How to get the most out of a business event

The first thing to recognise when planning your average business event is there is no such thing as an average business event.

For some clients, it’s all about a glitzy, spectacular conference designed to wow their industry. Then there are others who want a far more relaxed and informal networking event where they can develop relationships and find new leads. Then there’s everything in between.

But whatever sort of event you want to put on, Padua Communications is here to make it run like clockwork.

Recently, we’ve had a lot of interest in our VIP day. This is where a business brings some of their most valuable clients under one roof to get a real understanding of how they think. Not only do these events generate great insight into your business, they are also hugely valuable as a major source of content.

As well as getting honest, first-hand feedback from the people that matter, you can also film the entire event, write multiple blogs about the issues discussed and take advantage of having everyone in the same room to get great photography for your website.

(Below are some pictures from some of our recent events)

How it all comes together

Let’s take a VIP day we ran for technical software specialists New Technology CADCAM as an example. From just one day, we were able to build up so much content that they are still using it many months later. The themes that emerged from what the customers said on the day ended up being one of the most important influences on the brand’s content strategy for the next year.

Padua Communications facilitated the VIP day from start to finish, and crucially helped set the right tone. So rather than just lecturing customers, there was a welcoming feeling of collaboration throughout the event.

Once we sourced a great venue, we worked hard to make sure the right people turned up. This meant drafting appealing invites, composing a letter from the MD and sending out email follow-ups to remind everyone as the day approached.

We booked overnight accommodation for those travelling long distances, and bought appropriate thank you gifts for everyone who attended (in this case a stylish hip flask to appeal to the design-obsessed engineer).

Importance of internal communications

It’s not all about the guests, so we made sure everyone internally was comfortable with the event too. We ran internal comms meetings to keep everybody updated with their roles on the day, and gave detailed briefings to both the MD and the chairman, who both attended the event.

Running an event can be stressful for those in the spotlight, so we made sure we took all the pressure off so they could get the most out of the day.

Creating a wealth of content

The event was a great success, and not just because everyone enjoyed themselves. Our videography team filmed and photographed everything to produce a collection of videos, such as the one below, and one of our writers was there on the day too.

Along with producing a blog directly about the event, she had also alerted some of the customers that she’d like to interview them for case studies. This meant they were primed to answer carefully prepared questions, guaranteeing that our writer came away with excellent content that could inform many case studies and blogs in the future.

We’ll leave the last word to our client. Bridget Mason, Marketing Manager at New Technology CADCAM. She says: “Working with Padua Communications makes the world of difference to the professional outcome of our major events. We know we can rely on them for their organisational abilities, creative thinking and the general support provided before, during and after the event.”

If you want us to create a really effective event for your business, email [email protected] or call 0203 282 7570.