After years of working at the Toronto Stock Exchange developing and executing corporate events including market opens, educational seminars, and celebrations, I’ve learned how to ensure the event process goes off without a hitch. No matter if you’re a small not-for-profit or a large corporation, these 10 tips are sure to be helpful.

1. “In Real Life” human interaction still matters. In the era of electronic communications and social media, events provide the ideal opportunity for real world human interactions. No matter how great your online network is, there’s still nothing better than putting a face to a name over a shared experience.
2. Don’t be deterred by the price tag. Events don’t have to be expensive or elaborate to provide a great and memorable experience. The key is to get your message out in a way that’s representative of your brand. Set a budget in advance and shop around for a venue and services that work within it.
3. Think BIG picture. Ensure you have a clear goal for your event.  Events should be integrated into a broader PR strategy to ensure consistent messaging, appropriate follow-up media attention, and momentum. Do your best to capture the content and amplify it so that the impact of the event is felt beyond its walls. Professional photography, attendee testimonials, video and other materials generated at the event will give you the tools you need to create a ripple effect that extends life of the event.
4. The devil is in the details.  This is one place where a dedicated event planner can help save your bacon by ensuring your event runs smoothly from beginning to end. Not having to focus on the small things allows you to focus on your clients and your message instead.
5. Start early! Ensuring you have adequate time to plan and execute your perfect event is essential. Whether big or small, staying on budget requires time and planning.
6. Look for opportunities to partner.  Not-for-profits or other synergistic organizations can help reduce your event costs, raise its profile, and attract more clients. For example, during the holiday season charities like food banks, the United Way, and toy drives are both worthy causes and great opportunities to bring some positive media to your event.
7. Get social. Times have changed. If you’re not into Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or other social media channels you can bet at least some of your clients are. If you aren’t able to handle the social media aspect of your event on your own (i.e. leading up to and on the day of the event) there are awesome professionals you can hire to do this for you. A social media presence extends the reach of your event and is often a worthwhile investment.
8. Let your plan guide you.  Have a work plan that clearly illustrates all of the timelines, people, and moving parts to help ensure nothing is missed. The more organized you are (with or without an event planner) the more seamless your event will be!
9. Finally, stay cool and go with the flow. Sometimes things don’t go as planned. Usually the only person who will know this is you. Remember what matters most is achieving your objectives and finishing with a smile on your face. Events are supposed to be enjoyable.
10. Make them want to come! Think of creative opportunities to garner a good turnout for your event. This could be through a high profile speaker, providing educational value, or offering a service or food item that’s in high demand. Remember, there are lots of events vying for people’s attendance—make yours one they won’t want to miss.