5 Tips on Planning a “Wow” Event (Lessons From Godiva)

Rebecca, Dawn and Elizabeth enjoy the Les Femmes Coupe cocktail

Smart. Opinionated. Vocal. These three words describe women bloggers in general and New York women bloggers are no exception. Since so many brands have headquarters or branches in the area, NYC bloggers tend to be invited to numerous brand events. Based on the sheer amount of invitations, we must be selective regarding the events that we agree to attend. In my experience over the last 7 years, I think that most events are really good. Then, there are the ones that have a “wow” factor. These are the ones that leave bloggers talking about the experience – both online and offline – for days after the event has ended. The Mother’s Day Luncheon that was hosted by Godiva Spirits earlier this week squarely falls into the latter category. In case you are a blogger or brand who plans events, below are some tips that will leave your attendees talking…in a good way.

1. Provide advance notice. While the attendees were a mixture of mom bloggers and lifestyle bloggers, the vast majority were moms. As such, it takes time for us to juggle our schedules, secure childcare and such. Sarina of Hunter Public Relations (a new mom herself) did a great job with this. She sent out a “Save the Date” to gauge interest a couple of weeks before the event and then followed up with the actual invitation.

2. Be thoughtful about your attendee list. I really appreciated how there was a mixture of women bloggers at this intimate event. Some of the bloggers focused on food and entertainment; others wrote memoir styled blogs and others had sites that were a mixture of the two. Regardless of the blog style, every blogger walked away with a story since the focus was on a seasonal story – custom cocktails for Mother’s Day.

3. Make the experience worth sharing. The Godiva cocktails were wonderful. However, just having us stand around drinking cocktails and eating appetizers would not have created such a response. Rather, the event was held at A Voce, a celebrated spot with amazing views of the city. Also, A Voce’s executive Chef Missy Robbins (who has cooked for the Obamas) prepared the three-course meal that was paired with the cocktails. The main course was even inspired by a recipe from Chef Robbins’ own mom. That was a perfect tie-in for a Mother’s Day luncheon.

4. Consider the details. Attention to detail was expressed at the luncheon in various ways. One blogger was allowed to bring her mom to the luncheon. Another (who is a vegetarian) was able to order an equally amazing meal…and there were even vegetarian appetizer options that everyone could enjoy together. Best of all, since there were cocktails being served at this midday lunch, all of the guests were treated to a town car ride to their next appointment.

5. Provide relevant takeaway items for both the attendees and their readers. The parting gift bags had a little Godiva treat to suit a variety of tastes featuring items such as coffee, chocolate and Chocolate Liqueur. In addition to the treats, the agency shared all of the cocktail recipes and images on a Godiva disk drive. (The recipes were in Word format, which made them easier to copy and paste into blog posts.) Everyone walked away with something. In addition, two attendees won a Godiva Spirits “Breakfast In Bed” gift package to give to one of their readers. Overall, Godiva Spirits did an amazing job of “toasting” moms.

In your opinion, what are some of the factors that elevate an event from average to “wow”?

{Images courtesy of Godiva Spirits, used with permission}