Marketing an Event Checklist for Small Business Owners

It’s the perfect time of year to host an event, including a fall open house or a holiday party for clients and prospects.

Did you know that to succeed in marketing an event you must complete ninety-five percent of your event preparations before the big day? Next time you’re planning an event, spend the brunt of your energy on preplanning. This way, on event day, you can focus on your guests, rather than being distracted with day-of event organizational issues.

Boost your small business revenue by planning an event for the fall, winter holidays or for the New Year.

WHEN GUESTS ARRIVE ...
How you acknowledge your guests when they first arrive is one of the most important components of your event plan. Remember, you’re making a first impression. Even if you’re hosting an event for existing clients, if they don’t have a good experience, it’s unlikely they’ll return for future events.

Here’s a short checklist of questions to ask yourself when planning an event:

• Guests are driving to your location. Do they know how to get there?
• Is parking easy and plentiful or do you need to give added instructions?
• Is your location handicap accessible? If not, let people know ahead of time about any limitations. In fact, without advanced notice, you could appear insensitive to guests needing such services and to onlookers.
• How do you visualize the event coming together just before customers enter?
• Are you in a large building? How will event guests find you?
• When guests arrive, they do what?
• What will you do with early arrivals?
• What will your guests first see? Most will expect a registration table of some type; don’t disappoint them. Besides, an organized check-in is an opportunity to keep track of who attends and obtain accurate contact information.
• Who will greet guests?
• What will you say during your greeting?
• Will you instruct guests to do something -- i.e., sign up, eat, preview, tour, etc.
• What will guests do with their jackets, umbrellas and rain coats?
• Will you have refreshments? (At minimum, you should have a few snacks/fruit, water and tea/coffee.) If you’re hosting an event around mealtimes, then you must have more food.
• How will your guests find the restrooms without having to ask?
• Will you have name tags? Many professionals like this because it gives them an opportunity to network.
• Will you have door prizes? How do the guests participate? Can they win if they leave early?
• How will you collect accurate contact information from all guests? At minimum, collect: email, home and cell phone numbers (ideally a number you can text to) and postal address. If it’s a business audience, then also: title, business name and URL.
• Will you allow guests to sit? Some guests may have physical constraints necessitating they sit.
• What other staff members will be at the event? What is their role? Will they know what to say and do?
• If you’re presenting during your event, how will you handle guests’ cell phone usage? Even if you’re not presenting, and a guest is in a corner yelling into their cell phone, what will you do?
• Are you a retail business? How will you handle the phones ringing during your event?
• If a staff member is working your front counter with three guests in line who are excited to schedule an appointment for your services because they’re having such a great time at your event, BUT the phone rings with even more potential business, should your staff answer or manage the customers in line?