1.2. Types of events

There are almost countless types of events, some are demanded frequently by customers, and others seldom find in-depth information about the most important types of events.

• Conferences are popular and important business events. Conferences are among the most important events that professional event managers organize. The term “conferences” can apply to a variety of gatherings from a group of researchers who meet to discuss scientific results to a group of sales people who are training. Conference planning can be the responsibility of a corporate employee or a professional meeting planner.

• Seminars educational events for the training of managers and employees. A popular source of academic, professional or technical instruction, seminars present information to diverse audiences. These tutorials may be private or public, series or single, commercial or informative, lecture- or dialogue-based. They are less formal than academic lectures, allowing audience members to interject opinions or discuss results.

• Meetings are common business events in large companies, perfect to discuss operational and financial strategies. Simply stated, a meeting is a gathering of individuals to achieve a common aim. In business meetings, leaders use oral communication, audiovisual productions, group discussions and other methods to accomplish corporate strategies. Idyllically, meetings spawn practical programs and marketable tactics. Realistically, meetings can be monotonous, time-sucking marathons of corporate hash. An event manager must dispel these negative notions and stimulate professionalism and creativity.

• Team Building Events a key to develop and motivate teams in companies and divisions. Event Management of team building events that develop and motivate teams in companies and corporations. Team building events are perfect for companies and their divisions to motivate their employees and to develop real teams.

• Trade Shows exhibitions where companies can present and demonstrate their latest products. A professional presentation is crucial. Trade shows are important for companies to present their products and to get in touch with its customers and business parties. These expos can focus on home improvement, senior care or the local businesses.

• Business Dinners Business dinners are a long-standing corporate tradition, used to conclude fiscal years, celebrate new milestones, introduce new management, or a host of other prestigious events. They integrate entertainment with professionalism and allow different corporate levels and branches to mix and mingle. A successful business dinner commemorates company achievements, recognizes successful employees, and entertains the guests. Planning starts approximately 12-28 months before the event.

• Golf Events golf tournaments or retreats. Those events aim to acquire new customers, to increase customer loyalty or to motivate employees

• Press Conferences perfect business events to promote new products, launch marketing campaigns or to inform the shareholders and public about financial issues

• Networking Events Networking events are a key element to business success. They provide ample opportunity for brand positioning, contact establishment, future mergers, and personal marketing. There is strength in numbers. All companies have a vested interest in securing the support of a business friend (formally labeled as b2b commerce). 

• Incentive Travel Incentive travel is an event category that targets to motivate both key personnel and customers. Imagine sunning yourself on a beach in Jamaica or snow skiing in the Alps. Then imagine that your trip is completely free. Many companies use incentive travel as a marketing tool. These trips can range from a week in an exotic location to a weekend getaway in nearby resort.

• Opening Ceremonies may be crucial when an event, a conference or a convention lasts for several days an when the event organizers want to gather, address and welcome the whole audience. No ceremony is as cherished at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. Athletes from around the world gather in preparation for competition of hundreds of sports. Celebrities perform, often singing songs written especially for the occasion. Preparation for the Opening Ceremony begins weeks before the event, with a traditional torch run around the world. 

• Product Launches are critical for the successful market introduction of some products. These launches give the public and the media a chance to hear everything about the product before any negative reviews are given.

• Theme Parties events that devote to a special topic. Popular events are casino nights or Halloween parties. Event planners caught on to the trend and now plan corporate and nonprofit parties with themes. 

• VIP Events are used to increase customer loyalty. VIP Events are an important marketing tool to increase and to maintain the loyalty of key customers. Every company and organization has someone they consider a VIP. These people are often honored with VIP events. 

• Trade Fairs where companies can exhibit their latest products and services. Actually, not all fairs possess such frivolity and festivity; trade and career fairs are decidedly less entertaining, albeit more useful. 

• Shareholder Meetings are import events for shareholders of listed and also unlisted companies. In the United States, every corporation is required to hold an annual stockholders meeting. Even corporations that are not based in the United States hold these annual meetings. There are several purposes for these meetings: the focus of the shareholder meetings is the election of the Board of Directors. The board of directors makes many of the decisions of the corporation.

• Award Ceremonies are an important type of events when you consider that we live in a society that loves to honor people for their achievements. Some of the most watched programs on television are award ceremonies including the Oscars, the Grammy’s and the Olympics. Companies, organizations and other groups love to honor their own. These ceremonies are coordinated by in-hour meeting or marketing professionals or outside companies. 

• Incentive Events is an interactive, engaging method of inspiring employee morale and consumer interest. Reminiscent of the religious Great Awakenings, these stimulating revivals incite their audiences to evangelize new customers through telemarketing and the like. Successful incentive events are statistically linked to increased sales motivation, greater profit margins, customer loyalty, and new products and services.

• Board Meetings focus on strategic goals and company vision more than detailed logistics and should be designed with big ideas in mind. Without these sessions, a company can soon become distracted, demoralized or lost within the corporate bureaucracy.

• Executive Retreats are, in theory, getaways from prosaic business meetings and unendurable seminars. Retreats should stimulate free thinking and creativity. Unfortunately, due to the gargantuan size of some corporate budgets, many hard-earned dollars or rubles are wasted in expensive resorts and needless frivolities. A successful retreat should balance relaxation and entertainment with solution and enterprise.

• Weddings are among the most important events in a woman’s lifetime, and every bride wants “the perfect wedding”. There are many different variations from the traditional church wedding to the theme wedding to the outdoor wedding, and each wedding presents its own set of challenges.

• Birthdays recognize the milestones in a person’s life. These festivities can be casual or formal. They may be intimate, with just a few close friends and family; or they can be grand events. There are two basic types of birthday parties: children’s and adults’, and each present its own set of challenges.

• Wedding Anniversaries celebrate important milestones in a couple’s life together, and provide an opportunity for friends and relatives to join in celebrating that milestone. While most anniversary events occur at milestone intervals such as 10 years, 25 years, or 50 years, any anniversary can be a celebration. For many couples, the anniversary celebration includes a renewal of vows. This may be quite similar to an actual Wedding, with all the same detailed facets to coordinate Flowers, Décor, Music, and Photography, as well as details of the reception.

• Family Events are fun and enjoyable to participate in. But they offer a number of challenges in the planning. The host of the event will usually select the date, and have some ideas about preferred locations. The host’s home isn’t usually a good choice due to parking constraints, so another location may be preferable.³