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What you can expect from this best practice:

 

• Learn about various types of events you can offer to your clients

• Decide which types of events are the best fit for your clients, your team, and your business

• Follow a well-defined process to successfully plan, deliver, and follow up for every client event

• Create an excellent first impression by sending an invitation that is inviting and which predisposes a client to want to attend your event

• Follow a process the day of the event to ensure event venue and logistics are ready to go

• Leverage your Strategic Partners by inviting and/or having them as guest speakers at events

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Determine Which Events Are the Best Fit for Your Clients

 

1. Review Types of Events to get a sense of the different types of events you may wish to host.

   • You may wish to offer a mix of these events to ensure you are covering all aspects of your Ideal Client group. 

   • Be careful of consistently engaging only a subset of this group at the expense of alienating the others because you are choosing events that are too specific. 

   • It is also important that some of your events are intended for couples to ensure both individuals in the relationship feel valued and appreciated.  

2. Meet with your team to establish which type of specific event(s) you believe will be meaningful for your high value clients and manageable by your team.  There are so many different types of events for you to choose from, but we have provided the following lists to get you started:

   • Client Appreciation Event Sample List

   • Educational Event Sample List

   • Lifestyle Events Sample List

3. Strive to choose an event strategy that creates a ‘tradition’ your clients can look forward to in terms of the event theme and time of year. 

   • Consider the region or city you live in, and the demographics of your clientele, to ensure you are creating events that you know your clients would thoroughly enjoy in an ‘exclusive’ manner.

4. Identify how many events are reasonable over the course of the year for your clients and your team.

   • At minimum you should be doing client events once a year.  Many teams offer them quarterly, or more frequently.

   • From time to time, you may be affiliated with a firm or strategic partner who offers an event to be available to your clients which you believe they will value.  This is a one-off event that does not need to be turned into a ‘tradition’ and will simply compliment your annual event strategy.  The same can be said for other extraordinary events that may come to your city that you want to share with your clients.  In other words, if a great opportunity comes up – take it!

5. When you create ‘traditional’ events, you build efficiencies around the process of scheduling, preparing, and delivering the events.  You will want to capture all of this in a process, so it is repeatable.

6. Use the Client Appreciation Event Process Sample to get you started.

 

Preparing for Your Event

 

1. Decide to start preparing for your chosen event using the Client Appreciation Event Checklist.  This can be used for any type of event you plan on hosting.

2. If the event is something that does not already have a fixed venue (i.e., a sporting event, gallery event, concert, etc.), choose your location carefully using the Event Location Checklist.

   • Think specifically about attractiveness and accessibility for your Ideal Client Group.  If they are older, they may not want to drive far, or drive in the dark during the event, and will prefer a venue that has plenty of easy-access parking and building access.

   • Virtual Events are becoming more popular for several reasons and provide many benefits.  These benefits include easy access, low-costs, and the ability to record for replay.  If you are planning to host a Virtual Event, use the Virtual Event Checklist to ensure it is delivered professionally.

1. If you are dealing with a third-party for your event coordination, make sure you have a core contact name and number for everything related to your event.  In this way, details and requests are not lost in the shuffle.

2. Review Inviting Clients to Events to ensure you send out invitations that make an outstanding first impression of your event, so your clients not only want to participate, but are also eager to bring a friend or family member with them to enjoy the occasion.

   • Invitations for events should be sent one month in advance of the event.

   • Refer to the Event Invitation and Invitation Letter to Workshop samples.

3. Encourage your best clients to share your event with those important to them without asking them to.  Having access to potential clients for these events is always the second objective – the primary objective is always to show your absolute best clients a great time!  You can subtly encourage them to bring guests by simply including additional ‘tickets’ in their invitation. For example, if you invite a couple to your event include 4 ‘tickets’ in your invitation.  This does a few things: first it creates a better perceived ‘value’ of the event, it also serves as a tangible reminder they can keep somewhere in their home to remind them of the upcoming event, and lastly, they will automatically start thinking about who they can bring.

   • Review the Send Event Tickets and create your own branded tickets.

1. Be sure to acknowledge each RSVP you receive by email to let them know it was received and confirm how many attendees they will be bringing.

2. Keep your attendee list up to date and accurate at all times.

3. One week before the event, review your checklist to make sure:

   • Your event attendee list is up to date.

   • You are on track for all critical tasks. 

   • You have sent a confirmation to any third parties assisting you with the preparation, delivery, or hosting of any aspect of your event.

4. Use the Event Confirmation Call Script to call each of your event attendees the day before the event.

5. If the venue is large, you may also want to email a map of the venue along with directions to the event location.

6. Make sure you are referring to the checklists to ensure everything is on track for event day (venue, food, Guest Speakers, souvenirs for guests, etc.).

7. If you are facilitating or introducing other speakers, have your script ready to go – it should be written down, practiced, and rehearsed!

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Event Day

 

1. Be ready and well rested – it is show time.  Your participants will match your energy so be inspired and excited.

2. Dress the part accordingly based on the event type, which may vary widely.

3. Show up early to ensure everything at the venue is exactly as it should be inside and out.

   • If the venue is larger, have signs in the lobby or entrance to guide your guests to the right place.

   • Have others on your team there to assist with various aspects of Event Day.

4. If there is technology involved, make sure you are launching and testing this well before event start (video, tv, PowerPoint, virtual aspects, etc.).

5. Start the event on time and have a great time with your best clients!

   • If there is an Agenda or timeline for the event, be mindful to keep on track as best as possible.

   • If required, have scheduled breaks so attendees can stretch, get a drink, or go to the washroom.

   • Have beverages and food brought in/served where appropriate.

1. Wind down the event on time.

   • Be sure to thank everyone for joining you.

   • Provide any ‘souvenirs or take-aways from the event.

   • Spend time saying good-bye to guests individually as they get set to leave.

   • Pack up all items that are yours and check for anything left behind by clients and bring those with you too.

2. The day after the event, send along a Thank You Card to everyone who attended the event.

3. Meet with your team to do a debrief on the event.

Discuss what worked well at the event and celebrate. Discuss what can be improved and take steps to implement for the next round    

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