How to Define Your Event Goals And Objectives

Introduction

Event planning has become more than just organising get-togethers that people will enjoy. Yes, that’s obviously important, but to keep a finger on the pulse in an ever-evolving industry, you need a sound strategy. And while the word strategy may sound intimidating, it simply means being considerate of your event objectives and its impact on your business/brand.

The Alignment

Mapping out an event strategy should always start with your event brief at its centre and with the overall business goal close at hand. It’s imperative that your business strategy drives the purpose for your event – this gives the company “legs” to carry on for months after the event has taken place, meaning that the event should always feed back into the company in the long run. This could be in terms of revenue, client build, or even audience reach. To do that, you’ll need to clearly identify what your event objectives are.

Questions To Ask When Defining Your Objectives

The modern-day planner’s job is about more than just the ability to book a venue and organise food and entertainment. Thinking of eventing from a strategy point of view is a skill that separates the good event planner from the great. Align your event objectives and business objectives by asking yourself questions like:

• What kind of an event am I holding? Is it an appreciation event? Is it to motivate guests? Is it an educational event?
• Why am I putting on this event? Is it to have fun? Is it to share knowledge? If it is, why do I want my guests to have fun?
• How does this event fit into my overall company strategy? Will I be able to explain how the event tied into our business goals in the future?
• What information do I not only want to share, but also receive from the guests, and how do I collect this information?

Collaborating with Your Expert Planner To Define Your Event Objectives

Collaborating with industry experts is key in helping to bring your event vision to life. Professional planners stay in the know about the latest trends and technology available to them. Not only do they ensure that all technical aspects of your event are taken care of, but they also act as the golden thread in your overall campaign. We’ve learned that being the strategic, golden thread means taking the overall strategy and planning an event around it. Involving experts from the start means:

• Sharing the bigger picture of the campaign and where this event fits in.
• You can measure the planner’s success by how accurately they’ve followed the brief. This will help you decide if you want to work with them again.
• Your collaboration will get the right support for your communication, leadership, and marketing teams.
• Your planning partner can assist in connecting multiple, consecutive events, with a common or linked strategy, in order to achieve an amplified outcome.

As you do your best to align event objectives to business objectives, remember that some objectives may not meet the event brief, but work well for the overall strategy. We believe that your event should be something you can look back on in the future and have it still speak to the purpose of your company.

We’ve excelled in doing this for many of our partners, and we’d be thrilled to help you with yours. Get in touch with us here.