If you happen to be an event planner or organizer and are looking to host an event, whether virtual, in-person, or hybrid, then you’ve come to the right place! Of course the first step in producing any event is identifying the goals that you are aiming to achieve. These goals depend on the type of event you will be hosting, the target audience for the event, and the departments and exhibitors that will be involved.
The best way to determine that your event will get the desired value per cost / ROI is by setting goals that are specific, measurable, actionable, relevant, and timely (S.M.A.R.T.). These goals would include:
- Building brand awareness
- Driving sales revenue
- Facilitating event engagement
- Driving recruitment
- Educating and increasing customer & partner satisfaction
Once you’ve established the specific goals of your professional event, the next step is defining what type of event you’d like to host. Systems like Conference Tracker offer the ability to host a variety of events ranging from educational seminars to tradeshows and can offer you exclusive benefits that would not only enhance the experience for the attendees but the team in charge. Let examine how this works for the different types of events. If you’re looking to host a:
- Conference:
- The goal of a conference is to organize a group of people with a related interest and provide them with helpful information on topics they are interested in expanding their knowledge. One of the benefits of conferences is that you can raise product or brand awareness, drive up sales and find leads for your company, and position the company as an expert in the field. Conference tracker will facilitate the conference marketing, registration, conference schedule, attendee app, and exhibitor details, all while putting your brand in front of the attendees.
- Educational Workshops (Seminar):
- If you plan to host a seminar, chances are your goal is similar to what you’d like to achieve at a conference which is to target a specific audience and deliver valuable information. The only difference being this event type is geared towards training, certifications or courses, and to develop or strengthen long term customer loyalty. Since seminars fall in the academic category, event ROI can be measured by multiple factors beyond net profit from ticket sales. Conference Tracker adds the ability to keep track of session attendance and issue certifications automatically based on this attendance. You’ll also be able to see data on which sessions interested your attendees most and brought you the most ROI.
- Trade Show/Expo:
- The purpose of these interactive events is to bring together members of a particular industry to display, demonstrate, and discuss their latest products and services. Exhibitors will rely on exhibition booths to showcase their amazing products and create memorable experiences for their audience. This also leads to a surge of lead generation, enhancement of sales, and marketing contact lists. Exhibitor booths and networking tools, whether virtual or in-person, can be handled through Conference Tracker and we even put lead retrieval in the palm of exhibitors’ hands through our mobile app.
- Forum/Summit:
- The objective of these events is to hold a strategic conversation that brings different perspectives within a system together so the audience can discuss a topic or give an opinion about a particular topic or provide useful information that can help another person or group solve their problems or doubts. This is ideal for creating a collaborative learning environment, encouraging constructive discussion, and supercharging engagement. General and session-based social boards in Conference Tracker allow for interactive interchange, sharing documents, photos, and ideas with colleagues at such events.
- Symposiums:
- This is where industry experts can exclusively highlight their recent discoveries and the latest trends in research developments in a given field of study. Unlike a conference or seminar, a symposium usually involves the presentation of original research by the researchers themselves. After a symposium, attendees should come away having gained a greater degree of knowledge about a topic or a deeper understanding of an issue. They may have heard entirely new concepts about an existing subject or have been introduced to something completely new. Again, Conference Tracker’s social boards as well as quizzes and polls will help to enhance the interchange at such important sharing events.
- Retreats:
- These internal meetings are meant to create a welcoming, refreshing, and inspiring collaborative work environment outside of the office so employees build a foundation of trust with each other, can work more effectively, and can solve problems more quickly and efficiently than their competitors. Business development and organizational planning are typically the topics of the agenda but equal opportunity is given to facilitate relationship building so employees can become better leaders and collaborators. The networking tools, easy sign-in process, and even the badge management options provided by Conference Tracker can be used to make an attendee feel welcomed and help them get started in their conversations with others at retreats.
Remember, choosing your desired ROI and goals is the first important step before deciding on the right type of event but don’t forget that the most vital ingredient to hosting a successful event is making sure to effectively organize, track and monitor your business goals. Our team at Engineerica has worked hard to develop an all-inclusive event management system that is essential for organizers, exhibitors, and attendees to enjoy every aspect of a profitable event. Our software offers unique features such as virtual streaming integration, trouble-free online registration, quick & easy badge generation, and management, useful event marketing, direct communication, attendance certificate generation and distribution, and detailed analytics/reporting.
Learn more about how Conference Tracker can help you achieve your business goals and connect with one of our specialists today.
