EVENT GUIDE how to host a successful ghd
VIP
NIGHT
GHD EVENT GUIDE Hosting a VIP night or client event is a great way to build engagement with your most valuable clients, as well as driving retail sales. This document will guide you to host an effective, educational VIP night in order to achieve your sell-through target and build the ghd brand name. It will assist you in every step of the process from planning & budgeting, to feedback and review. The goal is to maximise the chance for a successful event.
OBJECTIVES We recommend setting at least two objectives, ensuring they’re SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.) Examples are: Objective 1: Showcase the newest ghd launch and educate 10 clients on how to use create two different styles at home. Objective 2: Raise a revenue of $2,500 by selling to 50% of the guests on the night. To help you set objectives for your event, please refer to the prequestionnaire in the appendix section of this document. This will help you to set the date, time, and number of expected attendees for your event, as well as determine the resources you will need, and expectations.
Write your objectives here:
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EVENT STAKEHOLDERS Another key to event planning is to consider what each of your stakeholders needs to get out of the event, to consider it successful. For example: KEY STAKEHOLDER
CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS/ KEY REQUIREMENTS
ghd (the company)
Standalone ghd event – no other company involved to maximize the chance of exposure and sell-through
Salon Owner
Salon owner is clear on event objectives, lean towards driving sales or providing education Provides resources such as dĂŠcor, food and drink, and transactional support
ghd Educator
Provides training and knowledge to attendees Understands the investment of the event and set budget Reviews and measures the successfulness of the event, and follow-up for future events
ghd Account Manager
Attends the event to drive sales Assists Educator to generate discussion and provides support throughout the event Follow-up for re-orders and future events
Attendees
Receive the education and information they are coming for
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PLANNING Once you’ve set objectives, it’s time to start organizing your event and assigning tasks to staff/external suppliers to assist. ghd can provide you with digital activation kits, which include everything you need to help market your event to clients – from eDMs and social media tiles, to printable posters, invites, and point of sale! Speak to your ghd Account Manager or Educator about how we might support your event. The below table outlines the support which ghd can offer you to help make your event a success. It is written to show what is in scope / out of scope, to ensure all parties are clear on how ghd can support you and what is the salon’s responsibility instead. IN (WE ARE GOING TO)
OUT (WE ARE NOT GOING TO)
Communicate with salon owner to set date, time, no. of attendees and resources required
Send invitation or direct communication with salon customers
Provide education and showcase ghd products on the day
Demonstrate products other than ghd brand
Encourage sell-through activities and generate discussion of our products
Guarantee sales unit or revenue for the salon
Organise models Provide food and drink cost Offer discount or goodie bags (except for situations where there is approval from ghd to provide such)
Measure the successfulness of the event and communicate with salon owner
Provide a digital activation kit which includes editable point of sale artwork, digital invitations, and social media tiles
Organise custom artwork design or printing for the event
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PREPARATION OF EVENT 6 - 8 weeks prior • Set an event date • Fill out pre-event questionnaire (appendix) • Book education session with salon • Salon to start invite guests • Start organizing/planning who does what based on in/out scope • Set a budget for the event • Arrange quotes with any third-party suppliers e.g. catering
4 weeks prior • ghd AM/Educator touch base either phone/ face to face meeting check progress • Salon to ensure all invitations have been sent • Salon to ensure all third-party stakeholders (e.g. caterers, ghd educator, etc) are locked in • Salon to perform final audit for any supplies. Ensure you check your retail stock levels and order any additional items now!
1 week prior • Salon to confirm guests • Salon to confirm food and drink • Salon to do a deep clean of the salon/event space (if required) • AM/education to confirm all details with salon
1 day prior • Salon to review visual merchandising for event
Event Day • Refer to the Event Day card for the rundown of activities (appendix), • Use the checklist to confirm resources required are ready
Day After Event • Utilise feedback form available (appendix)
Week After Event • Review all feedback from event, referring back to your objectives to determine event success and identify key learnings for your next event.
4 Weeks After Event • Your ghd account manager can help you understand the impact before and after the event by comparing sales data.
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Pictured: @bixiecolour PINK2020 event
BUDGETING A budget is the total amount of monetary resources allocated for the event to achieve its goals and objectives. It is important to understand how much you are investing into an event to find the break-even point, and aim for a profitable event as a result.
