The right event can change everything. Maybe it’s the conference that gives you a million dollar idea. Or the workshop that makes all your work goals fit together.

With that said, 18 million events are scheduled in the U.S. every year. How can you make sure yours is one to remember? 

Getting the small things right makes a big difference. Be sure to:

•  Get the instructions right.
  

No one likes it when there are typos on the event invitation. Could you imagine showing up for an event and being told it’s actually another day? 

When you write out your invitations, make sure to do so plenty of days in advance. This gives you time to proofread your invitation draft. 

When you’re ready to review your work, begin by checking the basics: event location, address, time, and any instructions about parking. Then, proofread for spelling and grammar. Finally, have a second pair of eyes look it over to ensure everything is correct. That way, you can send it out with confidence. 

•  Use the right tools.
  

If your event will have a lot of attendees, you’ll wind up with a lot of scheduling requests in your inbox. Those can take hours to sort through. Protect your company’s productivity by letting attendees RSVP themselves using scheduling software.

Think, too, about your event’s sessions. If you’ll be doing one-on-one consultations, ask attendees to book a specific time with you. That way, you don’t have dozens of attendees all trying to do their one-on-one with you at the same time. 

•  Know your attendees.

Different types of events attract different types of people. It’s important to think through who’s going to be at yours. What level of knowledge will they have about the topics to be discussed? What pre-work might they need to do in order to get up to speed.

To understand your target audience, think about what type of business you are:

• • Caterers & event planners
    You can plan food tasting and event planning events with potential clients. Give them the white-glove experience. Get tablecloths, put together swag bags, and appoint an experience manager.
• • Nonprofit organizations
    Nonprofit events require a host of people for events: volunteers, paid employees, and external stakeholders. Scheduling software can help you spend less time on grunt work, and more time raising money for causes you love.
• • Salons & spas
    Salons and spas have all sorts of different clients, but they do have one thing in common: a focus on beauty and wellness. Put together sessions centered on self-care. Use scheduling software to seek input about what would make your event maximally relaxing.
    

• Shipping & retail
  Shipping and retail stores are used to handling complex logistics. Be sure you invite product representatives, set up the space well for them, and give attending customers plenty of attention.
  

•  Send out invitations early.

How can attendees plan for your event unless the invitation is sent out early? A good rule of thumb is to give people at least three weeks notice to plan for your event. If you are planning a nationwide event, like a corporate conference, give at least a year notice.

To determine how much notice you need to give, put yourself in the attendees’ shoes. If they need to travel, then booking and planning everything will take more time. Conference, hotel, travel, food, and entertainment arrangements add up. 

Smaller events, such as meetups, require less preplanning. Often, attendees just have to RSVP and show up. Small-scale events like meetups should still look professional, even if you don’t have to give attendees more than a few weeks’ notice.

•  Make it easy for others to meet with you.

If you’re the point of contact for an event, it’s important that you’re available. Imagine the horror if you accidentally double book yourself with two vendors. The solution is to display your availability on your calendar. 

Here’s how you can do it:

• Check your company’s availability
  Leave your calendar availability open only during your work hours. This prevents you from planning a meeting during your personal time.

 

• Make some hours off-limits.
  You have a lot to do other than meeting with event staff. With your schedule in hand, pay close attention to when you’re busy, and block off hours when you want to focus on other tasks.

 

• Set expectations

                        Whenever you meet with someone, you need to share:

• An agenda
• Meeting expectations
• Who else might need to be in the meetings 
• The number to call or videoconferencing site to visit (if applicable)
  

•  Start and finish events on time 

When the big day finally arrives, you need to keep a strict eye on the clock. You don’t like it when other people disrespect your time; don’t do the same to them. 

Even if everyone hasn’t arrived at the designated start time, go ahead. If 90% of people are already there, it isn’t worth upsetting them for the 10% of latecomers. End either five minutes early or right on time. Don’t push the event beyond the time allotted, even if you aren’t quite finished.

Events are a lot of work to plan and put on. A little forethought can go a long way. Get the details right, and give your attendees an experience to remember.