Friday 4 May 2012
6 tips to make organising a launch party a piece of cake
Do you remember Claire from Seen On Screen? She was the main subject of our second blog post in which she shared her tips to make yourself known when you're newly established. Well, Claire just put into practice one of those tipped and yesterday I was lucky enough to attend the Seeen On Screen Beauty & Nails launch party!
If you are also planning to do one yourslef, better to warn you now: even if the term "launch party" sounds fun and exciting, organising one can be a daunting task. You will have to deal with the guests list, the food, the drinks, the photographers, the DJ.. and so much more, from the smallest particulars to the major details!
When chatting to Claire, she told me about some problems with one of her suppliers and that all the goodies to be offered to her guests during the party weren't even ordered. This was a few weeks before the deadline! And this is just one example of what can happen. No need to tell you then that you'll need nerves of steel and some bottles of Redbull to finish everything on time (yes, there are always "last minute" things to do!)
Still motivated? Great!
If you don't really know what to begin with, here are some useful tips to help you prepare and make the most of this special event without tearing your hair out.
1. Plan ahead
As I said before, there are plenty of things to deal with when organising your launch party and planning is the key to avoid being overloaded with work 24 hours before the event. Start at least three months in advance and create a list with all you need for your party and then find all the suppliers for that. Place your orders as soon as you've found what you really want as it will leave you a leeway in case of delivery delays for example. Not only will this save you shed loads of stress but it will also save you cash as buying last minute is always more expensive.
2. Establish a relevant guests list
What's a launch party main objective? Well, apart from having fun and enjoying some glasses of champagne, it is your chance to establish industry contacts and hopefully forge some useful relationships. The press and beauty bloggers are those you have to invite if you want people to talk about you and full your appointment book for the weeks to come. A good review in a reputed magazine, like Viva Magazine in the case of Claire, has a strong impact on your image and can propel you far.
Inviting some celebrities is a great way to create a buzz around your launch party and make people remember you. If you happen to know some leading experts in the industry, invite them straight away!
Don't forget to invite your regular clients. As good as new business is, the core attendees should be people who know you already and are willing to promote your service. It is a very nice way to reward their loyalty and strengthen your relationship.
3. Delegate!
Yes, you are strong. The fact that you built your own business and successfully run it alone proves it. But sometimes asking for a little help is the best thing you can do and avoid the overburn. Ask your friends and family for help and favours. It is without a doubt going to be one of the busiest days of your life and, if you're not a robot, you will need some help to finish on time. Decoration, food, drinks, cleaning, music.. everything has to be set up on the day and who can help you with this better than your family and friends?
The point of the party is for you to market yourself and ensure everyone leaves knowing what you're all about. You cannot do this if you are running around taking care of small details on the night. Therefore ensure you have friends to help you with your guests during the party filling up drinks and taking pictures of the event.
4. Promote your work
Obviously, I am not talking about giving one of your guests a haircut or manicure during your launch party. But this is definitely something you have to plan ahead. If you want to show your know-how, then offer free treatments to some of your guests two or three days before the party so that people can see them at this moment.
5. Offer little treats
What do people like a lot? Receiving presents! It’s as nice to get one as an adult as it was to get one as kid.
Like Claire, offer your guests a goodie bag when they are leaving with some of the products you currently use in your salon like fake tan or nail polish. It is a great way to finish the party and ensure you're not forgotten about straight after the event.
6. Stay in touch after the event
It can sound obvious but don't forget to thank all the people who came to your launch by using social networks or emails for example. People are very likely to give you great feedback if you do that.
In the same way, all the new relationships you've built during this party have to be kept alive so it's important to stay in touch with all your potential new partners regularly, even months after the event.
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Another great article - thank you! :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for your nice comment Lizzie. Glad to know you like this post :)
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