VISUAL MERCHANDISING TO MAXIMISE EVENT SALES Did you know that strong visual merchandising can boost sales by up to 65%?! Visual merchandising, which is the act of making a retail space attractive to customers, is an important tactic to capture your clients’ attention giving you the opportunity to pitch your retail offering and even upsell them. Before the big event day, set your salon up for success by doing a clean-up and review of your visual merchandising. Ensure your product displays are brightly lit, and for maximum impact display some products out of box – this will encourage your clients to touch/feel displays and is proven to help convert sales. If possible, set up displays in multiple locations – window displays are great to attract attention, on-shelf displays help consumers navigate the range, and smaller locations in high foot-traffic areas like the reception desk as a great way to capture impulse purchases! Ensure you have point of sale material displayed – ghd provides editable, printable point of sale in our digital activation kits, including Afterpay signage if you decide to offer this at your event. Remember, the aim of visual merchandising is to attract customer attention, and help them navigate the range to find the perfect styling solution for themselves or their loved one.
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EVALUATION You know how you set those SMART objectives? Well, now it’s time to see how your event performed. How did your clients find the event? How many products did you sell? How many appointments were booked? In order to evaluate the impact of your event in an effective manner, we recommended looking at two different, key areas: DIRECT - FEEDBACK Don’t be shy - asking your attendees if they have any feedback from can help you improve future events, by understanding what worked/didn’t work. They may even suggest something you never thought of! Engaging attendees for feedback also encourages them and makes them feel like they were a part of something bigger and engrained in your business. The best time to seek feedback is the day after the event. Make it as simple as possible for them – ghd have provided two feedback forms (see appendix) – one for you as the salon owner to complete and share with your ghd area manager or educator (we love feedback too!), and another for you to distribute to your attendees. INDIRECT - SALES RESULT Sales results made during an event are a key indicator of success, but don’t forget to also measure your sales for the 4 week period after the event as well. Sales in this key period can often be linked to the success of an event in showcasing a collection or education clients on how to utilise tools. Your ghd account manager can help you measure sales to show the impact before and after the event.
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APPENDICES
Page 9. Event Timeline Page 10. Pre-Event Questionaire Page 11. Salon Feedback Form Page 12. Customer Feedback Form
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TIMELINE FOR VIP EVENT
ghd Educator Arrives One hour before guests to greet salon owner and stylists, set up banners, food, drinks and prep models if required
-1 HR
Showcase Gather everyone to demo models and present ghd, go through features and functions.
30 MIN
Sales / Support Salon staff member to process transactions . ghd AM & Educator to continue mingling and answering product questions.
1.5 HR
Wrap Up Pack up and thank salon. Re-order on the night if needed. Post photos on social.
FINISH
9
0 HR
ghd AM / Guests Arrive Welcome guests, let them settle down for food, drinks and chit chat.
1 HR
Interaction Invite guests to mingle and demo tools, either on dolly heads, themselves or friends. Stylists and educator to assist.
2 HR
Feedback Gather feedback forms towards the end of the night.
PRE-EVENT QUESTIONAIRE Tell us so that we can make it better together! Preffered Day
MON
Preffered Time
9am - 12pm
TUE
WED
THU
1pm - 4pm
FRI
SAT
5pm - 8pm
SUN
OTHER
How many guests are you expecting? How many salon team/staff members will be supporting the event?
What do you think will make this event a success?
What resources do you require from ghd? (If available)
Digital Invites
Banners
Bounce Back Cards
Educator
Social Media Tiles
Additional Items, please specify:
What do you currently stock from the ghd portfolio?
Would you like ghd training prior to the event with a ghd educator?
ghd Area Manager to fill the below: ghd Account Manager to Stock Take
Recommended ghd order prior to event
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Account Manager Hair Menu’s
Retail Bags ghd shirts
SALON FEEDBACK FORM Help us be the best in your next session! Please rate your overall experience of the event
1 = LOW, 10 = HIGH
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2
3
4
5
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7
8
9
10
Did you find the educator knowledgable?
1
2
3
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5
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7
8
9
10
Did you find the Area Manager knowledgable?
1
2
3
4
5
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7
8
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10
How many ghd staff supported you on the night?
1
2
3
4+
Please rate the support provided from ghd
1
2
3
4
5
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7
8
9
10
What was the most enjoyable part of the evening?
How many of your own team/staff members supported on the night?
1
2
3
If you could change one thing what would it be?
How many ghd tools did you sell?
How many other ghd products did you sell? Was the event successful from your perspective? Please provide reasons. Would you host a VIP Event again? If not, why?
Additional Comments
11
4
5
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7
8
9
10+
GUEST FEEDBACK FORM Help us be the best in your next session! Please rate your overall experience of the event
1
2
1 = LOW, 10 = HIGH 3
What was the most enjoyable part of the evening?
If you could change one thing what would it be?
Did you purchase any ghd tools or products today?
If yes, why? If no, why?
Would you come to a ghd VIP Event again? If no, why not?
Additional Comments
12
4
5
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7
8
9
10