Events are critical in driving business goals. And for good reason. Events offer a unique opportunity for direct interaction between brands and their audiences. And when done well, they can help develop strong relationships with clients, prospects, partners, and even employees.
In the right context, social events are the perfect opportunity to grasp and amplify that opportunity. By providing a more relaxed atmosphere, social events allow all parties to let their guard down and interact on a more human level. This allows your invitees to build positive relationships more easily with your brand while giving you better insight into your audience and what makes them tick.
What to consider
As with any marketing activity, if you’re considering a social event, keeping your objective in mind while you plan is essential. A social event’s objective will be linked to the audience you have in mind but should fall mainly into one of two camps:
- Brand building – for customers, prospects, and maybe your industry partners. A social event is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your brand values and personality. You can leave your attendees with a fantastic impression of who you are and what you stand for.
- Team building – social events are a great way to develop internal relationships too, so they’re perfect for your employees while cementing your brand values and culture.
Ensure that everyone involved in the event's planning, running and attendance understands the event’s objective. And remember – this isn’t the time for hard sales pitches. Be ready to talk about your product or service, of course, but consider only doing so when you’re engaged in conversation with your audience and it comes up naturally.
Larger product or sales-led events may have a social element; if so, be upfront about this from the outset. People who feel like they’ve been hoodwinked into a sales pitch aren’t likely to part with any money and, even worse than that, will associate that feeling of betrayal with your brand. Don’t do it.
Think creatively
When running your social event, the content of your event will depend upon your audience.
Think about activities that could entertain or excite and, where appropriate, something that will align with your brand values. You have to create something enticing enough for your invitees to attend in the first place, which delivers on that enticement by leaving a positive lasting memory. That memory will be tied to your brand, so make it count; so try to come up with social event ideas that work for your brand and stand out.
Corporate social events
When it comes to planning corporate social events for customers and prospects, consider the demographic of your target audience when deciding what sort of activity to offer at your corporate social event.
If your brand is bold, consider something equally as bold to do – perhaps running your own mini-festival.
If your brand is more corporate, ensure that it is reflected in what you offer – perhaps a dinner, drinks, and entertainment at a well-respected hotel, a Thames River cruise, or a well-known after-dinner speaker.
Think of your audience personas and how, typically, they might want to spend their time. Better yet, ask them! Include a focus group in your planning process or run a client-wide survey to understand what resonates, then give the people what they want!
Internal social events
With many organisations adopting hybrid working methods, internal social events can be a great way to engage employees, maintain a strong culture, and introduce new starters to the rest of the business and your brand culture.
Social events for employees could include various activities, from team building days and interactive games to a much more relaxed evening of drinks and entertainment.
For employees, social events may form part of wider business events, such as a company conference. The social element can provide levity and help break up a whole day of company updates into more digestible chunks or allow staff to unwind with colleagues afterwards.
And just like corporate social events for clients and prospects, don’t be afraid to survey your audience to find out what makes them tick and what type of event is best suited for them.
Taking the time to include your internal audience in the planning stage of your social event demonstrates that you’re listening and want to empower your workforce. Such engagement will give you greater buy-in and a better chance of hitting those objectives.
Don’t half-bake it
The important thing to remember with any type of social event is that it’s just as important as any other event you might run. In fact, from a brand and relationship-building perspective, it can be more critical.
With that in mind, it’s imperative that you put just as much effort into organising and running your event as any other in your calendar. Even if it’s “just” a relaxed evening of food, drinks, and entertainment, you need to make sure that you employ the same methods and put in just as much effort.
Learn how Cvent’s in-person event management solutions can help you manage all your events, from registration to onsite and post-event solutions
