So, you’ve delivered a brilliant event. The feedback was glowing. People are still talking about it. Your job is to start planning for next year. Expectations are high. It’s up to you to make the next event bigger and better. No pressure!
Stop. Relax.
It’s not always about going bigger and better. It’s not always about size and scale. It can be about the details, the tweaks, the systems and processes behind the scenes. It’s about the guest experience.
Reflect Before You Redesign
Before launching into the planning, look back and ask yourself what worked.
Review the feedback from guests and make sure to incorporate the elements that really resonated with them. Also look at the less positive comments and refine the planning to remove those elements so you don’t get the same niggles again.
If guests said that the sessions ran too long, tighten your timings and stick to them. If catering was a hit but the vegetarian options were limited – let your menu reflect how this has been improved.
Add a Twist
There’s comfort in tradition. Familiar moments give your guests something to look forward to – but be careful not to do the same thing in exactly the say way each time.
People get bored very quickly.
Instead, consider how to bring a twist to a recurring feature. If it’s the same awards ceremony, then try a new format for the presentations. When returning to the same venue, explore new ways to use the spaces – perhaps a reception in the River Room overlooking the Thames, or a dramatic reveal for dinner in The London Bridge Arches.
You don’t need to change everything. Just enough to keep the event fresh and exciting. People want something to look forward to.
The Power of Surprise
The most memorable moments aren’t always the most expensive, they’re often the most unexpected.
Think about incorporating one moment that no one saw coming. A guest speaker hybrid-style live from across the world, a branded dessert station after dinner or a musical performance as an interlude between keynote speakers.
Work with your venue and catering team to make these inclusions feel seamless, as opposed to bolted on. At Glaziers Hall, we’ve helped clients to sneak surprises into their run sheets, delivering those moments that turn an event into something extra special.
Reimagine Your Spaces
One of the best ways to elevate an annual event is to reimagine how you use your venue. Maybe last year you hosted your networking drinks in The Library, a warm atmospheric space. This year, the River Room might be the better fit, with a larger and brighter space to allow for more guests.
Our seven flexible spaces mean you can create entirely new experiences without changing location.
In-House Event Planning Support
You don’t have to do it alone. The team at Glaziers Hall are corporate event specialists. They work with companies of all sizes to meet with their objectives. It’s rare that two events are ever the same and so that experience brings with it massive benefits to event planners.
Make sure to ask questions, however simple or obvious you may think the answer is. The team are always on hand to work with you and to add elements that you may not have considered had you been working alone.
Don’t Chase Perfection
There’s no such thing as the perfect event and certainly not when you are trying to impress a room full of people with different preferences, experiences, likes and dislikes. Remember, everything is subjective.
Set yourself a target and benchmark against it. That may be to get three more positive comments than you did last year or to improve the feedback on the breakfast, lunch and dinner choices.
The focus should be on delivering a great event that people can enjoy. Add in the extra special details that make it slightly different to anything you’ve done before, and you have the formula you need for another successful occasion.
Good luck!