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Hosting an event of any size and stature can be a daunting proposition for even the most experienced of hosts but holding an event for guests from all corners of the world is another ball game. With so much more to consider, you simply cannot afford to cut any corners and simply hope for the best.
If you are planning an event for an international audience for the first time, then fear not as we are here to run you through some of the things that you should do. From finding the perfect venue to the more intricate details of your event, our help will ensure your first international business event will not be your last.
Attend Other International Events
When tasked with hosting an event for attendees from around the world, your first step should be to attend other events of similar stature. This way, you can make notes of the event by considering details such as the venue, the number of guests, hospitality, facilities, and the agenda. Consider what you liked about the event, as well as what you did not like.
Nothing compares to your own experience, so if you can we highly recommend that you attend at least two or three different events do be able to take in a showcase of different ideas. Don’t just pigeon-hole yourself within your business’ industry and be willing to sample what is happening in other sectors. Perhaps there will be ideas that you can transfer.
Convenient Location
If your event is expecting a vast number of guests traveling from overseas, then you should make sure that your venue is conveniently located. This means having good public transport links and ensuring that the event isn’t a million miles away from the airport and either offers overnight accommodation or has a hotel close by.
Remember that, while you may be familiar with the location of the venue, guests from Asia certainly won’t. Make sure that the venue is easy to find and is not hidden away from main travel links. Some venues knock a little bit of money if they are not in a sought-after location, but our advice would be to not get drawn into the possibility of saving money in this instance and place convenience above cost – to a reasonable extent, of course.
When Your Event will be Held
Consider the local climate and seasonality of when you will be wanting to host your event. If possible, try to arrange your event for a time that won’t see guests arriving from much warmer climates to be greeted by cold, miserable weather. This is especially true if the overall goal of your event is to sell a product or service as you will want your guests to be in a good mood, rather than feeling the blues.
Just as you wouldn’t want to organize a wedding that would face a high probability of becoming washed out, neither should you do the same with any corporate event. The prospect of bad weather may put many guests off from attending, particularly if the journey will be long anyway.
Break the Language Barrier
This is an important aspect of your event to consider, which is the language barrier that will exist between many of your guests. If your event is by invite only, tailor guest packs in their native language so as they know where to find everything, as well as what is happening and when.
If there will be speakers at your event, consider investing in translation services or bring in a team of translators that can relay the message to your guests. There is nothing worse than being in a strange place where you do not understand anything, so little things such as this will go a long way to making your guests feel at ease. Not only that, but it will be a waste of everyone’s time if your guests are unable to understand anything that is going on.
When planning your event, put yourself in the shoes of your guests as well as considering what your mission is. Above all else, your business’ image should be enhanced off the back of the event in the eyes of your guests, whether they are potential customers, business partners, or otherwise.
