Ten tips for managing and marketing a successful business event

Running an event of some kind is a great way to raise the profile of your business and cement relationships with customers, suppliers and other business-owners. Whether a product launch, a training workshop or a simple networking event, take heed of these tips from Eventbrite's community manager Katie McPhee (left) before you start planning and promoting your big event.

1. Think about why you want an event

Is an event the best way for you to achieve your particular business goal? writes Katie (left). If so, what kind of event is going to work for both you and your target audience, and what do you want attendees to get out of it? You'll have to give them a good incentive to come along, so think about how you can make it stand out - find a theme or unique element that will make it memorable, and bring people back to the next one.

2. Consider collaborating****Â

Start-ups and small enterprises grow and thrive off the back of collaborations with similar businesses. Creating an event with a complementary business in the same sector means you can share both the budget and the workload - it may also double the number of people you can reach with your promotional and sales activity. A collaborator doesn't have to be another small business, either - larger firms are often prepared to sponsor ventures by smaller enterprises that reach the same customers. Both you and the sponsor will benefit from the profile and added credibility that the collaboration brings.Â

3. Plan the event with care****Â

There's a lot to think about when putting on an event, so it's vital to be well-organised and work to a plan. Particular areas to think about will include:

• Budget

• Date

• Venue

• Sponsorship

• Speakers

• Ticket sales

• Promotion

• Venue decoration and tech (if required)

• Refreshments

• Materials for attendees to take away

• Post-event follow up.

You'll need to create a solid schedule with timelines and deadlines for each step. It'll almost never go exactly to plan, so give yourself 'wiggle room' to make sure you're not stuck trying to do too many things at the last minute.

4. Sort out your sales channel****Â

There are a variety of ways of taking bookings, from forms on your own website to accepting email requests and phone calls. Far and away the most efficient way of managing bookings, though, is to use a dedicated event booking app. This will handle bookings and payment automatically, in return for a small fee (or none, if the event is free). Software such as Eventbrite gives you a dedicated event page, a unique URL, different ticket types and even promo codes for discounts - plus you can embed details on your own website.

5. Give people an incentive to come****Â

Unusual venues, topical or 'left-field' themes, a great speaker line-up, an inventive format, a great takeaway gift - these can all make your event stand out and get people intrigued enough to book for themselves and tell their friends.

"Unusual venues, topical or 'left-field' themes, a great speaker line-up, an inventive format, a great takeaway gift - these can all make your event stand out and get people intrigued."

6. Decide whether to charge****Â

You may not want to charge for your event, but bear in mind that the drop-out rate for free events tends to be considerably higher than when people have actually paid for a ticket. Payment - even of just a token sum - creates commitment.

7. Promote it

Think about where your target audience is and promote it via the channels they actually use. Facebook is brilliant for event promotion, not least because it encourages people to share; email newsletters will get the word out to your existing customer base; you can spread the word effectively via Twitter by targeting influencers and using your own hashtag; blog about it, tell your suppliers and business contacts face to face, contact the local press - do everything you can to get the word out. And stress your event's unique selling point at every turn.

8. Make a note of who comes along****Â

Always check people in on arrival - this ensures you have a good idea of who you should begin your promotion with the next time you hold an event. An app like our own free Eventbrite Entry Manager app for Android or iPhone enables you to achieve this in a quick and easy way.

9. Give people something to take away with them****Â

People love to have something material to take away, as well as the information they will have taken in during the event itself. Whether it's a product sample, a smart round-up of the major points or a piece of merchandise associated with your business, giving a takeaway creates a good impression and serves as a reminder of the event itself.

10. Ask for feedback - and follow up

The event doesn't end when guests leave. You can invite feedback on the night, with a simple written form, or email attendees with a thank you and a quick questionnaire. It's well worth writing a blog post or email that summarises the main points, too, and inviting them to sign up for your newsletter, if you have one. Encourage attendees to stay in touch and (with their permission) add them to your email list so they can be the first to know about your next event. Good luck! _Katie McPhee is the community manager for Enterprise Nation partner Eventbrite, the leading event ticketing, management and promotion app._Â

Read more tips from Katie by replaying our webchat

We recently held a webchat with Katie in which she offered tips and advice about managing and marketing events. You can replay the chat and see what other online events we have coming up on the Enterprise Nation webchats page.

Offer: Get £100 of Eventbrite credit to run your own event

Eventbrite is offering Enterprise Nation Club members a fantastic £100 credit to spend on running your own events. With Club membership just £20 a year, you can get five times your money back straight away! Check out this and other great offers on the Enterprise Nation Club page.