. Choose between free, paid, or donation tickets, or even offer a VIP experience like behind-the-scenes access for those who can afford to pay extra.
4. Set a realistic budget
An important aspect of event planning is setting a budget and sticking to it. First, combine fixed costs like venue hire with variable costs like staff and food. Then think about the market size and ticket pricing. It’s also worthwhile writing down your ideal scenario and worst-case scenario as well as a realistic one to help you stay on track. Finally, look at cost-cutting measures like holding a virtual event to save on venue fees.
5. Build a support network
Any event launch will require a helping hand or two. Whether it’s friends and family or an existing audience, you’ll likely already have a network to reach out to. The people within this network can assist with everything from increasing ticket sales to boosting budget. Build up your community by strengthening relationships with social media followers, who can attract the attention of event-goers, and contacting potential sponsors for help with the likes of catering and equipment.
6. Get your event online
Listing your event on Eventbrite immediately places you in front of a large community of potential attendees from all over the world. You can sign up for free and create an enticing event page in minutes, adding engaging descriptions and personalised imagery and videos. Intuitive event registration allows guests to easily sign up or buy a ticket, saving time and providing you with a vital customer database.
7. Get the word out with savvy marketing
From social media and SEO to emails and influencers, there are so many marketing options to consider. Use your target audience to decide the best form of marketing to choose. Reach potential attendees with targeted email campaigns and activate paid social ads to get your first event in front of a community that shares your interests.
8. Focus on the experience
The experience is what your guests will remember and can be the difference between creating a long-term relationship and losing a member of your community. Help to create a long-lasting memory with new event technology. The likes of augmented and virtual reality can be used to build an entire world around your event. And when it comes to holding online events, take some time to consider the best video hosting platform for your specific audience. For instance, Zoom offers the security of a unique URL while Vimeo uses interactive polls and chat boxes to engage attendees.
9. Never stop improving
Keep the momentum going to turn your launch event from one success into the start of something truly special. Stay in touch with attendees by consistently sharing content on social media and make sure to ask for their feedback to help you plan a bigger and better event.
Plan for success
Use the above event planning checklist and our complete guide to help ease the planning process and give you the best chance of hosting an innovative launch event.
Remember that your post-event strategy can be just as impactful as what you do beforehand. Use a follow-up survey to continue your event hype. It’s the simplest way to connect with attendees and keep the conversation going.