Hosting events can be fun, fulfilling, and quite profitable. The global events industry is projected to reach $2.1 trillion by 2032 — and your successful event planning business can get a piece of that pie.
But event hosting can also be stressful. There’s a lot to plan and a whole lot of to-do’s to tackle. But with the right strategy, you can host an event with more confidence and less stress.
Whether you’re wondering how to host a social event or how to put on a major event like a festival, this guide is for you. We’ve gathered pro tips from Eventbrite organizers and expert tips from Eventbrite in-house experts to help you host an event successfully.
How to host an event
Follow these steps to host a successful event:
- Decide the audience for your event
- Consider the location and venue
- Choose speakers and guests that suit your event
- Create a strategy to sell out tickets early
- Use event planning software to advertise your event
- Engage your audience with interactive strategies
- Plan your event’s logistics
- Sell tickets in multiple tiers
- Research the latest trends
- Offer tasty refreshments
- Host a social event
Regardless of the types of events you’re planning, they will all follow a similar framework. Of course, the details will vary a bit between business events and social online events, for example — but many of the fundamentals remain the same. To learn more about crafting a memorable experience and becoming the perfect host, read our tips below. We’ve also created a handy downloadable checklist so you can keep on track.
11 event-hosting tips from experienced organizers
To elevate your next event, use these expert event-hosting tips from experienced event managers and event planners.
1. Know your audience
The first step in throwing a great event is considering the type of audience you’re trying to attract.
Think outside the box to attract a wider community of potential attendees. Let’s say you’re hosting a community 5K event. The obvious audience would be runners. However, by conducting an audience analysis, you could find plenty of excited potential attendees within the yoga or CrossFit communities.
Identifying your target audience before event planning helps you create compelling content and promotional material that gets people excited. You’ll also start to find out where you can locate your specific audience segments — whether it’s targeting particular online communities, trade journals, or industry associations.
Knowing your audience also helps boost audience engagement because you can better plan activities your community finds interesting.
💡Pro Tip: Collect attendees’ data, such as email addresses, during the registration process. You can use these to send email reminders and email newsletters to promote future events.
2. Select the right location and venue
Location is key to throwing a great event and achieving your event objectives. Think about the theme of your event, the vibe you want to create, and what type of location will best support it. Do you want the event to feel more like a cocktail hour (bar) or a corporate event (hotel or conference space?) You’ll also want to:
- Think about the required amenities. If you’re on a tighter budget, you can often get free event space at a bar if you agree to give the venue the proceeds from drinks. For example, U Got It Productions partnered with a local cider bar to host the Comedy Night at Chapman Cider.
- Get ready to negotiate. Some hotels and venues quote higher than what you can actually get them for, so don’t be afraid to present a counteroffer.
- Get a flexible space. If you don’t know how many attendees to expect, get a flexible space that can expand or contract depending on your turnout. For example, restaurants with additional rooms or conference spaces with adjustable walls to set up different configurations.
💡Pro Tip: Your venue may be one of the priciest expenses on your event budget. Try and secure a budget-friendly or free venue by securing event sponsors or hosting an outdoor event at a city park.
3. Find interesting speakers and special guests
The first step to attracting speakers is to find a topic based on what your audience is interested in. Finding the right speakers will be much easier once you have a concrete topic or theme because it helps them envision their role in your event.
For event hosting tips that work, think about how you can create mutually beneficial arrangements with your speakers. If you have the budget for speaker fees, great. If not, do your best to at least cover room and board. Even giving out small speaker gifts can go a long way toward showing your appreciation.
The value should be one of reciprocity — you give them as much value for being a part of your event as you get from having them speak. You have a lot to offer them: visibility, a chance to meet your attendees, and an opportunity to meet your other VIPs.
💡Pro Tip: Getting a personal introduction from a mutual contact can go a long way in securing hard-to-get talent. Once you’ve identified a potential speaker, search your network on LinkedIn to see if you know anyone in common.
4. Get creative to sell out early
A sold-out event is every event organizer’s dream, but it can be tricky to achieve without proper planning. There are a few approaches to boost your odds of success.
Pop-up events and other limited-time experiential marketing strategies can create urgency and excitement. Eventbrite’s 2024 Event Trends report featured creator Elizabeth Gascoigne, who has found success with this approach.
“Limited-time pop-ups like Absence of Proof’s events are having a moment, tapping into the hunger for the ephemeral and experiential. The limited-time ‘catch us while you can’ approach plays on eventgoers’ FOMO (fear of missing out) and a desire for exclusivity but also adds an element of surprise and mystery to keep returning customers on their toes.”
If you sell tickets at the door or host a free event, RSVPs are crucial to estimate attendance. Nailing down an accurate attendee headcount is critical to your planning — but can be one of the hardest things to do. Getting attendees to put some skin in the game by charging them a small deposit (like $5) will tremendously increase the accuracy of your RSVPs.
If your event sells out, have a guest list or waitlist available for any cancellations. A few days before the event, email past attendees or upload a social post saying the event is sold out. Ask those not planning on attending to kindly let you know so you can give someone on the waitlist their ticket.
💡Pro Tip: Advertise your event as being close to sold out with phrases like ‘limited tickets available.’ This can help create a sense of urgency and FOMO, leading to higher ticket sales.
5. Utilize event planning software
Is your event planning solution a Google Doc or an Excel spreadsheet? While this approach can work for smaller events, you can greatly benefit from using event planning software.
Software can help you more effectively plan your in-person or hybrid event, price your tickets, promote to the right audiences, and even check people in as they arrive on the day. The best solutions — like Eventbrite — combine all aspects of event management and planning, giving you a centralized place to plan and execute your entire event business workflow.
