In the last year, we have seen brands in nearly every type of industry successfully pivot their event over to virtual. And while there are many elements of event strategy that need to be retooled or modified for a digital event, the core characteristics of what make up quality event execution remain the same across both virtual and in-person events.
To help you prepare for your upcoming event, whether it’s a live stream or up on the stage, we’re walking you through the five characteristics that every event needs to be successful…
1 – You have clear goals and objectives set
Before you start planning out any logistics or elements of your event, you first need to ask yourself, “What is the objective of this event and how will our team achieve this?” By laying out clear goals and expectations, you can work backwards to make sure that your strategy and execution are acting as a clear path to get you towards that objective. For example, if your goal is simply brand awareness or education, your content strategy and approach might look totally different than if you have a sales-focused goal of new leads and meetings set. It’s much easier to set these expectations and goals from the start so that you can measure your efforts at every decision.
2 – Your team over communicates
There are far too many balls to juggle in producing a successful event to assume that everyone on your team knows their full roles and responsibilities come kick off time. Make sure that your entire team is informed and up-to-speed in the lead up to the event – especially when it concerns the day-of timeline and order of show – so that your event can run as smoothly as possible. It’s also important to have clearly defined communication channels for the day of the event, whether it’s virtual or on-site, so that you can easily keep everyone informed of any issues without disrupting the flow of the event.
3 – You’re already prepared for something to go awry
One of the most important characteristics that anyone can have when it comes to event planning is agility and quick thinking. The truth of the matter is that something will always inevitably not go the way that you planned when it comes to your event. Hopefully that thing is something small behind-the-scenes and not something major like a technical issue, but either way, you need to be proactive and plan for any and every unexpected hitch. This will allow you to remain calm and focused if something does arise. Be sure to create a backup plan for all of the key elements of your event, and enable your event managers to make key decisions and make them quickly.
4 – Your branding is at the core of the event
You can have the most successful and engaging event of the year, but if attendees aren’t aware of the brand and the business behind the fanfare, it could still be a flop for your business. It’s so important that your company’s brand and messaging carries through to all aspects of your event – from marketing, to design, to communication – in order to connect with attendees that will hopefully turn into long-term leads and customers. Make sure that your branding is evident in your event design and also communicates the personality and values of your organization.
5 – You’ve got seasoned professionals working behind the scenes
The best way to ensure that your entire event runs smoothly and checks all of the boxes that we mentioned above is to work in tandem with professionals who have the knowledge and experience to make your event a success. Here at Bluewater, we have a plethora of events and years of experience under our belt, which allows us to provide your brand with the right foundation and a proven process that you need in order to find success, whether you’re putting on a virtual or in-person event.
To learn more about the event capabilities and experience that we bring to the table, from virtual event expertise to a best-in-class event platform that was created specifically for virtual and hybrid events, be sure to reach out today.
