by Have you been put in charge of organising a wedding, birthday, or family reunion? Or maybe you want to plan a nice party for your colleagues at work?
You’ve come to the right place. This is our ultimate guide to a successful private event. Although it might be small and private, there are still many things to consider to make it run smoothly.
What you’ll learn in this guide:
- How to plan the food, entertainment, and venue (and how to ensure privacy).
- Where and how to promote your private event, even if it’s small.
- What to do as a host on the day of your event.
- The different ways you can follow up after the party is over.
1. Planning your private event
The first step to plan your private event is to consider the theme, purpose, and target audience. Once you know that, you can begin to create a realistic budget and timeline.
Here are some of the key questions to consider when you plan a private event:
Venue
Is the venue appropriate for the event’s theme?
Privacy
Does the venue offer the desired level of privacy?
Menu
What’s on the menu and how will it be served?
Entertainment
Are you planning on speaking or will you hire an entertainer?
Budget and timeline
How much money and time do you have to work with?
Because private events are so varied, you should always plan according to the concept of the event.
What to do now
Our in-depth guide will address each of these questions and help you create a solid plan for your private event.
Further reading: How to Plan a Private Event: 11 Things to Consider.
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2. Promoting your private event
The promotion aspect of your private event will often focus on the exclusivity of it. Whether it’s a wedding or a celebrity dinner, people will appreciate that it’s not for everyone.
Here are some of the many ways you can promote your private event:
Timing
Consider the timing of your event and promote far in advance.
Target audience
Focus on the marketing channels that are used by your audience.
Brand advocates
Leverage past attendees to help you promote the upcoming event.
Exclusivity
Emphasise the exclusivity of the event to create interest.
Influencers
Invite influencers to the event and use their name to promote it.
Competitions
Set up a competition for tickets, so people share the event.
Ticketing
Use a ticketing platform to sell tickets and get data insights.
Not all these methods will apply to your event. Don’t invite a social media influencer to your wedding or family reunion…unless you know them.
What to do now
Regardless of what kind of private event you’re organising, chances are you’ll find some inspiration in our in-depth guide on how to promote it.
Further reading: 12 Ways to Promote a Private Event.
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3. Hosting your private event
As the host of your private event, the experience of your guests is in your hands. If you’re organising a birthday or wedding, then it’s all the more important that you’re prepared.
Try to plan as many of these things in advance, so you minimise stress on the day:
Access
Make sure there is proper access to the venue and directions to key areas.
Seating
Organise the tables and seating so everyone knows where they should be.
Atmosphere
Set the mood with music and lighting to create a nice atmosphere.
Entertainment
Accommodate any entertainers or speakers and give them space to relax and prepare.
Technical equipment
Check all technical equipment, such as a microphone, sound system, projector, spotlights, and IT systems.
Drinks and snacks
Prepare welcome drinks and canapes for when the guests arrive.
Social media
Take pictures, record videos, and encourage sharing on social media.
If you don’t have time to prepare all this before the day, then leave yourself enough time on the day before the guests arrive.
What to do now
If you think it sounds like a lot to manage all at once, then don’t worry. We’ve put together a detailed guide that’ll walk you through the steps to hosting your private event.
Further reading: Guide to Hosting a Private Event (in 9 Steps).
4. Following up after your private event
How you follow up after a private event largely depends on the type of event. For a family reunion, you can reconnect on Facebook. For business meetings, it might be LinkedIn. Here are some of the key tasks to do in the follow-up phase of a private event:
Thank everyone
Thank your guests for coming, and don’t forget your team and the venue as well. You should also thank any sponsors, vendors, and influencers that helped you.
Review goals
See if you reached the goals for the event. Was it to meet a client? Or maybe just to have fun with your family and friends?
Feedback
Get feedback from everyone on how well you did so that you can improve future events.
Connect online
You should strengthen the connections you’ve made or rekindled by linking up with them online.
Budget
Tally up your incomes and expenditures to see if you’re in the black or the red. Use your ticketing platform to do that (if you have one).
Promote the next event
Prime your guests for the next private event you’ll put on. You can turn them into brand advocates by offering them some incentives like a discount.
Create highlights
Collect all the photos and videos from the event and share them with your guests so they can relive the moments you created together.
Use your best judgement when you follow up. Sharing selfies from the event with your business client might not be appropriate. Or maybe it’s exactly what they’d like to see from you!
What to do now
We’ve gone through each of these ideas in our guide on how to strengthen your connections post-event. Read the guide by clicking on the link right below.
Further reading: Strengthen Your Connections: How to Follow up After a Private Event.
Wrap-up
That was a snapshot of everything you need to know if you want to put on a successful private event. Hopefully, you’ll benefit from your new knowledge when it comes to your own event.
Key takeaways
Here are some of the key takeaways to bear in mind when you start planning:
- Think about the level of privacy offered by the venue before you book it.
- Focus on exclusivity when you promote the event to your potential guests.
- Make sure there’s adequate access to the venue and create a nice atmosphere.
- Strengthen your connections by reaching out to people after the event.
Do you feel less stressed about organising your private event now? Leave us your thoughts in the comments section below!