How do you get better results from your events?

The concepts and tools in this blog will help you if

• you want better results from your existing events (like workshops or networking events) that you host and or if
• you are thinking of hosting your first events and or if
• you are wondering "Why would I need to host my own events as part of my Business Development?

By events I mean

• live events In Person or Virtual - Zoom etc)
• workshops / presentations / networking events

1) Better Events = getting Better Organised?

Do you get the results you want from the events that you host?

Maybe the better question is: How well does #YourEventEngine run?

I have been organsing and attending events for a few decades now and I suppose I was hoping that I might be getting better at it by now?

By “better at it” I mean getting better results so:

2) How do you measure the results from your events?

How do you measure the results that you get from your events?

and it occurred to me recently that maybe this is an area of my business that maybe I should focus on to improve my performance:

and for me when I want to get better at something I explore these three questions

1.?????How does this work?

2.?????Why does it work that way?

3.?????How can I make it work better for me (and you?)

[its the engineer in me that draws out those three specific questions and then]

the Accountant in me draws out this fourth question which is

4.?????What metrics should I be measuring to track the improvement in how this works.

3) Why host events?

Why the big focus on events? Because in the world of business development:

“Conversations Convert Connections” (LinkedIn Maxim No. 70) and that is essentially how you build Your Brand, Your Network and Your Business (less so through Impersonal communication methods like email and social media)

There are essentially two places in which Live Conversations take place:

·????????One to one (for example in a virtual Coffee you schedule)

·????????Or at a live (In Person) event (including on Zoom etc) and workshops / presentations

The key here is:

"Good Conversations take place at events and the Best Conversations take place at events you host" (LinkedIn Strategist Maxim No. 89)

Where the mechanism of “Conversations Convert Connections” (LinkedIn Strategist Maxim No. 70) is used to upgrade connections into higher value roles in your network (refer to the People model for the roles People play in your network, from People to Promoters)

4) Why do I need an engine?

Because an Engine needs to be feed (fueled) to run efficiently and deliver better performance (results) and there are three key fields (components) in #YourEventEngine : in order of priority for you:

·????????Attendees

·????????Interests

·????????Events

Attendees covers for example:

·????????People you meet at events you have attended

·????????People you want to meet at events you will attend

·????????People you want to invite at events you will host

·????????People that have attended events you have hosted

·????????People who want to be invited to the next event you host

Interests covers for example:

• Area of your expertise and related topics (for example Well being? or Tax? or Property Investment?)
• Interests that the People you meet have shared / spoken about (some of which may not be related to your areas of expertise)

(This is connected to the topics you focus on in your content - written and spoken - because your "Content Creates Conversations" ( (LinkedIn Strategist Maxim No. 69)

(#FAQ - Why would you take note of an interest someone expressed that isn't in your area of expertise? Because that aids your objective to Introduce them to someone who maybe valuable to them and or Invite them to an event that maybe relevant to them: and if you share some of your #NetworkingCurrency (Ideas Insights Introductions Invitations) then maybe, just maybe they might share some of theirs?)

Events could include for example:

·????????Events you want to attend

·????????Events you have attended

·????????Events you have hosted

In terms of the types of events that you might host these could include:

• your networking events
• your presentations and
• your workshops that you might run

don't Your Attendees attend Your Events because they feel Their Interests will be meet?

5) The power of Your Lists (registers?)

All three of these elements (Attendees, Interests and Events) belong on Your Lists: (this is the key starting point to developing #YourEventEngine

You can record your lists on

·????????Spreadsheets to start (Excel or Googles sheets)

·????????And then maybe using an Online Project Tool (like Asana - there is a free version and the mobile application works exceptionally well) and even better

·????????These lists should ultimate live in your CRM

(Side note: the draft of this blog was written on Asana - but that is just how I like to draft)

6) How is #YourEventEngine integrated with (related to) the other systems in your Business Development Mastery?

The People Model that helps you define and assign the role and relationship each person you meet has to your network: from People to Promoters: People Possibles Prospects Partners Providers Promoters)

The SID Model which helps you define the strategy you use for everyone who joins your network in terms of their Source, their Interests and their Destination.

a.??????where Source is what Campaigns and Activity brought them into your network so that you can track the success (or not) of this aspect of your marketing.

b.?????where their Interests are defined as the challenges, stories and words they use to describe their journey they are on to their destination (goal) and how that relates to your areas of expertise.

c.??????where the Destination describes where you would like to take them in terms of their journey as it relates to your expertise as expressed in the Education Journey (versus Sales Funnel) you are designing and developing for them (a workshop? Send them a guide? Invite them to your next networking event etc)

Your List Strategy

a.??????which defines all the specific elements of your SID Model in lists that live in your CRM

b.?????that are assigned to connections as they are added to your network (Your database)

This is a most effective method to help you create future events or services that you can invite Your Connections (Your Attendees) to

7) What if Your Events could be part of your competitive advantage?

The essence of #YourEventEngine is this maxim

“The best events your host start with a list of potential attendees well before any dates or venues are considered”

and the better you get at that maxim:

-?????????the easier your events will be to organise (Efficient)

-?????????the greater the results you will get from your events (Effective)

The concepts and tools described in this blog are part of my #BusinessDevelopmentMastery program that helps you drive better Business Development results in your business.

If you would like to continue this conversation to grow Your Brand Your Network and Your Business then you can find me here

BEE#001

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