Putting on a unique event that leaves a lasting impression on all those that attend is one of the most engaging ways to get yourself in front of new, existing and potential clients if, of course, it’s done well.
If you’re thinking that sounds like a lot of effort, rest assured it doesn’t have to be. Our event team has all the experience and ideas needed to ensure it delivers those memories and all runs smoothly – whether you want us to deliver a turnkey solution or simply help you with elements of it from finding the right venue, handling its marketing, or using our strong connections with celebrity and sporting legends to add those extra magical touches.
Over the past few years, we’ve fine-tuned our event organisation, thanks in larger part to the success of our own prestigious and well-attended annual awards ceremonies. Since they were founded in 2018, the Northamptonshire Business Excellence Awards have gained a reputation as one of the premier events of their kind in the region. That success led to the launch of the Northamptonshire Education Awards, subject to the same careful preparation and processes, and in turn, to the inaugural Milton Keynes Education Awards this year.
Nothing can be left to chance when it comes to giving guests the glittering experience they expect and that approach has carried through to everything from sports dinners to corporate family fun days.
Irish rugby hero Brian O’Driscoll joined us for an evening of entertainment and fine dining at last September, while England World Cup winners Steve Thompson and Sir Clive Woodward entertained guests at Lunch With Legends in July. Nobu in Portman Square, London, was the venue when we previewed the Qatar World Cup with Michael Owen, Kelly Smith and Ally McCoist; and former Liverpool star and, more recently, Celebrity MasterChef contestant, Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock, entertained guests while he cooked alongside the chefs at Ember in Wellingborough.
What making all those events happen has taught us is that, done well, the right event can be a powerful marketing strategy; putting your weight behind something like that builds brand awareness and promotes your business in a number of ways:
- Visibility – in promoting the event you are regularly putting your name in front of a wide audience. An event with an interesting theme, guest or venue may well capture the attention of someone who wouldn’t necessarily be looking at your company otherwise.
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Brand association – enjoying a great evening, a fantastic meal and entertaining company creates good memories. As the company behind those happy memories, your guests will associate you with their positive experience.
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Social media engagement – everyone loves taking and sharing photographs of themselves and their friends at a get-together, sending news of your event far and wide.
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Networking opportunities – bringing clients and prospective clients together for a relaxed, enjoyable event gives them the opportunity to meet and build relationships over a drink, a meal or a shared experience.
Should that sound appealing, there are a number of aspects of planning an event that you need to think about and that we can help with. Careful planning, as I said before, is most definitely your key to success.
Firstly, decide why you want to hold an event and what form it will take. If you’re celebrating an anniversary, it may be an occasion for fine dining to thank those who have supported you on your business journey; if you’re launching a new product, you may want to have it during office hours, a lunch and a captivating guest speaker.
Plan your budget and against that, cost out things like venue hire and AV facilities, food and drink, marketing, gifts for guests, etc. If it’s an event that will be ticketed, you can set a ticket price once you know your costs. If it’s by invitation, the budget needs to remain within what you, as the organiser, can afford. The cost of a celebrity speaker is likely to be a significant percentage of the budget, but it is also likely to deliver a healthy boost to your ticket sales and uptake of attendees.
Consider sponsorship opportunities which, in return for exposure in your marketing of the event, will bring partners in to help share the costs and, through your sponsors’ own marketing activity, increase your reach. This is an area in which we have a great deal of experience and contacts.
There’s plenty to think about and a great deal of planning, which is why an experienced event team is invaluable. From budget planning and venue finding to sending out and managing invitations and RSVPs, promoting the event, hosting on the day and organising social media exposure before, during and after, putting everything in the hands of the experts leaves you free to enjoy the build-up to the event and relax knowing it’s in safe hands.
To find out more about the services available through GIANT, call 01604 250900 or visit www.gogiant.co.uk
