In-Person Events are Back! CEA’s Checklist to Ensure You’re Ready to Host
Over the past year, the wide world of business has had to make due with zoom conference calls and virtual events to substitute for that personal interaction so many of us rely on to get the word out about our companies or to make valuable connections in the community.
The good news is In-person events have finally returned, and it’s time to take advantage of the opportunity!
People are ready and eager to return to in person events, so we thought it was a great time to highlight a few points on our event-checklist to make sure you are hosting a quality event that will leave everyone who attends wanting more!
Read on for must-haves at your next event:
Food and drinks
This one seems obvious, but we still have to emphasize its importance. Food brings people together. Drinks bring people even closer. Offering your guests both is a great first impression and fosters an instant connection among attendees. More importantly, who doesn’t love food and drinks….
Networking Opportunities
Social networking is an important facet for any business owner because it facilitates connections and generates more valuable resources for your business. Despite the abundance of digital social networking platforms, nothing beats in-person events to meet other like minded people. An event that promotes networking is easier to promote as it signals to other business owners/associates that it will be a chance to promote their business as well.
Goodie bags and/or giveaways
The more incentives driving guests to your event–the merrier! Trust me, you don’t have to go all-out on the goodie bags. Small treats work just fine! However, goodie bags are a great way to sell your business even more. How? Branded items. Pens, hats and/or water bottles with your company’s logo are all great to throw in.
Business Card Drop-off
Alright, alright, alright. Food, drinks and goodies sound amazing, but let’s remember why we’re hosting this event: to build our network. Your guests may start to forget that because they’re having so much fun, so remind them with business cards. When setting up for your event, designate a certain area for a business card drop-off. Set up the area in a visually pleasing way to ensure your guests see it and leave their cards. You can even entice attendees to leave their card by offering a simple giveaway at the end of the event!
Photo opps
give your guests a reason to dress up with fun photo opportunities (themed events are never a bad idea). Disposables and polaroid cameras are the perfect way to capture exciting moments from the event. Plus, any photos can be used later to promote the event on social media!
Start planning your next event!
There are a number of other factors that go into hosting a successful event, but these simple action items are a great way to ensure you are on the right track to hosting a fun, memorable, and most importantly successful event!
If you’re ready to start planning your next event but are just looking for the right location, our sister company, Second Sol Studios has all of the space and amenities to make your next event moviesque.
However, if you’re looking to host an event, but need some help with the planning and coordination that goes into a successful event, CEA Marketing has you covered! A fun tidbit of history, CEA originally stood for “Creative Events Advertising” as we started as a promotional events company over 20 years ago!
It’s safe to say that Event Marketing is at the heart of CEA. Contact us today to learn more on how we can help you bring Events back in high fashion!