The tourism industry regularly uses events as promotional tools, whether for BTOB purposes, such as workshops, roadshows, sales missions… or for BTOC, customer evenings, trade shows… The key success factors for an event vary according to its nature, objectives and target audience. However, here are a few general factors that often play a crucial role in the success of an event.

Clear objectives : defining precise, measurable objectives is an essential preamble. Whether it is to train, generate leads, educate the public or celebrate something, clear objectives guide the planning and execution of an event.

Realistic budget : Another essential element is to draw up a budget, with a breakdown of all costs and expenditure items. It will serve as a guideline for choosing suppliers and avoid budget overruns that could compromise the quality of the event.

Meticulous planning : the first step is to identify all aspects of the event (where, when, how much, type, etc.), and to link them to the logistics, back-planning, communications and resources needed to ensure that everything runs smoothly.

Memorable experience : One of the determining factors in organizing a “successful” event is that it must be a unique experience. This starts with the choice of venue, the quality of the cocktail and decoration, the relevance of the speakers, the creativity of the activities, the originality of the entertainment… in short, to stand out from the crowd. Incentives will also boost participation rates, but these elements need to be measured and controlled to avoid polluting registrations.

Effective promotion : promoting an event is also a decisive factor in its success. A communication and information strategy must be designed to attract the right target audience and maximize quality participation. The e-invitation (most of the time, but the choice of a paper invitation can also be a guarantee of originality today) clearly specifying the program, the speakers present and an easy-to-use registration platform must be worked on well in advance of the event. These should be sent out at least 1 month before the event, with several reminders. But the most important promotional tool is the database. It is this that will determine a good reception rate. Promotion should also include the use of social media, SMS marketing and communication via BTOB travel media. Not forgetting, for a BTOB event, the effective relay of sales representatives from the various tour operators and distribution networks. These different communication media will encourage the target audience to get involved.

Impeccable logistics : During the event, logistics must be, or at least appear to be, flawless, such as registration management, access control, queue management, checkroom facilities and transport accessibility. The team in charge of the event must be well-coordinated and briefed beforehand, and will receive a duly completed roadmap. Each team member must have a clearly defined role.

Adaptability : the unexpected is part of an event, so adapting quickly to changing situations is important to ensure success.

In conclusion, the success of an event depends on the combination of all the above elements. After the event, it’s important to evaluate whether the objectives set have been achieved, to point out any malfunctions and to propose solutions that will enable us to perfect the organization of a future event.