Working with a new client is a very exciting process. We get the chance to learn about how they have organized their events in the past and what has been successful. Usually at the point when they’re bringing in an event planner, there are some things that are not working as well. This is when our role becomes more about business and marketing strategy then about the actual events sometimes. For me, this is one of the most exciting parts of the event planning process. For some, however, this becomes very daunting. So, I thought I would share some tips on how we can help our clients be more successful not only with their events, but with their business as a whole.
Help them understand the tie between events and their clients.
I’m surprised how many companies and organizations host events for the sake of having them. As the planner I think it is our role to get them to start thinking about how they could be using the events to cultivate relationships with their target market.
Having face-to-face events is a very critical component of any organization’s growth strategy so they must be organized to facilitate networking, one-on-one interaction, and a deeper connection to the organization brand. One of the first steps when coming into a new client relationship is to get the client to evaluate how they can leverage their events to increase business and create a more loyal tie to their brand.
Track everything
When you come in to an organization, you need to prove your value. As you’re making changes to the marketing plans and event strategies, track your success. Make sure you get as many metrics from your client as possible when you first come in and help them to see how the changes you are making really do impact the bottom line. Track your social media activity, your mailing list memberships, the engagement at your events, and anything else you can think of to help show how you are helping your clients improve their visibility and credibility.
Take it slow
A lot of times we come into a new situation and see many things that can be changed around to make the events more successful. That being said, it doesn’t make sense to rush around and change up everything in the organization. Sometimes, it is your role to decide what are the most important things to improve and to set out a timeline for your desired changes. People are not always open to change so give them a little bit of time and make sure that some of the most positive changes come up front. Something like changing a registration process is usually a good first step because it allows the experience of the attendee to be enhanced. This is something they’re usually very open to and they may respond to marketing strategies better once they see that the events are being run more professionally.
Photo by Creighton Miller
