Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14 and is a holiday that takes place almost worldwide. To organise a Valentine’s Day event, you must consider several steps to offer the best possible experience to attendees.
It’s the perfect time to host an event: couples are looking for romantic ideas and singles want to meet new people. However, to be successful, you must follow a number of planning and organisation rules.
Summary
1. The budget
Prepare a budget
First, it is important to develop a detailed budget. Making a list of items to consider for your Valentine’s Day event is really helpful. Rent a place, the catering, the decor… You have to include everything in your budget.
If you want to charge admission to your party, you will have to fix a fair price to attract attendees and cover your expenses. Using an online ticketing solution will allow you to manage the number of attendees at your event, while obtaining data about who they are (their age, where they come from, their interests, etc.). It is essential to provide a margin of security in your budget, to use it in case of contingencies.
Cost management
Your expenses will be different depending on the objectives of your event. Do you want to increase your sales? Or maybe make your brand better known? You will have to prioritise, that is, make a list of the items, from most to least important.
- The “most important” expenses are those essential for the smooth running of your Valentine’s Day event, such as hiring a venue or hiring a catering service.
- Less important expenses are those that add something to your event but are not necessary, such as gifts for guests or some of the decorations.
It may be helpful to find a sponsor to reduce the cost of your Valentine’s Day event. In return for publicity and visibility, the sponsor will provide services such as food preparation -if your sponsor is a restaurant- or floral decoration -if you are sponsored by a florist-.
Keep track
It is essential to keep track your event’s various expenses and income. You’ll need to keep an eye on your budget and adjust it accordingly so you don’t exceed the limits you set.
2. Services
For a Valentine’s Day event to succeed, it is important to have quality services. It’s an exciting moment for couples, which has to be romantic. You can also organise a singles event with speed dating, for example. Here, too, it will be necessary to focus on the service, to ensure that attendees feel comfortable. There are several elements to consider:
The choice of venue
Choosing the venue is one of the most crucial aspects of making your event a success. The space you choose for your event must match the event you want to organise. Think about the value proposition of the chosen venue: Does it have spectacular views? Is it located in a privileged environment? Is it cosy?
Accessibility to your Valentine’s Day event venue is also an important aspect you can’t overlook. Check the available transport options and collect them in a document or on your website to inform attendees.
Catering service
Depending on the type of Valentine’s Day event you are hosting, you may need to provide food for attendees. For a romantic dinner, you can use a full catering service. For a cocktail or speed dating, you can opt for snacks.
When you choose what type of cuisine to offer, go safe and offer variety. It is a good idea to communicate the menu to attendees before the event, especially if it is a full meal.
For drinks, you can hire a bartender to create a menu of alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails. For a full meal, a selection of local wines presented by a specialist will delight your guests.
Create a magical atmosphere
The atmosphere is crucial to a Valentine’s Day event. Attendees need to feel comfortable and admire the decorations. Therefore, include flowers, candles, etc., in your budget.
There is nothing like music to create a romantic atmosphere! A band or DJ will help to transport the attendees to an unforgettable experience.
You can also offer small gifts to attendees, such as chocolates or a glass of wine. They will appreciate this detail and it will strengthen the relationship with your customers.
Organize relaxing activities
For attendees to have a pleasant, fun and romantic time on this day of celebrating love, you must offer the right activities and choose a theme for your event. A ceramics or jewellery class in which each person creates a gift for the other, a dancing class, a photography workshop, etc., are ideas that will make your evening a great time for sharing.
If you organise an event for singles, you can also use board games where attendees can get to know each other.
3. Communication
Define your target audience
It’s important to define your target audience, as you’ll communicate differently if your Valentine’s Day event is for couples or singles. You will also need to decide whether the event is open to the general public or reserved for a specific group, such as known customers.
Next, you’ll need to create a communication plan to define the channels you’ll use to promote your Valentine’s Day event, plan the key moments of your communication, and decide on the messages you’ll deliver.
Use online tools
There are several communication tools available to promote an event. The first, and perhaps the most obvious, is social media. You need to share your Valentine’s Day event with attention-grabbing posts. You can also create an event on Facebook: a very useful tool for promoting your event.
Another way to make your event known is by sending an email to your database, of current and potential customers. A well-written email with all the necessary information and attractive visuals, will make all the difference. Using a CRM tool like Weeztarget is particularly suited to your needs.
Follow up after the event
Once your event is over, think about your post-event marketing strategy. Don’t forget to collect feedback from attendees by sending a thank you email.
You can also create a mini-site or page on your website where you can post photos and videos of the event. Couples will be happy to have a reminder of a special moment. Of course, you can also share the highlights of your event on social media.
Now you have all the information you need to make your Valentine’s Day event a success, from budget management to organising services and establishing your communication strategy.
Weezevent offers solutions to sell tickets and registrations online, to perform access control, an for emailing to help you organize your Valentine’s Day event more effectively.
