Our TEMBO REFRESH consultants share 14 things you need to consider:

1. Define your objectives

Understanding your event's goals will help you shape your event strategy, budget, and marketing efforts.

2. Think about your community

Who are your attendees and exhibitors? What do they need and want? How much are they prepared to pay?

3. Conduct competitor analysis

Determine what your launch will do differently or better than your competitors. What market gaps are there?

4. Source of revenue

Is it an exhibitor or sponsorship-funded event? Will there be attendance revenue? What format will support the revenue streams?

5. Decide on the event format

Will you do face-to-face, virtual, or hybrid? How content-rich does your event need to be? Is networking important? Is this a strategic conference opportunity for C-suite or a buyer and sellers’ marketplace?

6. Test your proposition

Once you’ve defined the proposition, test it out with key prospects (exhibitors and visitors). Be prepared to amend based on their feedback.

7.  Financial considerations

Create a 3 to 5-year financial plan that considers the potential upside beyond year one. This will determine the level of investment and risk that can be justified.

8. Analyse the available skill set

Do you have the right skill set internally, is your team already stretched to the limit? A launch team needs to be sensitive to market feedback, agile, creative and brave.

9.  Risk analysis

Include ‘go’ and ‘no go’ dates. Not all launches will succeed regardless of passion, hard work, and prep. Know when to make difficult decisions based on cost commitments increase (venue liabilities, third-party suppliers' contract dates, data build, and paid-for marketing).

10.  Budget allocation

Consider all costs, including venue fees, catering, marketing materials and staff. Allocate the budget based on your priorities and keep track of expenses to avoid overspending.

11. Cost control

Don’t overlook the staff resource. If you make a good contribution margin but it takes your full team most of their time, then you may have made a loss and jeopardised your existing portfolio.

12. Event plan

A comprehensive event plan includes details such as event date, time, location, budget, marketing and sales strategies, logistics, and contingency plans. Create a timeline that outlines all the tasks and deadlines to keep yourself on track.

13. Marketing strategy

Develop a thorough marketing strategy covering online and offline channels: social media, email, SEO, PR, advertising, WOM. Create compelling content and engage with your target audience to build buzz.

14. Conference programme

Invest time and effort into the agenda to ensure it enhances the overall experience for participants, fosters meaningful discussions, and creates a memorable event that delivers value and achieves its goals.

Launching a new event requires careful planning. By following these key points, you can increase your chances of success.

If you need help with your launch, our TEMBO REFRESH consultants have experience with various events and industries.