
I think the primary concern for any event organiser (after deciding where the ice sculpture should go) is the atmosphere of the event. A great party atmosphere is one of the hardest things to achieve but it’s very obvious when it’s absent. We’ve all been to an event where the only thing ‘going for it’ is the guests out of the door! From experience, I believe there are three elements to having a great atmosphere: a good crowd of people, a steady stream of alcohol and appropriate music. The last one, isn’t as important at business events but it’s a definite struggle without the other two.
Relationships matter
You need to persuade your business contacts that the event is worth attending (and giving up an evening for) and journalists that they will meet interesting people from their ‘audience’. The way in which you market your event is essential. Let’s face it, the last thing people want to hear, after a long day’s work, are panel discussions or industry comments. They want to relax, have some interesting conversations, perhaps do some gentle networking and have a drink with peers and industry colleagues, so it’s important the invitation reflects this. For the journalists,...