Gather & Grow: Why events should be part of your business growth strategy

Gather & Grow: Why events should be part of your business growth strategy

Business events are definitely more than just a chance to sample some canapes, smile politely at other guests in the room and exchange the occasional business card.

According to Dawn Ellis of Business 2 Community, events should be part of every growing business’ strategy, even in this digital age.

“For businesses to be successful in today’s digital world, having an effective digital marketing strategy is crucial, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore traditional marketing activities like events. Event marketing is still relevant, providing incredible opportunities to generate brand awareness, engage with clients and connect with partners.”

Before committing to an events program for your business, it’s critical to be clear on the objectives and goals of each event. Are you trying to generate more leads, convey a brand message, retain and engage with existing clients or team members? If you host an event without tangible outcomes in mind, you run the risk of little or no return on your investment.

In a recent Business Partner Magazine article it was asserted that “having a clear, well-defined objective is essential for the success of any venture and business events are no exception.”

Once you have made the business decision to proceed with an event, there are many aspects to consider to maximise the success of the event. “Weeks or even months of efficient organisation will lead to the production of a corporate event where every speaker knows exactly when to step up on the stage and caterers know when the appetites of guests will call for their services,” said Liz Burton in her High Speed Training article titled ‘Organising a Corporate Event: 10 Things to Consider.’

In order to get the most mileage from your business event, it also pays to consider what content you can gather on the day to utilise in your on-going marketing and business development activity.

The Eventbrite team offered these tips for using events to efficiently build-up a library of high-impact content:

• Acquire client or customer testimonials
• Video your speakers
• Survey attendees and use the data to create a unique report
• Create a time-lapse video
• Have a professional photographer capture images at your event that can be used on your website, social media platforms and in other marketing collateral
• Livestream the event to a broader audience to maximise your reach.

Securing the right venue is another essential element to staging a successful event. Sydney is a world-renowned destination for playing host to domestic and international business events.

According to statistics provided by the City of Sydney, “more than $108 billion is generated every year within the City of Sydney’s local area, which represents over 7% of Australia’s economy. Sydney possesses a range of important economic advantages and attributes, including strong clusters of high value industries and closely-linked sectors, international connections and a highly skilled pool of workers attracted to Sydney’s unique lifestyle.”

Flexispace, Sydney’s premium coworking office space, is located at No.1 Martin Place and is a hub for professionals who require meeting rooms and the right technology to host business events and workshops. The Flexispace team also provide access to ‘The Rise’, an award-winning event space with stylish, architectural finishes and flexible layout options for panel discussions and more informal, corporate social gatherings. ‘The Rise’ is also located at No.1 Martin Place, in the heart of Sydney’s CBD and just steps from multiple public transport links.

If hosting a Sydney business event is part of your business growth plan, contact the Flexispace team to discuss your vision and objectives. We will work with you to ensure your event is professionally run and delivers maximum impact and outcomes for your business.