Events have a truly transformative ability for attendees. Their lives may forever change based upon the things they learn, become inspired by, connections they make or the experiences they have. We want to help guide you through everything you need to know to craft and host an event that people will remember for the rest of their lives. You journey has just begun and we're here to help!
Resources
EVENT LAUNCH CHECKLIST
The below article will provide you with an overview of everything to consider for hosting a next level event.
One of the main focuses for you will be crafting a world-class event, then bringing your audience into the magic you've created. As you prepare to send your welcome email to attendees, use this checklist to ensure everything is ready for your event attendees.
To get the perspective of a few friends or colleagues, add them to your event and send a welcome email. They can also assist with building out the event with you.
Step 1 - Craft Your Event's Design & Style
We've focused a considerable amount of design, product and engineering team time to empower you to brand your event with your colors, logos, imagery and style. Now it's your mission to make this event feel like it's yours!
Use the below checklist to bring your branding to life within Cadence
Branding Brochure
RECOMMENDED
Logos & Images
Apply your companies logo (make it look hot!). This logo is persistent in your event menu and on every screen on web. This is also displayed over your Home image in app. Try to acquire a transparent or white logo to apply to Home (App) Logo.
Imagery adds excitement and energy to your event. It allows you to tell the story of your event and convery an emotional connection to the topics, content and event theme. We don't want to get too sentimental, but imagery may cause FOMO and legit tears of joy.
Check every image you uploaded. If an image looks fuzzy, check that it follows our recommended image specs in our branding brochure.
If any images and banners are cropping in an odd way, we'd recommend you visit the admin site to upload or select your image from Unsplash for optimal cropping.
Focus on using image that connects your audience's emotions to a specific topic, theme or environment.
OPTIONAL
Color Theme
You may also want to consider adjusting the color theme. However, this is only available if you're on a paid license (Premium, Premium Pro or Enterprise).
Step 2 - Build Your Menu
Use this checklist to provide a menu that displays everything you are offering at this wonderful event.
RECOMMENDED
Review Select Menu Items and Create Custom Menu item to determine the best navigation for your audience
Select or Create your menu items
Check that the order of your Menu items are in the order of priority for your event To move them, visit the admin site, event setup, then menu.
Define whether all attendees, groups of attendees or specific attendees may see each menu item
OPTIONAL
Name your menu items to your preferred nomenclature. We won't be insulted, we promise!
Add custom menu items. These will allow you to add specific materials, collections, companies or external links to your menu. You may also select custom menu icons. We have many new custom icons in the works. We promise they're hawt.
Step 3 - Make Your Home Screen Personalized
First impressions count. Delight your attendees the first moment they enter your event. Use this checklist to make your event landing page the launchpad to an unforgettable event experience.
RECOMMENDED
Add a Welcome Message to your event. Acknowledge and celebrate them attending this incredible experience they're about to embark option. Welcome messages are often displayed in text, PDF or video formats.
Provide a direct point of contact for event related inquiries. Use the Link to People option to link to the points of contact for event support. This is often one single point of contact or the entire events team.
Link to areas of your event on your Home screen. This provides a nice summary, value proposition and easy access for your attendees.
Read through the text and links at least once. Check for typos, broken links, and placeholder text where applicable.
OPTIONAL
Create Home sections that are only visible for specific groups at your event. The more your personalize and curate the event experience, the more your attendees will feel understood and grateful to you and your event.
Step 4 - Craft Your Event Experience
Based upon which menu items you've selected, you'll know want to build out each individual area of your event.
Here's links to each collection of articles and education for each feature:
Step 5 - Review Your Event & Prepare to Amaze Your Attendees
When you're ready to share your event with your event audience, double check the below steps to ensure your event is ready to shine.
RECOMMENDED
Visit your event on desktop web, iPhone, iPad and Android to ensure your attendee's experience is consistent no matter how they access your event.
Review your Groups and attendees within the group to ensure your visible to status is correct in each applicable area
Review the Visible To status for your menu items, schedule items, and content as examples to ensure the views and access are exactly as you'd like.
Visit Attendees and send yourself the Welcome Email to ensure it's look, information and links is exactly as you'd like.
OPTIONAL
After sending the welcome email and attendees start accessing your event, review the event analytics dashboard to track event engagement and check for trends. These may be perfect opportunity to send contextual notifications to specific audiences linking to specific areas of your event.
Tip: Treat your event as a constant evolving experience for your attendees. After launching, you can continue to craft your event experience by creating, editing and removing anything without your event. Even if your event stays mostly the same, it's good to review the event, adjust the event landing page, send communications and adjust the imagery to ensure it feels like a living, dynamic event.
Step 6 - Bring People Into Your Event
We love enjoying a personal day or evening. But an event involves people. Use this checklist to bring people into this special experience you've created. It's time for you to shine!
RECOMMENDED
Review and adjust the Welcome Email as necessary. This is a test to see if you're paying attention. If yes, you already completed this in the step above and are ahead of the game while also a great learner. Gold star! If you didn't, honestly shame on you.
Send Welcome Email!
OPTIONAL
Create an Event Registration website (If Applicable). You may use any external registration platform to export the list of attendees, then import into Cadence. Or you may contact the Cadence team to fully integrate your registration site and process into your event in Cadence).
Review the Registration Site to make sure the logos, imagery, and details are right
Add Companies to your Registration Site for prospective attendees to see whose sponsoring your wonderful event
Spot check the list of your pre-registered or registered attendees in People
Invite People or Share Registration Link
Pre-Register Attendees through Add People workflow
The Cadence family is here rooting you on and ready to celebrate with you after your tremendous success and showering of admiration by your event audience. If you ever need our assistant, we're here in live chat and phone support in Intercom. It's the smiley face chat bubble in the bottom right hand corner. He/she looks quite smug don't they. We're also available at support@eventcadence.com for any questions or support you'd like.
Go get em tiger!
Additional Resources
Check out our other checklists for bringing a world class event to the world