Knock it out the park!
“A powerful event strategy includes careful selection and diligent follow up.“
Have you, like me attended lots of events in this past year? Are you, like me enjoying the in-person experience that takes me away from my remote work desk to the delight of real people and real experiences? The question is though, despite the entertainment value, are these events delivering you value?
It seems like this Q4 fever-season is a good time to reflect and fine tune your event strategy for next year.
This year, there were a few amazing local standouts but for me it was the Economist Sustainability Africa Week where the content, the attendees and the event logistics were world class. We can all learn from others and aspire to run events of this standard.
The bad has been devoting too much of my precious time speaking at events that did not align to my needs or expectations. Thin audiences, poorly aligned to the event purpose aren’t good value for anyone.
The growing success of our unique free Fetola monthly webinars has also really been exciting to see. These have scaled in size and satisfaction rates, as we host entrepreneurs, ESOs and investors in a range of powerful interactive conversations.
In the quest for an even better year next year, my 5 point event optimisation strategy for 2025 goes like this
- Do less, better: Plan key events well in advance. Avoid last minute invitations, which are often an indication of poorly organized or poorly attended events
- Be Selective: Attend events that guarantee the quality of audience you are seeking
- Purpose: Write down three things you want from the event. Use this in selection and in driving your event ROI
- Prepare: Cut down on preparation time (and anxiety) by creating a standard checklist and planning and practicing your three standard marketing / talking points in advance. Repeat.
- Follow up: Have a solid post event action plan. Most of the value of events lies in what you do with the information and contacts you have made!
Is there anything I have forgotten? What strategies do YOU have for 2025?
