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TTENDING KNOWLEDGE- the details. For example, you may need your company’s executives,
building sessions like seminars, to reserve your venue, catering, and other business leaders and
conferences, and webinars is vendors a few months to maybe even a execs, authors, and motivational
an excellent way to network, increase year in advance. It all depends on your speakers, and a trade show will
your business acumen, and advance your location and event size and whether you require vendors and room for
career. But have you considered hosting want to invite speakers or other well- trade-show booths.
one yourself? Holding an event can known personalities.
help you boost your exposure, position The format you pick can also
yourself as an authority, and reach a Settle on specifics inform whether you would
larger audience, much in the way that want to settle on a virtual or
powerhouse events like the National It’s crucial that you pick a target in-person event; each has its
Association of REALTORS® Conference & audience for your event, whether it’s pluses and minuses. In-person
Expo, Inman Connect, and the biannual clients, business leaders in your industry, events allow for face-to-face
National Association of Personal Financial or leaders across industries. If your networking and may facilitate
Advisors National Conferences do for their target audience or demographic is too more interactions between
industries. If you were to develop an event generalized, you might have difficulty participants, but they may
of your own that can instruct and provide generating interest and your event may be hindered by COVID-19
value to its attendees, you could use it fall flat. Once you know your target restrictions and require more
to create exposure for your brand and audience, you can customize your event time and money to account
expand your influence. for their needs and interests and get for travel, lodging, and food.
additional information you can use to A virtual event could provide
Should you decide to plan an event of your market your event. flexibility and savings for both
own, one caveat is not to aim too big when you and attendees and may
starting out since its planning will involve Pick your format reduce the possibility of COVID-
multiple variables and you could face a related delays or cancellations,
learning curve. To ensure success, you You will also need to set your event’s but it could limit participants’
could first plan a gathering for a limited format, such as a webinar, trade show, interaction and engagement.
group of participants and host a bigger or conference, since each has its
one next time. For instance, you could offer benefits. Webinars and conferences are Other details you’ll need to
a webinar to gauge demand and follow up useful for sharing information and can determine include where
with a poll of your database to see what help you establish yourself as a thought and when to host your event,
type of event would most interest them. leader in your industry, while a trade the platform you will use if
show can help develop sales leads. hosting virtually, how many
If there is enough interest and you decide Each type of event will have its own attendees to invite or accept,
to move ahead and start planning, give requirements. For example, a webinar your event schedule, any food
yourself plenty of time to set and finalize may benefit from skilled speakers like and drinks you will be serving,

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