Your event checklist: a retail walkthrough
However, a badly-run event can be worse than no event at all! Lack of interest, inventory and staffing issues, or any number of hosting problems can damage your reputation, not only compromising future events, but losing you valuable customers. This is why it’s so important to be consistent and controlled when putting on events.
We recommend you start by downloading our handy checklist to use for your events
Then read our blog below for more detailed step-by-step instructions on how to put on a successful event in your business.
Ready, steady, host!
First steps: event setup and marketing
“Why do so many of our customers not know how to use our products properly?”
“Wouldn’t it be great if we could create a space for people to share their interest in what we offer!”
“Can you imagine how great our store would look if we held a film night?”
Inspiration can strike from anywhere - be it a conversation with a customer, something you notice about your industry, or even an experience outside of work. Whatever gives you that light-bulb moment can lead to event excellence or empty, unfulfilled potential.
So you have the idea. Great! What next? Well, here are the first steps to build the foundations of your event and get you off to the best possible start:
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Set your objectives
One of the first and most important steps is to outline what you want the event to achieve. If you can’t do this, you may not need to go any further. Your goals might be:
- Get people through the door and have a profitable, fun event
- To establish yourself as an event hotspot
- To expand your customer base into new areas
- To raise awareness about products or services you offer
- To earn repeating revenue with a regular event
However, we encourage you to give those goals some specifics, such as the audience you want to target and measurability. That’s right - where possible, use SMART goals. Here’s an example:
🎯Goal: Increase the foot-traffic in-store by 5% through a product showcase on-site by the end of next month.
Here’s how it’s SMART:
- Specific - The goal is to increase foot traffic by 5% by hosting a showcase event that gives people the chance to try out products you sell.
- Measurable - Track foot traffic before, during, and after the event to measure the increase.
- Achievable - The store must have the space and resources to host the event and promote it effectively.
- Relevant - Increasing foot traffic aligns with the store’s goal of boosting sales and community engagement.
- Time-bound - The event and the 5% increase in foot traffic are to be achieved by the end of next month.
Once you know your goals, you can build everything else around it.
2. Do your research
It could be easy to skip this step and get everything else right, only to find yourself standing in the middle of a well-decorated room with everything but your customers, asking yourself where they are!
That’s why research is so important. Ensure you know all you need to navigate the minefield leading up to the event. Go online, go out and about, speak to your customers and make sure you know:
What other events are on the day or night you plan to host? If your target audience is choosing between you and another event, you’ll need to be confident people will choose to come to your business. Too much competition? Try a different event or a different date!
When similar events have been held, what has helped them succeed and where have others gone wrong? Use your experience here, as well as trying to find out from other local businesses. Know this, and you can make better choices as things develop.
What preferences do your event audience need to ensure no one feels left out from your event?
- Are these events usually ticketed?
- Will your existing products and services suit your audience or could a few tweaks boost your business's appeal?
What budget will you need to make the most of this event? You may need to pay for extra staff and inventory, decorations, marketing materials, plus any direct costs for the event, such as music, food, and drinks.
Event logistics: getting everything in place
Finding the right numbers of stock, staff, tickets, making the right number of social media posts, is possibly one of the more difficult and important parts of your event planning.
If your event is ticketed, it may be a little easier to anticipate requirements, but even then, it’s hard to say how many tickets you’ll sell on the door. Based on this, how much extra stock will you need to capitalize on sales? Here’s your pre-event to-do list to make sure you have all you need on the day!
Order stock and ensure you have any additional products so customers can explore your full inventory.
Raise your staff levels on the rota, and prepare them to carry out their roles if you require them to know or perform anything out of the ordinary.
Launch your marketing campaign by:
- Posting on social media
- Sending emails or newsletters
- Getting the word out by talking to customers (especially the chatty ones!)
- Printing posters and putting them up both in-house and out and about
Communicate with RSVPs and track ticket numbers, ensuring you don’t oversell, and pushing the event if you feel you’ve undersold.
Set up any signage and if required, split your venue so event-goers have a separate space to enjoy the event without interfering with other customers. You’ll need a clear way to communicate details such as where your event is, your schedule, and any promotions or special offers you’re running.
Confirm your schedule with everybody involved by reaching out beforehand to suppliers and staff, confirming when, where, and what is required from them, including any deliveries, duties, and organizational tasks such as putting up decorations, arranging seating, right up to welcoming guests.
Customer experience: the week before your event
By the time the big day comes around, most of your preparations should have been completed. This leaves you free to deal with any last-minute changes or potential hiccups, overseeing the day, and hopefully having some fun as you keep an eye on things.
Things to check on the day:
- Decorations. How does your space look? Clean? Tidy? Got enough seating?
- Electronics. Is all your electronic equipment working, including microphones, speakers, screens, and lighting?
- Reminder messages. Have you sent out any last-minute comms to your guests?
- Inventory checks. Are you missing anything? Is your stock in good order and on display?
- Staff checks. Have a quick word with any of your staff and ensure they’re ready. Answer any questions they have and make sure they’re ready to go!
Done all that. Then you’re as ready as you can be. Now go and have a good time!
Post-event follow-up and analysis
Each event experience is a fantastic learning opportunity for you and your team. So once an event is over, and you’ve had a breather and maybe a good night’s sleep, have a think and evaluate what you did well and where you could improve.
Questions to ask yourself might be:
- How profitable was this event? Based on comparable trade periods, accounting for extra expenses, did you make or lose money?
- Did you achieve your objectives? Remember your goals coming into the event and establish whether or not you achieved them. Did you see new faces spending money in your business? Are you seeing them return? (This may take longer to answer.)
- Did customers have a good time? Base this on your observations any customer feedback you receive. Was your event successful from a customer perspective?
But don’t just ask yourself those questions. Reach out to both your staff and any attendees and find out their thoughts. Other perspectives are always valuable to you and can help you get a clear picture, informing future decisions and helping you improve every event!
Fantastic! You’ve done it! Great work! You’ve held your event and will now know more when you hold the next one. You know what to do, from research, to stock-runs, to reflecting on your successes. Not only that, but now your customers know they can come to you for their favorite events, you can keep them coming back for more!
Did you find this blog and checklist helpful? Be sure to check out our other useful blogs, such as our guides to automation and expansion.