Every event we organize has a purpose. We organize a birthday party because we want to celebrate entering another year of our lives. We organize a Halloween party because we want to have fun with friends dressed as dinosaurs. In the case of organizing these types of events, the purpose is unlikely to be a question we dwell on, because after all we don't usually sit down and ask ourselves "wait a minute, actually, why do I need this baby shower?" However, when it comes to organizing larger events on a professional level, the purpose is an issue worth leaning into, and here we explain why.

The organizer's perspective

Being an organizer of an event, it's best to take a holistic perspective - after all, it's not just about us being satisfied. The determinant of a well-organized event is also the satisfaction of users and stakeholders. We, the organizers, suggest preparing a matrix of goal achievement broken down precisely into these three basic groups. For example, the organizer's goal for a one-day conference event in the manufacturing automation industry may be to build brand awareness, attract leads, build a position as a market leader and expert, which is quite natural and obvious. However, when it comes to the long-term perspective, this will not be possible without identifying the goal of the participant and other stakeholders. A participant, for example, may set a goal of gaining new knowledge and meeting new people in the industry. A stakeholder in the form of a sponsor or trade press may aim to promote their brand or reach a new audience at an event. Only by identifying these goals well, are we able to tailor the shape of the event and the functionalities used, so that at the end of the day, they are as optimal as possible for everyone. This approach allows us to look at our activities in a broader time horizon.    

Long-term and short-term goals

It is also reasonable to distinguish between long-term and short-term goals. The fulfillment of the former, as the name suggests, is an issue that is more spread out over time, however, it may provide a greater return on investment for the organizer. This includes such issues as, for example, guaranteeing materials that will stay with participants for a longer period of time. Such a solution is a kind of privilege of live (or fully online) broadcast events, as even absent guests can relive the event at any time, which increases the likelihood of their participation in the next edition.

Marketing, sales and "other" objectives

Let's also ask ourselves one important question:

"What exactly do we expect from our event?"

A question indeed important, but what exactly can I expect from my event? Turns out, quite a lot. When organizing an event, it's a good idea to write out your goals and then divide those goals into marketing, sales and so-called "other" goals.

Thus, the first goal from the marketing group is to generate leads, i.e. to encourage participants to focus their attention on a product or service by attending the event. Another is strictly to promote services and products, i.e. to present the company and its service thanks to the organization of the event, which provides us with space for such activities. Marketing goals also include branding, i.e. brand issues - if this is one of our goals, for an online event it is a good idea to think about a space that will allow greater exposure of our brand.

Another group of goals are sales goals. These include sales of services and products. A definite advantage here is the option to sell and promote during the event. Ticket sales alone at paid events is a method of raising capital, which is often also the primary sales goal.

In addition to these objectives, there may also be more general goals, which can be called "other" goals. These include networking, i.e. expanding the network of contacts by having attendees of an event get to know each other. With stationary events, networking is conducted by organizing a space for this type of activity. With online events, it is worth ensuring that the platform on which the event is organized has functionality within which participants can get to know each other and talk to each other. This also ties in with another goal, which is bonding within businesses and companies - organizing events can also promote getting to know people from the structure. But what if there is no opportunity to meet face-to-face over coffee together? Here online events come to the rescue, in which no participant will feel left out.

Events can also fulfill recruitment purposes. For example, by organizing a job fair, we enable potential candidates to get to know our offer in detail, talk to employers, and, of course, apply for a position. The last group of goals from the so-called "others" are educational initiatives, i.e. all kinds of scientific conferences, webinars, and workshops aimed strictly at passing on knowledge to the audience.

When organizing an event it's worth preparing three pairs of shoes - your own, i.e. the organizer's, the participant's, and potential partners - as well as thinking about what we really expect from our event. With all these factors in mind, it will be much easier for us to choose the right form of the event, control costs, and prepare the space for such an event.