How to Create Successful, Small Events (6 Tips)
Whether you are hosting a fundraising event, promoting a charitable cause, or even managing a local conference, you can do so while still keeping the function small and quaint.
While hosting an enormous event can generate buzz and attract attention, knowing how to create an effective small sized event can cause closer connections, improved networking opportunities, and so much more.
Effective Tips to Creating Impactful Small Events
Creating impactful small events does not require massive budgets or professional planners to get the job done right. Follow these tips for building your next small event.
Tip #1: Create a personalized and intimate experience
Small events are the perfect opportunity to provide a personalized and intimate experience for your event’s guests and attendees. Those who attend your smaller events will likely feel much more attended to and noticed, even among other guests while networking. Smaller events often result in much more memorable experiences for everyone involved.
Some ways to create a more personalized experience for your guests may be:
- Customized reminders, alerts, etc. prior to the event
- Favors/merchandise for attendees
- Take dietary request prior to the event
- Ask guests what they want to see or feedback via polls and surveys
- Consider their journey to the event by supplying helpful info (hotels, travel, parking, etc.)
- Use the venue to design a personalized space with guests in mind
Tip #2: Capitalize on the exclusivity of your event
One of the best ways to attract guests to any event is to capitalize on the exclusivity of the event itself. When an event is small in capacity, it creates a sense of urgency among prospective attendees, which may lead to more desire to visit the event.
When marketing, consider keywords like "limited space", "exclusive experience", "group access", etc.
Tip #3: Use micro events to your advantage
Hosting small events allows you to focus on micro events inside the event, or using this small event as part of a micro event series leading to a larger event.
What are the benefits of micro events?
Using micro events provides an array of benefits when attempting to draw attention to a business, brand, or product, such as:
-
Reduced overhead: Save on costs by hosting micro events while placing more of your focus on quality over quantity.
-
Safety and health: For those who are still concerned about health and safety in the post-COVID-19 pandemic world, micro-events can be extremely appealing. Smaller events mean a less focus on ensuring the sanitation of a venue because of overcrowding or too many people in one small location.
-
Focus on quality: If you want to focus on quality over quantity with the events you host, you can do so with micro-events. Micro events help you focus on those who attend without causing attendees at an event feeling left out. You can also spend more time focusing on answering questions and addressing potential concerns, delivering a much better level of service than traditional conferences and trade shows.
-
Hybrid events work: If you are interested in hosting both local and virtual events, you can do so by hosting micro-events. Micro events are excellent options for those who want to host webinars online or even in person. Micro events online can also include video media, guided tutorials, or even live-streaming sessions with other guests and attendees. With micro-events, your only limitation is your own imagination.
Tip #4: Create a share worthy and memorable event
As the host of a small event, you can include
- Social media walls which promote photos taken throughout the event itself
- Visual displays scattered throughout the venue
- Display a relevant, unique hashtags attendees can use to tag their photos
-
Use a photo booth of your own to encourage guests to take photos with one another
Consider working together with a professional photographer to take photos to share later with the use of your event’s online platform and social media pages.
Another way to truly make an effective small event that is memorable is by offering free samples or giving away branded merchandise. Giving away branded merchandise from the business, brand, or organization you represent can help with making new professional connections while also spreading the word about the brand or organization you represent. You can also use branded merchandise that represents your event in contests and giveaways you choose to host during the actual event.
Hosting contests and giveaways can help others to have more fun while they are attending your event, while increasing the overall interaction and engagement you receive from your event’s attendees.
Tip #5: Invite popular speakers, sponsors, and guests
The more high-profile guests, speakers, and sponsors you are able to attract to your event, the easier it will be to sell all the available tickets you intend to offer to the public. Using popular speakers and guests will attract more guests and will also make your event much more attractive to like-minded market professionals in any industry.
Before you even begin planning a small event for any reason, it is highly advisable to seek out popular speakers and guests who are interested in attending your event. Finding speakers and guests ahead of time can also help to generate more buzz when it comes to promoting the actual tickets for the event.
Tip #6: Connect with local vendors
Connecting with local vendors can also help with creating an effective and affordable smaller event, especially if you are targeting local customers and clients near you. Working together with local vendors is also a way to boost your own credibility in your area while helping to spread the word about your event among the locals.
Hosting an event does not always need to include massive venues and an extensive guest list. Creating an effective small event can go a long way for connecting with prospective clients, sponsors, and even potential business partners or associates. By taking the time to plan an intimate gathering that resonates with your guests, you can achieve any goals you have in mind for your business, brand, or organization.