💡Pro Tip: Where you list your events online is crucial, as well. When you post an event on Eventbrite, you tap into an existing audience of over 90 million unique ticket-buyers.
Plan better events with Eventbrite
6. Make your event interactive
Interactive events can be more engaging for attendees in several ways. As an event organizer, it pays to include various activities and interactive experiences at your events.
“Attendees are increasingly looking for experiences that go beyond the plate, seeking opportunities for interactive engagement and education. Incorporating cooking demonstrations, wine pairings, and behind-the-scenes insights elevates our events and provides a more immersive experience for participants,” says Chef Mimi of the Black Food and Wine Experience in the 2024 trends report.
Games, audience Q&As, and other interactive components are the most effective event-hosting tips to help spur audience participation and help attendees have a better event experience.
These activities can also help break the ice, as Absence of Proof founder Elizabeth Gascoigne explains: “Having various activities at events helps facilitate organic conversation. If you’re all playing a card game, for instance, it’s easier to introduce yourself and avoid the awkwardness that can come with an event where you don’t know anyone.”
💡Pro Tip: Technology can help facilitate interactive experiences at your next event. For instance, why not run a digital poll for your audience to vote at your conference? These tools can also help boost engagement at virtual events.
7. Have an event logistics plan in place
You can plan the perfect event, but if you don’t have a proper event logistics pace, it’s nearly impossible to execute a perfect event. A detailed event logistics plan should cover the following areas:
- A detailed event budget
- A timeline for setting up your event
- A detailed event schedule for once attendees start arriving
- Instructions for your event staff and volunteers
- Check-in instructions and timelines for vendors and sponsors
- Tech setup and troubleshooting guidelines
- A contingency plan for common event issues
This plan can help you host an event that runs smoothly and optimizes the attendee experience. It’s also crucial for identifying potential issues well ahead of time.
💡Pro Tip: Share your logistics plan with relevant stakeholders, like event staff, sponsors, volunteers, and the venue manager. You may even want to print out physical copies to distribute to staff on the event day.
8. Sell multiple ticket tiers
When selling tickets, price your tickets based on value — and believe in the value you offer attendees. Think about what you’re giving attendees and what that experience is worth.
It’s also a good idea to sell different types of tickets when you host an event, like a general admission ticket and a VIP package. Demand for premium tickets is growing, with attendance at events mentioning ‘VIP’ growing globally by 18% on the Eventbrite platform between January and September 2023.
Cynthia Daniels offers a VIP element at three of her events, typically including a lounge, access to special hors-d’oeuvres, a signature cocktail, and, in some instances, early entry. “If it’s VIP for a festival versus a social event. I allow them to come in two hours early so they can chat before the crowds get there, meet in the food truck line, check out the bands,” says Daniels. “Those types of things are important to VIPs that don’t necessarily want to be around crowded spaces.”
Eventbrite’s ticketing platform allows you to reach 90 million eventgoers and advertise your next event to ticket buyers, exposing your reach.
💡Pro Tip: Premium tickets should include extra perks — but, more importantly, they should reduce friction and potential sources of frustration for attendees. A dedicated VIP check-in line or a VIP bathroom are great examples of premium perks.
9. Jump on the latest trends
Ultimately, you should aim to host an event that caters to your audience and community. But drawing inspiration from current event trends can help broaden your audience, improve engagement, and make your event fun!
There are all sorts of juicy trends to explore in the Eventbrite report. But, as an example, our data shows that low- and no-alcohol events grew globally by 73% on the Eventbrite platform between January and September 2023, compared to the same period in 2022. This suggests a demand for events to include mocktails and other ‘sober-curious’ events for adults.
💡Pro Tip: Getting trendy with your events can also boost your event promotion strategies. For example, monitoring social media trends can help you adapt your marketing efforts to capitalize on these trends, drawing on a broader audience.
10. Serve tasty refreshments
The food and drink you serve can play a significant role in creating a memorable event. Use creative event catering ideas, so your attendees leave with fond memories and full stomachs. If you serve the same old cheese-and-cracker tray, well, nobody will post that on social media for their friends to see!
In addition to accommodating dietary restrictions, work with experienced chiefs to whip up mouthwatering treats for your guests.
Refreshments at your event are also an excellent opportunity to partner with sponsors. For instance, Sovereign Canada got sponsored by liquor brands for their 1st Ever Cocktail Bar Pop-Up at Legacy Liquor event. Sponsors can be food and drink vendors or any external company that wants to get their branding in front of your attendees.
💡Pro Tip: For a more hands-off approach to serving guests, consider food truck catering. You can source food trucks to set up shop outside your event venue — just give them a heads-up on your expected attendance figures.
11. Learn how to host a social event (and enjoy it yourself!)
The day of your event rarely goes perfectly. Don’t sweat the event details! No one notices; if they do, people are generally very forgiving. Remember that people attend your event to have a good time, to connect with others, and sometimes to learn something.
On the day, your role has to change from operator to gracious host. People will have a better time if they see you having a great time. So most of all, allow yourself to enjoy the event you worked so hard to create!
💡Pro Tip: Assemble a trusted team to help with your event, whether they’re paid staff or volunteers. That way, you can let your hair down, knowing that your team will handle most of the event’s logistics.
Host an event with confidence
Understanding how to host a social event effectively and efficiently will give you more confidence to build the events business of your dreams. As with so many things in life, preparedness is key here — whatever you can do to prepare ahead of time will be well worth the investment.
You can make it easier on yourself and your team by using the right tech solutions. With Eventbrite, you can plan future events, sell tickets, market on social media, collect data, and so much more.
