Athletes Prepare Hard for a Competition
They train hard. They eat the right food. They research the venue. They leave nothing to chance.
Preparing for a customer event is very similar. In my last article I focused on three key strategy areas to focus on when planning a customer event. In this article I want to focus on three tasks you should carry out once the invitations have all been sent out.
It can be tempting to think that everything has been done when the replies start coming in. However, there is still plenty you can do to make sure that your event is as successful as possible. Here’s the first task.
Send Out Pre-Event Teasers
Not everyone who accepts your invitation will actually attend the event. Things crop up at the last minute. People forget that they agreed to attend. Therefore it is important to keep reminding them about the event and make sure they are excited about it.
The best way to do this is to send out information letting attendees know exactly why they should attend. Remind them of the networking opportunities. Let them know what they will learn at the event. If you have a speaker, they may have a short video or an extract of their content that you can send out.
It’s not just teasers that you should send out in advance.
Send Out Pre-Event Information
This may sound exactly the same as sending out teasers. However, it is actually quite different. Pre-event information is all about giving delegates practical information.
They need to know about parking and public transport so that they have the best opportunity of arriving easily and on time. You might also let them know the dress code. Finally, it’s important that people know if and when they will be fed. Then they can focus on the speakers rather than worrying about this sort of thing.
But it’s not just your customers you should focus on.
Brief the Sales Team
Make sure they know exactly what you hope to gain from the event. Are there any key messages you want them to pass on to attendees? Will specific sales people be allocated to each customer? What do you want them to persuade new prospects to do?
This level of communication will impress customers. It will maximize the success of the event.
This Activity Doesn’t Stop When the Event Starts
In my next article I’m going to talk about post-event management.
Some people may feel that these tasks are unnecessary.
Do Events Really Need this Level of Organization?
Remember, this is your chance to be in dialogue with key prospects and customers for a good length of time. It is also an opportunity to impress them, leaving a favorable impression that will last long after they’ve left. You can persuade them to think of your company as a partner that understands their business, not as a commodity supplier.
For those reasons it is important to prepare for a customer event as thoroughly as an athlete prepares for a sporting event.
*Editor’s Note: This post is part of a larger series on organizing customer events*
- Have you Considered Customer Events to Promote your Business?
- Three Key Issues to Consider Prior to a Customer Event
- How to Maximize the Success of your Customer Event
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PS If you’d like great ideas on how to engage with today’s buyers, download my free e-book “Ten Common Print Selling Errors and What To Do About Them” right now at http://profitableprintrelationships.com/e-book/ You’ll also receive my regular “Views from the print buyer” bulletin, full of ideas on how to sell print effectively.
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