Popup events can be a great way to test the water for startups. They don’t cost the earth, and you can get a lot of feedback about your product or service, before launching it into the wider world. We’re going to take a look at how to create a fantastic pop-up event, from start to finish. Read on to find out everything you need to know.
Have a reason
Your first step is a simple one – but vital nonetheless. It’s important to understand why you are holding a pop-up event. It could be because you want to test a new product, or find out about what people feel about your service.
You could use an event to find out about consumer’s thoughts on a particular industry. Or, to just gather contact details for future marketing campaigns. It’s not important what you do – it’s why you are doing it that you need to know.
Formulate a plan
The next step is to make a plan. You’ll need to devise your day, work out how many staff you need, and come up with some suitable dates. Make sure that you check your calendar, so that you don’t clash with any other events.
For example, holding an event when England are playing in the World Cup is always going to be disastrous. Unless you plan on showing the game, of course. Go through your plan and finalise the details before signing it off.
Find a location
Now you have a rough idea of what you are doing on the big day; you’ll need to find a suitable place. Perform some simple market research to find out the best area to hold the event, and think about the amount of footfall you can expect.
Some premises may need a special license, depending on what you are selling. Pop-up restaurants, for example, will need a permit to sell food and alcohol. Check with your local council for more details on your responsibilities.
Find rental solutions
There’s little point in buying anything for your popup event if you never plan on using it again. So, rent everything. Think about hiring furniture, credit card machine rental, and anything else you might need. Never spend any money on fixed assets unless you absolutely need to.
Marketing
Now you have everything in place; it’s essential to make a loud noise about your event. Take out a run of ads in your local paper, and target industry magazines and websites, too.
Shout about the event on all your social media channels, and notify your email list. You can also use services like EventBrite to get the word out on the street.
Before the big day
It’s a good idea to run through your plan of action a few times before the event. Make sure that everyone knows what they are doing, and understand their responsibilities. Don’t forget about an after plan, either.
You should be trying to get as many people’s contact details as possible, and get them on an email or marketing list. It’s vital that you take advantage of the big impression you make to build up a list for following up.
OK, so that should point you in the right direction. I hope your popup event goes well – why not send us some pictures?