It’s pretty easy to gauge the quality of the event: Just look at the the people who attend. Whether it’s a huge gathering, such as SXSW, with tens of thousands of attendees, or an intimate event for a handful of colleagues, getting the best guests is the first key to hosting an effective event.

But who are the best people to invite and how do you entice them to come?

Dave Welty, events leader at Maloney & Fox, a public relations firm based in New York City, says: “We’re looking for influential consumers who are interested in what our brand is doing and what our brands is going to continue to do in the future.”

And, in most cases, so are you.The best crowd for your event consists of people who are invested and loyal to your brand, as well as influential potential customers or business partners. Companies that do that well can tell you that having the appropriate crowd not only fosters deeper engagement, but also turns attendees into devoted advocates for your brand.

How To Get The Best Crowd at Your Event: Determine the Appropriate Audience

“You want you make sure that the audience attending any show is, at least, the right audience,” says Cass Phillipps, an event producer who has worked on dozens of San Francisco Bay Area start-up events.

This might seem easy enough, but figuring out what types of people you want at your event is a step not to be taken lightly. The last thing you want is to attract a crowd that expects freebies or just wants to be pampered by a full-service party without actually becoming an advocate for your brand. There’s a time and place for every crowd, but it’s up to you to determine which audience is best suited for your event.

Ask yourself: what do I want to accomplish with this event? Your answer will help you determine the appropriate crowd to target.

Welty works diligently planning events for Hendrick’s Gin.  He says the audience they target are eclectic, smart and vibrant people who come from all demographics.  Most of these people have heard of Hendrick’s Gin, are willing to try new products from the brand and will tell their friends about it as well.

“Success for me is people walking of [the event] having a great evening and knowing that it was Hendrick’s Gin they were drinking.” Welty says.
If you’re holding a large-scale event, you might need to think beyond your company’s own customers or your natural audience to draw a significant crowd. So, enlist help. “You need to find a partner basically for the same reason that you find a partner for your start-up,” Phillipps says. “If you can’t find one person to dedicate their time to this idea, how do you expect to get 500?”

Ideally, whatever event you’re planning, you’ll want the support of other businesses or agencies; support from them usually fosters support from their customers.  This is where your list of contacts comes in. Usually you can find event partners and sponsors in your own network of industry colleagues.  But if your contact list isn’t as robust as you’d like, Phillipps suggests another partnership option.