The value of a proper PR in the startup launch is simply invaluable, however, even the best PR can’t spin a mundane startup entry in order to make it into something epic. For this to happen, your marketers need to have some decent source material. Needless to say, what better way to do so than to create a startup event that’s going to make a splash on its own. Apart from providing you with some impressive networking opportunities early on, it is also an incredible way to present your staff and your corporate values to the world. With this in mind and without further ado, here are several tips on how to make a great startup event.

1.     Schedule ahead

While you do want your event to outshine those of your competitors, you also want all the attention for yourself. Because of this, you want to check whether there are any industry events scheduled around the date on which you planed your launch. If that is the case, it might be a good idea to postpone things a bit, seeing as how rushing it might be a bad idea. Aside from ensuring that the spotlight is on you, in this way, you can also avoid antagonizing some of the other people in the industry early on.

2.     A training or a lecture

The form of the event also matters quite a bit. What you want to do is provide some value to your audience. Needless to say, there is no better way to do so than to organize a lecture or a live training for all the attendants. For this to work, however, you need to find the right speaker or a person of authority. This is again where your networking skills come to the forefront. A few ways to do so are to reach out to them ahead of time, try some online networking (LinkedIn) and try to offer them an incentive. This incentive can be anything from financial compensation to free promotion of their personal brand.

3.     Book a venue

Depending on your guest list you will be able to make a selection of venues that are suitable for your event. Keep in mind that the type of venue you select isn’t merely a space thing. In fact, every choice opens up new possibilities that would otherwise stay locked out. For instance, by making an outdoor venue, if you're in Australia you get the option to hire kombi van, which is something that would be somewhat more difficult to pull off indoors. In this way, you can make your event truly unique, as well as create at least one unorthodox conversation opener for your guests. Moreover, you can further decorate this mobile bar so that it displays markings of your own company and in this way add one more personal touch to the entire occasion.

4.     Don’t forget to stream

Even though your brand can benefit from exclusivity, for the time being, you might want to look for a way to increase your reach. Therefore, you should definitely consider streaming your event online. While this is something that can be done through a phone and a virtually any social media out there, you still might want to consider hiring professionals. For the above-listed open events, having several shots taken with the drone might appear quite impressive for the audience back at home. Finally, you should also encourage your guests to stream on their own social media profiles and, in this way, further boost your reach.

5.     Make sure not to miss out on anyone

Finally, while the presence of the majority of your audience lingers in the air, there are some people that you absolutely have to invite over. Forgetting to send an invitation to an investor, a supplier or a potential partner is a practice that can backfire horribly in the future. Therefore, try to compose this list long before you start planning the event.

In conclusion

In the end, try to be as genuine as possible. Even though every startup tries to present themselves in the best light possible, you can indeed achieve a lot by simply being genuine about who and what you are as a brand. Making promises you know you can’t keep later on is a horrible practice, which is why a bit of honesty, even humility, often goes a long way. After all, you’re in a service-driven industry, which means that this trust makes all the difference between success and failure.